docs/116080: PREFIX is documented, but not the more important LOCALBASE

[Markus Hitter]

>Number:         116080
>Category:       docs
>Synopsis:       PREFIX is documented, but not the more important LOCALBASE
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       low
>Responsible:    freebsd-doc
>State:          open
>Quarter:        
>Keywords:       
>Date-Required:
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   current-users
>Arrival-Date:   Tue Sep 04 11:30:02 GMT 2007
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Markus Hitter
>Release:        6.2-RELEASE
>Organization:
>Environment:
FreeBSD testBSD.jump-ing.de 6.2-RELEASE FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE #0: Fri Jan 12 10:40:27 UTC 2007 root at dessler.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC i386
>Description:
The Ports system features the PREFIX variable to let one install a port into a different location than /usr/local. /usr/ports/Mk/bsd.port.mk says:

  # PREFIX                - Where *this* port installs its files.

The handbook documents this feature:

<http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ports-using.html>
(Section 4.5.2.1)

Missing in this section is, PREFIX isn't inheriting (or shouldn't inherit, see PR #116078) to dependencies. Using PREFIX, dependencies are put into the default location.

If one wants all build results in a different directory - which is the case in many scenarios, one has to build with LOCALBASE instead:

  make LOCALBASE=/usr install


N.B.: Currently, using PREFIX fails if dependencies are needed: PR #116078


>How-To-Repeat:
n.a.
>Fix:


>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: