# ncurses menu pop ups during compile



## mrcoolhead (May 6, 2010)

I have decided to install from ports all my software.  What I want to know is why do those menus pop up every once in a while? Is there a way to make this process automated? I want to install openoffice but I don't want to wait in front of the computer forever. 

This FreeBSD seems like a cool OS.


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## wblock@ (May 6, 2010)

Those are options you can set for each port.  You can preconfigure all of the options for the current port and all the dependencies by doing `# make config-recursive` before you do `# make install`.


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## mrcoolhead (May 6, 2010)

Cool! Thanks a lot.
Now how do I figure out which of those options to choose on the ncurses menu if I did want to sit there to choose and select certain options like when I compile vim?


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## wblock@ (May 6, 2010)

mrcoolhead said:
			
		

> Cool! Thanks a lot.
> Now how do I figure out which of those options to choose on the ncurses menu if I did want to sit there to choose and select certain options like when I compile vim?



Normally, stick with the defaults.  Otherwise, most ports have a link to the project web site in the pkg-descr file.  After that, it's normal research: web, mailing lists, and such.


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## ondra_knezour (May 6, 2010)

If Java will be part of your build (and I think it will be), then you will have additionally download 3 files by hand due to licensing conditions and put them to your /usr/ports/distfiles/ directory. So if you want to "fire build and forget", start with Java and do, what you will read during build. If these files will be found during compilation, its will continue without interruption, so you can digg in /usr/ports/java/diablo-jdk16/Makefile for URLs and download them before complete build.

You can list all dependencies config options by issuing `% make showconfig-recursive` in ports directory. 

All these and some others make options for ports are available in ports() manpage.


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## jnr (May 6, 2010)

wblock said:
			
		

> `# make config-recursive`



I usually run this twice or until it produces no output. It's possible to enable a dependency on your first run through that has its own configuration.


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## SirDice (May 6, 2010)

Or use ports-mgmt/portmaster which does all the recursing through the options automatically.


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