> On Wed, 31 May 2006 08:29:49 -0400, Timothy A. Holmes wrote: > > > Raymond - the dev-lang/php use flag is there to pull in the PHP stuff as > > BASE requires it. > > dev-lang/php is not a valid USE flag, php is. > > If a program installed via portage requires php, portage will install it > as a dependency of that program. USE flags only affect optional > dependencies, such as when a program can be built with or without php > support. > > You really should read the USE flag documentation before messing with > them too much. Along with the flexibility it brings, Gentoo gives you a > great deal of power to totally fsck your system by fiddling with things > you don't understand. > > One would have thought that after destroying five systems in this way, > you would have resorted to the documentation. > > Check /usr/portage/profiles/use.*desc for descriptions of all USE flags > and 'emerge --info' to see which are in effect on your system. > > Finally, don't change to many at once, and keep track of what you have > done. that way, if things do go wrong, you can retrace your steps and > find the cause (and solution). > > > -- > Neil Bothwick > > Jimmy Hoffa is buried here ------> X [Timothy A. Holmes]
Neil and others: Thanks for the input, you are correct, I accidentally put a package specification into the original post rather than the appropriate use flag -- my goof The USE line that I want should look more like: USE="php session cli gd pear apache2 mysql ssl png jpeg gif" This USE Specification comes from the WIKI article about the installation of Snort and BASE found at: http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Setup_BASE_with_Apache,_Snort,_and_PostgreS QL With two slight changes 1. I use MySQL rather than postgreSQL 2. I am not using hardened sources or hardened php I am rapidly getting the idea that either leaving the system alone, or just wiping it out and starting over is going to be preferable to trying to repair this one, since no one can seem to tell me if it can be done. My original thought was to simply change the use flags to those that I wanted, and emerge -e world, apparently, this is not correct? As far as portage documentation, I have not been able to find a wiki article or other document that indicates how to change from a system created by the installer disk to one that is personally optimized. If there is such a document, I will be most happy to read it, as it would really simplify things. I do understand that there is significant power in the USE flags, and after having destroyed 5 systems, I came to the group asking for help to avoid making a similar mistake again. The portage docs that I have seen so far (specifically those in the gentoo handbook), do not SEEM (that I have found) to cover this type of eventuality, but rather provide a general guide line for its use. Again, If I have missed the appropriate doc someplace, please let me know. To answer Raymonds question specifically, BASE is the web interface and reporting engine that I use for the SNORT IDS, and it is the reason that php and mysql and apache2 are in the list I will freely admit that my understanding of portage and the USE flags is somewhat limited, and that is part of the reason that I came to the group for help rather than just blindly plunging ahead as I did previously. I have read the wiki document about the USE flags, and I refer to that chart routinely as I am trying to construct these statements. http://www.gentoo.org/dyn/use-index.xml This is the document that I have been using, if there is a better one available on the web, I am quite open to using it, if someone can please send me a link. Thank you all for your time and your help - -I greatly appreciate it TIM Timothy A. Holmes IT Manager / Network Admin / Web Master / Computer Teacher Medina Christian Academy A Higher Standard... Jeremiah 33:3 Jeremiah 29:11 Esther 4:14 -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
