Why should we use portsdb?

[tournevice]

Hi there,

I'm new here, and also, I'm french, so please excuse me for my english

I don't understand the use of portsdb... I mean, before I knew these tools (portupgrade, pkgdb, portsdb...) I just did make install clean via the ports tree, and no problems occured... If you could explain me, it would be nice

Thx

 

[Glaanieboy]

Well, as I understand it, some ports corrupt the portsdb in some way. portsdb -u checks the portsdb for the right format and corrects it when necessary. I use it, because I have learnt it that way, but you also just do a make index in /usr/ports.

 

[Glaanieboy]

Oh and welcome to OSNN.net

 

[tournevice]

thanks

 

[sean.ferguson]

i do it once... the first time i install a system. But after that i never do it. Some people say you should do the portdb -u after each and everytime you cvsup your ports

 

[LordOfLA]

you personally dont have to use portsdb but it gets used anyway if you use portupgrade and whatnot.

If you do it yourself itjust gets done earlier than if you didnt.