Alan McKinnon writes: > On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 19:57:42 -0700 > Chris Stankevitz <chrisstankev...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Today emerge is asking me to add "=sys-fs/udev-171-r6 hwdb" to > > package.use to appease udisk. Just as before, this looks fishy to me > > and I would like to get your opinion about how to properly satisfy > > this seemingly system-required-use-flag. My gut instinct is that this > > USE flag requirement should be handled by the Gentoo team in the > > profile or in some other place that I never look at. > > It's not a question of "system" vs "personal preference" > > It's a question of treating USE flags as global or local in scope. The > USE variable in make.conf applies globally, and the package.use file > applies to individual packages. Portage itself couldn't care how you > view the use of your flags, so you should organize them how you see fit. > > See here: > > $ euses -sf hwdb > sys-fs/udev:hwdb - read vendor/device string database and add it to > udev database > > The flag applies to only one package. > > Some USE flags do not have a sane default so there's no choice the devs > can make on your behalf. Especially convenience features like this one > - some folk want it, others do not. So the devs delegate the choice to > you to apply in any way you see fit. I think Chris' question is more about why he has to manually activate this USE flag, as it seems to be necessary anyway, in his case. Looking at my own setup, I have built udev with hwdb, but I do not know why. There is no hwdb in make.conf or package.use, emerge --info does not show it, but emerge --info sys-fs/udev does. I'm on version 182-r3. > > What do you guys think? Should I append "udev hwdb" to package.use > > right after my long list of "personal preference customizations"? Yes. Or use the --autounmask-write option for emerge (may need the new portage), this will add it automatically, with a comment. Wonko