tech-pkg: IMPORTANT user-visible change to pkgsrc related to config files

Subject: IMPORTANT user-visible change to pkgsrc related to config files
To: None <current-users@netbsd.org, tech-pkg@netbsd.org>
From: Johnny Lam <jlam@jgrind.org>
List: tech-pkg
Date: 11/25/2001 13:12:22

Hi,
I've committed changes to bsd.pkg.mk and friends to implement a variable
PKG_SYSCONFDIR, used to specify the location where the configuration files
for a package may be found. The is to help resolve those arguments that
look like:
	Config files are host-specific...they should go into /etc.
	No! All package stuff should be in /usr/pkg; config files are no
	exception.
	But I want to share my /usr/pkg, but not my config files.
	Well, use symlinks.
	Why?
	Why not?
	Because my way is correct.
	No, my way is correct.
	[flamewar follows]
Now, those who want their config files in /etc should set PKG_SYSCONFBASE
to /etc in /etc/mk.conf, while those who want it in ${PREFIX}/etc don't have
to do anything (the default is for config files to be in ${PREFIX}/etc).
Also, the config directory for a particular package may be set in /etc/mk.conf
by setting PKG_SYSCONFDIR.<pkgname>, e.g. PKG_SYSCONFDIR.apache=/etc/apache.
Please note that not all packages have been converted to use PKG_SYSCONFDIR.
For package constructors, the PKG_SYSCONFDIR variable may be customized with
the following variables:
* PKG_SYSCONFBASE is the main config directory under which all package
 configuration files are to be found. This defaults to ${PREFIX}/etc, but
 may be overridden in /etc/mk.conf.
* PKG_SYSCONFSUBDIR is the subdirectory of PKG_SYSCONFBASE under which the
 configuration files for a particular package may be found, e.g. the
 Apache configuration files may all be found under the "httpd" subdirectory
 of ${PKG_SYSCONFBASE}.
Packages should be taught to look for their configuration files in
${PKG_SYSCONFDIR}, which is passed through to the configure and build
processes. This is typically done for GNU packages by passing
--sysconfdir=${PKG_SYSCONFDIR} to the configure script, but please check to
make sure.
	Cheers,
	-- Johnny Lam <jlam@jgrind.org>