Looking for a clue... where do I start if I want to contribute a patch to a broken port?

[Sterling Smith]

> 
>> 2) Do I edit patches & the portfile in place on my /opt filesystem, or can I build a port from within my own source tree?
> 
> Either will work. If you work in /opt consider switching from rsync to svn to preserve your work:
> http://guide.macports.org/#installing.macports.subversion
> See item 3 in above link.
> https://trac.macports.org/wiki/howto/SyncingWithSVN

Patrick,

I found that the instructions for using a local repository were useful:
http://guide.macports.org/#development.local-repositories
The one sticking point is that with a usual installation of MacPorts, I had to put my local ports into a different directory than indicated (something about permissions problems).  I put them in /usr/local/ports/.  (Yes, I have read the Macports instructions to not have anything there....)

Note also that macports-dev at lists.macosforge.org is the place to discuss portfile development.  I found that reading the messages in that list keeps me up to date about what the latest development efforts are and gives perspective about the human nature of the developers.

Later,
Sterling