Items exist in ports, but not as packages.

[Randy Pratt]

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 10:50:12 +0000
Paul Richards <paul.richards at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> I've been trying to install a few packages using 'pkg_add -r' but I
> have found that there are a few which only exist as ports, and not
> packages.  The main one which I am missing is 'vtk-tcl'.
> 
> Is it generally the case that the precompiled packages are not always
> available when the ports are?  According to freshports.org I should be
> able to use 'pkg_add -r' for vtk-tcl.
>  
> Unfortunately I am only allowed (by the girlfriend) to play with
> FreeBSD on an old 1 gig disk and so I don't have the space to install
> ports.  Are there any other sources of precompiled packages which I
> could use?  Is there a way to install just the portion of the ports
> tree which I need?

Portcheckout might be useful in some fashion.

/usr/ports/devel/portcheckout/pkg-descr reads:

  The portcheckout(1) reads the /usr/ports/INDEX file and checks-out
  a given port and its dependencies.  This makes it easy to use the
  ports system without having a full and up-to-date /usr/ports tree.

  A typical use would be to connect to the Internet, possibly download
  a new INDEX and ports upgrade kit, download a port skeleton with
  portcheckout(1), and then build the port.

I was thinking that some possibilities exist here for building a
custom ports tree.  I also have some older machines that take a
long time to build INDEX as well as limited disk space.

YMMV.  I'm sure that the possibilities for shooting one's self 
the foot also exists ;-)

Randy
--