TIP: Use the pkg_version tool

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TIP: Use the pkg_version tool

Posted by Jason on Friday November 09, @10:03PM
from the keep-up-to-date dept.
If you use cvsup to ensure that your ports tree is always up-to-date (see: HOWTO: keep your ports tree current), you might want to use pkg_version to compare what programs you have installed to what's in the ports tree.

The pkg_version program will compare your installed package versions to the ones in your ports tree. If an installed package is older than the corresponing one in the ports tree, you may want to install the newer version.

Here is some sample output from one of my workstations.

pkg_version -v

AbiWord-0.9.2 < needs updating (port has 0.9.4.1)
IglooFTP-0.6.1 = up-to-date with port
bash-2.05 = up-to-date with port
...

As you can see from the output, it's very easy to determine what pakckages need to be updated and what new versions are available.

To learn more about the pkg_version command, please refer to the man page.

man pkg_version

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The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them.
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Re: TIP: Use the pkg_version tool
by fidel on Saturday November 24, @09:29AM

I did't know about this.. is quite usefull. Now I do have a question: What's the best way to update de version of a port. I've seen the aplication called portupgrade in freshports.org, but I still not sure if that's what I need. Usually I compile de newer version of the port (just make), and if everything goes right, then I pkg_delete the version of the port I have indtalled, (usually with the -f flag) and then finish with the new port with make install.

This usually works, but sometimes some libraries that are needed are deleted (it happened to my specially installing linux_base-7).

Any help?

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Re: TIP: Use the pkg_version tool
by Jason on Saturday November 24, @10:23AM

There are several ways to do this. I usually delete the old port with either deinstall or pkg_delete and then install the new one. Here is a HOWTO describing both methods.

Alternatively, you can use the portupgrade utility found in /usr/ports/sysutils/portupgrade. This TIP will provide you with sample usage.

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