# make readmes not working correctly in /usr/ports



## rbelk (Oct 11, 2010)

For some unknown reason make readmes in /usr/ports is not working correctly anymore. It appears to have started having issues after Oct. 1'st. It will create the README.html for all the directories but it will not make the README.html for the individual ports sub-directories. I can go into each port directory and issue a "make readmes" an it will create it then. Any ideas anyone?


```
[root@rbserver /usr/ports]# cd /usr/ports/
[root@rbserver /usr/ports]# make readmes
[root@rbserver /usr/ports]# ls -l README.html
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  5119 Oct 11 12:18 README.html

[root@rbserver /usr/ports]# cd /usr/ports/archivers
[root@rbserver /usr/ports/archivers]# ls -l README.html
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  19695 Oct 11 12:18 README.html

[root@rbserver /usr/ports/archivers]# cd arj
[root@rbserver /usr/ports/archivers/arj]# ls -l
total 8
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  1591 Sep 15 13:33 Makefile
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  1297 Oct 11 12:33 README.html
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel   190 Nov  8  2005 distinfo
drwxr-xr-x  2 root  wheel   512 Sep 21 09:30 files
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel   543 Jul  1  2002 pkg-descr

[root@rbserver /usr/ports/archivers/arj]# make readmes
===>   Creating README.html for arj-3.10.22_4
[root@rbserver /usr/ports/archivers/arj]# ls -l
total 10
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  1591 Sep 15 13:33 Makefile
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  1297 Oct 11 12:33 README.html
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel   190 Nov  8  2005 distinfo
drwxr-xr-x  2 root  wheel   512 Sep 21 09:30 files
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel   543 Jul  1  2002 pkg-descr
```


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## rbelk (Nov 23, 2010)

I guess I'll bump this issue. Ever since 8.1, make readmes has been broken for me. Is any one else having the same issue?


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## sk8harddiefast (Nov 23, 2010)

What is make readmes?


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## wblock@ (Nov 23, 2010)

sk8harddiefast said:
			
		

> What is make readmes?



ports(7).  But I've never used the local readmes, http://www.freebsd.org/ports/ is more convenient for me.


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## rbelk (Nov 23, 2010)

Sk8harddiefast, you can cd to /usr/ports and type in [cmd=]make readmes[/cmd] and it will compile a README.html file in all the ports directories. Then you can use lynx or elinks and view the ports tree like a web site.

Wblock, when you are on a system without X, you can gain a lot of insight on a port you are about to install by typing [cmd=]elinks /usr/ports/shells/bash/README.html[/cmd]

It's also a lot easier to just look through the ports tree for interesting utilities to install.


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## sk8harddiefast (Nov 23, 2010)

Every day I discover something new on FreeBSD  I like it so much


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## wblock@ (Nov 23, 2010)

rbelk said:
			
		

> Wblock, when you are on a system without X, you can gain a lot of insight on a port you are about to install by typing 'elinks /usr/ports/shells/bash/README.html'. It's also a lot easier to just look through the ports tree for interesting utilities to install.



It's the same as using links http://www.freebsd.org/ports/.  Except you don't have to build all those HTML files.

If a system doesn't have net access, pkg-descr is already available in every port.  You can still use a browser if you want:
`% lynx file:///usr/ports/net/`


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## rbelk (Nov 23, 2010)

wblock said:
			
		

> It's the same as using links http://www.freebsd.org/ports/.  Except you don't have to build all those HTML files.
> 
> If a system doesn't have net access, pkg-descr is already available in every port.  You can still use a browser if you want:
> `% lynx file:///usr/ports/net/`



I not trying to be rude wblock, but why does the ports Makefile have that option anyway? I've been using it since the 4.x days and never had a problem with it. It has come in very handy also. I was just going to ask if anyone else had the same problem. Guess I'll file a PR on it tomorrow. I'll just close this thread and mark it solved.


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## wblock@ (Nov 23, 2010)

rbelk said:
			
		

> why does the ports Makefile have that option anyway?



I'd guess it originally comes from the earlier days when few people had reasonably fast net access.  The first commits were in 1996.

There's nothing wrong with using it, the alternatives just might be more convenient for some.


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## jotawski (Jan 10, 2011)

rbelk said:
			
		

> I not trying to be rude wblock, but why does the ports Makefile have that option anyway? I've been using it since the 4.x days and never had a problem with it. It has come in very handy also. I was just going to ask if anyone else had the same problem. Guess I'll file a PR on it tomorrow. I'll just close this thread and mark it solved.



I still have the same problem.  I used to read README.html from my small machine but not for today.


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