What is in /opt/local/var/db/dports

[Mark Hattam]

When I try "sudo port -f clean --all", this is the output. I'm 
running MacPorts 1.4 on MacOSX 10.4.9 PPC on Powerbook G4Ti 667 ...

powerbook:~ username$ sudo port -f clean --all
Password:
Can't map the URL 'file://.' to a port description file ("Could not 
find Portfile in .").
Please verify that the directory and portfile syntax are correct.
To use the current port, you must be in a port's directory.
(you might also see this message if a pseudo-port such as
outdated or installed expands to no ports).
Error: Unable to open port: Could not find Portfile in .


So that doesn't appear to work.


Mark

--


At 01:57 +0200 13/4/07, Elias Pipping wrote:
>${prefix}/var/db/dports contains five directories:
>
>build
>=====
>         this is where all the temporary files go whenever
>         you install something. unless you're building
>         something, it should be empty (it can potentially
>         contain a lot of sub-directories but those should
>         themselves only contain an empty 'work' dir. If
>         you've disabled cleaning after installation...
>
>         * through 'portautoclean no' in
>           ${prefix}/etc/ports/ports.conf
>         * through -k on the command line
>           (e.g. 'sudo port -k install foo +bar)
>
>         ...which you mostly likely haven't, the directory
>         will *not* be empty but instead still contain files.
>
>         long story short:
>         =================
>
>         unless another action is running, you're free to
>         remove the directory, most likely not saving space,
>         though. (see distfiles -> long story short)
>
>distfiles
>=========
>
>         whenever a port is installed, files are fetched and
>         put into this directory, so whenever you decide to
>         uninstall something and feel like reinstalling it
>         (the same version!) at a later point in time, you
>         won't have to fetch any files that time.
>
>         long story short:
>         =================
>
>         this is the directory you can safely get rid of.
>         instead of deleting it, you might first want to...
>
>            sudo port -f clean --all
>
>         to clean both the distfiles and the build directory.
>
>receipts
>========
>
>         doesn't take up much space. i won't go into detail but
>         this directory is essential for macports to run, don't
>         delete it.
>
>software
>========
>
>         this is where both inactive and active ports go.
>         activating or deactivating a port doesn't change
>         anything about how much space it takes up on your hd.
>         the file in ${prefix}/(bin|lib|include|...) are only
>         links, which take up virtually no extra space.
>
>         long story short:
>         =================
>
>         to save space, get rid of inactive ports.
>
>           port echo inactive
>
>         gets you a list. don't remove anything from this
>         directory by hand!
>
>sources
>=======
>
>         the portfiles for every port there is are placed here -
>         assuming your macports installation is up to date.
>
>           sudo port sync
>
>         makes sure that is the case. removing this directory
>         isn't really harmful, it's pointless, though because
>
>         * you won't be able to install anything without it
>         * it'll be restored after every successful sync/selfupdate.
>
>
>Regards,
>
>Elias Pipping
>
>
>On Apr 13, 2007, at 1:22 AM, Markus Weimer wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I just checked my system for places where I can get a few megabytes of
>>diskspace back and found that /opt/local/var/db/dports contains quite
>>a lot of files. Essentially all software packages I installed are
>>there once again. Is it safe to delete them? Is there a general
>>procedure to free as much space as possible while keeping the ports
>>intact?
>>
>>Thanks in advance for any pointers,
>>
>>Markus
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>>macports-users at lists.macosforge.org
>>http://lists.macosforge.org/mailman/listinfo/macports-users
>
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