Re: [gentoo-user] Can't emerge xfce4 with installed lprng. :-(

[Sebastian Günther]

* Alan Mackenzie (acm@×××.de) [24.07.08 23:02]:
> Hi, Sebastian,
>

I don't know where it is explained, but I try to explain what I know 
until now about this.

> I'm still very confused by profiles, though I obviously need to get to
> grips with them.  What is a profile, _EXACTLY_?  Where in the
> documentation can I find a description which says something like ".... a
> profile is a directory which contains the following files" and then lists
> them?  There are lots of instructions to "set foobar in your profile",
> but the only description I've found so far just says "A profile is a
> building block for any Gentoo system" in the Gentoo Linux x86 Handbook,
> and then goes on to describe what a profile _does_ in abstract terms but
> not what it _is_ in terms of directories and files.  That section says
> that I "have" the option of choosing another profile too, but not how to
> recognise a profile from a random directory or file.  I don't understand
> how to select it.
>
You select your profile by choosing a directory (in any depth) under 
/usr/portage/profiles link it to /etc/make.profile.

> I have a link
>
>     /etc/make.profile -> /usr/portage/profiles/default/linux/x86/2008.0
>
> , set up as suggested in the handbook.  Is .../2008.0 my profile?  Is
> this valid?  There doesn't appear to be anything of substance there.
>
your profile is default/linux/x86/2008.0

> On the other hand the handbook says a few lines lowere, I should select a
> profile with:
>
>    # ln -snf /usr/portage/profiles/<profile name>   /etc/make.profile.
>
> In that directory, /usr/portage/profiles, there are both subdirectories
> (e.g. default-linux) and some files (e.g., make.defaults,
> packages.builds).  Is "<profile name>" one of the directories rather than
> a file?  It looks almost as though there's some sort of hierarchical
> inheritance going on.
>

portage recurses upwards to /usr/portage/profiles and read all files in 
the directories on the way upwards. So every file in 
/etc/portage/profiles is member of all profiles and what is found on the 
way down to your choosen directory is *added* to your specific profile.

So by choosing a profile you choose a stepwise "patch way" to the files 
in /usr/portage/profile

> Please tell me that this is clearly explained somewhere.
>

Sorry no links I know of.

> Thanks!
>

HTH
Sebastian

BTT: What does "euse -i cups" state?

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 " Religion ist das Opium des Volkes. "      Karl Marx

 SEB@STI@N GÜNTHER         mailto:samson@××××××××××××××××.de