easy way to upgrade from 6.3 to 7.1 (including port packages)

[martinko]

Oliver Fromme wrote:
> martinko <gamato at users.sf.net> wrote:
>  > Oliver Fromme wrote:
>  > > martinko <gamato at users.sf.net> wrote:
>  > > > 1)  I wonder if I could use mergemaster to compare 2 directories and 
>  > > > merge differencies as neccessary.  To explain: I have all config files I 
>  > > > touch saved with full path somewhere in /root.  And therefore I'd like 
>  > > > mergemaster or some other tool to compare all files in my backup 
>  > > > directory with newly installed (config) files.
>  > > 
>  > > You can use mergemaster against any directory, not just
>  > > /etc.  This is especially useful when perforing a binary
>  > > update, a cross update or similar things.
>  > > 
>  > 
>  > No, you cannot.
> 
> Yes, You can.  I've done it several times.  And I'm sure
> I'm not hallucinating.  :-)
> 
>  > I have all config files I edited saved with full path under my backup 
>  > directory and I would like to use mergemaster or something similar to 
>  > compare and merge my changes (perhaps from other machine).  But if you 
>  > try to use mergemaster (you need to specify both -m and -D)
> 
> You only need -m if you have installed the source somewhere
> else than /usr/src.
> 
>  > it would try 
>  > to run make (1) which fails since there is no Makefile in my backup dir. :-(
> 
> You have to it runs make(1) in /usr/src/etc (unless you
> override the path with -m) which contains a Makefile.
> If it doesn't, you haven't installed the system sources
> correctly.
> 
>>From your description it sounds as if you used -m to
> point to your modified etc files.  That's wrong.  Please
> follow the instructions that I explained in my previous
> mail message.  It works.  As I said, I've done it plenty
> of times.
> 
> Best regards
>    Oliver
> 

OK, it's obvious now that I didn't make myself clear enough. Sorry. :-)

I'd like a more general purpose utility, be it mergemaster or sth else. 
  I like the way mergemaster works but I'd like to use it not only for 
/etc (after make) -- I'd like to point it to my backup directory which 
doesn't contain all of /etc and compare the files it finds with those in 
/etc.  Or point it to arbitrary 2 directories and compare their files.

Cheers,

Martin