how to recompile a port in a clean maneer?

[John Oxley]

Sorry, I lost the beginning of this thread,

On Wed, Oct 05, 2005 at 06:50:40PM -0400, Chuck Swiger wrote:
> Eric Devolder wrote:
> [ ... ]
> >My specific questions are:
> >* how to fetch the source code of a port? and especially from another 
> >release?

Look in /usr/ports/Mk/bsd.port.mk
There are options do to the entirety of make install

About line 674 it shows the default sequence for "all"
#     check-sanity fetch checksum extract patch configure build

Have a look through that file for a much better idea of the "magic"
behind ports.

-John