On Tue, Sep 05, 2000 at 11:10:19PM +0200, Hubert Feyrer wrote:

> > Second, because this does not need to be tedious: it is quite possible to have
> > a script that generates very good packing-list approximations.
> > 
> > Finally, having the packing-lists part of the tree makes some automated 
> > treatments easier: doing statistics on all packages from source, finding
> > packages that conflict due to common installed file, is much more
> > light-weight.  It is also much easier for anyone to look directly at what
> > files a package contains just from the pkgsrc tree, without having to download
> > (usually) much larger binary packages, or recreate them.

> OK. Now, what do you use the automatic PLIST generation for then, if you
> still store PLISTs in the ports source? As a tool to generate and 
> verify pkg/PLIST as print-PLIST is used in NetBSD, or for more?

Let me clarify: there are two distinct automated packing-lists generators:
- the one that's used to substitute variables (functionality that NetBSD has) 
and to grab fragments (NetBSD does not have that as far as I know. I added
it when I got tired of forgetting to update PLIST.unshared every once in a
blue moon).
That one is always used, and we try to make it as invisible as possible.

- the one that's used for the creation of a packing-list ab nihilo.
That one is provide as an aid to porters in the tedious task
of porting new software and updating old ports... Easier to do diffs than
to get everything done manually, e.g., it is only a porter tool.

Having comprehensive packing-lists in the tree is useful to generate, for
instance, a list of all conflicting packages directly from the ports (damn,
pkgsrc) tree, so that informed decisions can be made globally, without needing
to have all packages available, redundant ports, or pkgcfl directives 
that were missed. 

From a logistics point of view, this makes this check available to everyone,
without needing the somewhat important space&time resources that might be
needed to build a full package tree...

-- 
	Marc Espie		
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