Java (w/out ports?)

[Jamie]

On Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 07:27:36PM -0400, Dan Langille wrote:
> On 7/18/2010 6:52 PM, Jamie wrote:
> > Are there any documents on the web some-place that explain how
> > to install java on freebsd, w/out the ports system?
> >
> > Over on linux, I used to have /usr/local/jdk1.n and a symlink
> > to whichever JDK I was using. I kind of liked it that way, even
> > though it was kind of a pain to keep all the paths straight.
> >
> > Haven't been able to figure out how to do this with FreeBSD,
> > any pointers to docs appreciated!
> 
> Why do you wish to do this without the ports system?

On some corner cases, I'll typically do this:

./configure --prefix=/usr/local/appname-version .....
..
make install

cd /usr/local
ln -s appname-version appname

This is like one of those emacs -vs- vim things, I've seen some people
go absolutely ballastic at the very notion.

I've seen it make debian users panic, some folks go absolutely crazy if
you even suggest the above for ANYTHING, but I've been doing it for
years because, frankly, it "just works".

That way, if I upgrade to a new version I can do so w/out interfering
with stuff that might already be using the old version, then in one fell
swoop, change the symlink to the new version.

If things don't pan out so well on the upgrade, change the symlink back to
the old version w/out any problems, stuff continues to function while
I scratch my head trying to figure out why a given upgrade broke
such-n-such.

Anyway.. I can't seem to find a way to install the JDK w/out going
through ports, will make install PREFIX=/where/i/want work with ports
in such a way as to not create a mess later on, such as recording it
in the package db and insisting I uninstall it before upgrading, even
though the upgrade would be in a different PREFIX?

Jamie
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