Removing all non-requested ports?

[Jonathan Stickel]

On 12/4/20 05:00, macports-users-request at lists.macports.org wrote:
> Date: Thu, 3 Dec 2020 15:30:11 +0000
> From: Christopher Jones<jonesc at hep.phy.cam.ac.uk>
> To: Michael<keybounce at gmail.com>
> Cc: macports-users<macports-users at lists.macports.org>
> Subject: Re: Removing all non-requested ports?
> 
>> sudo port uninstall leaves
> sometimes you need to run it  more than once to pick everything up.
> 
> that said, I use
> 
>> sudo port reclaim
> these days which does the above, and a bit more.
> 
> Chris
> 
>> On 3 Dec 2020, at 9:08 am, Michael<keybounce at gmail.com>  wrote:
>>
>> What's the command to remove non-requested ports again?
>>

The problem with `port reclaim` is that it wipes out all build 
dependencies, so the next time you upgrade or install something, many of 
those need to be reinstalled. `port_cutleaves -b` (a standalone port) 
will keep build dependencies. I'm not sure why `reclaim` doesn't provide 
such an option. On the other hand, `port_cutleaves` doesn't have an 
"all" or "recursive" option, so you have to repeatedly enter `u` and 
`y`. That is the safe way, I suppose.

Regards,
Jonathan