portsnap(8)

NAME

portsnap  [-I]  [-d  workdir]  [-f  conffile]  [-k  KEY] [-p
portsdir]
         [-s server] command ... [path]

The following options are supported:

-d workdir Store working files (e.g. downloaded updates)
in workdir.: (default: /var/db/portsnap, or as given in the; configuration
file.)
-f conffile Read the configuration from from conffile.
(default:: /etc/portsnap.conf)
-I For the update command, update INDEX files, but
not the rest: of the ports tree.
-k KEY Expect a public key with given SHA256 hash.
(default: read: value from configuration file.)
-p portsdir When extracting or updating an uncompressed
snapshot, oper: ate on the directory portsdir. (default:; /usr/ports/, or as
given in the configuration file.)
-s server Fetch files from the specified server or server
pool.: (default: portsnap.FreeBSD.org , or as given in; the configuration file.)
path For extract command only, operate only on parts
of the ports: tree starting with path. (e.g. portsnap; sysutils/port
would extract sysutils/portsman, sysutils/port; snap, sysutils/portupgrade, etc.)

The command can be any one of the following:

fetch Fetch a compressed snapshot of the ports tree,
or update the: existing snapshot. This command should only be; used interactively; for non-interactive use, you should; use the cron
command.
cron Sleep a random amount of time between 1 and
3600 seconds,: then operate as if the fetch command was speci; fied. As the
name suggests, this command is designed for; running from
cron(8); the random delay serves to minimize; the probability
that a large number of machines will simultane; ously attempt
to fetch updates.
extract Extract a ports tree, replacing existing files
and directo: ries. NOTE: This will remove anything occupy; ing the location where files or directories are being ex; tracted; in particular, any changes made locally to the ports; tree (for
example, adding new patches) will be silently; obliterated.; Only run this command to initialize your port; snap-maintained
ports tree for the first time, if you wish to; start over
with a clean, completely unmodified tree, or if; you wish to
extract a specific part of the tree (using the; path option).
update Update a ports tree extracted using the extract
command.: You must run this command to apply changes to; your ports
tree after downloading updates via the fetch or; cron commands. Again, note that in the parts of the; ports tree
which are being updated, any local changes or; additions will
be removed.

+o If your clock is set to local time, adding the line: 0 3 * * * root /usr/sbin/portsnap cron
to /etc/crontab is a good way to make sure you always
have an up-todate snapshot of the ports tree available which can
quickly be extracted into /usr/ports. If your clock is set to UTC,
please pick a random time other than 3AM, to avoid overly imposing
an uneven load on the server(s) hosting the snapshots.
+o Running portsnap update from cron(8) is a bad idea -- if
you're ever: installing or updating a port at the time the cron job; runs, you'll
probably end up in a mess when portsnap updates or re; moves files
which are being used by the port build. However, run; ning portsnap -I
update is probably safe, and can be used together with; portversion(1)
to identify installed software which is out of date.
+o If you wish to use portsnap to keep a large number of
machines up to: date, you may wish to set up a caching HTTP proxy.; Since portsnap
uses fetch(1) to download updates, setting the; HTTP_PROXY environment
variable will direct it to fetch updates from the given; proxy. This
is much more efficient than mirroring the files on the; portsnap
server, since the vast majority of files are not needed; by any particular client.

As an unavoidable part of its operation, a machine running
portsnap will
make its public IP address and the list of files it fetches
available to the server from which it fetches updates. Using these it
may be possible to recognize a machine over an extended period of time, de
termine when it is updated, and identify which portions of the FreeBSD ports
tree, if any, are being ignored using "REFUSE" directives in
portsnap.conf. In addition, the FreeBSD release level is transmitted to the
server.
Statistical data generated from information collected in
this manner may be published, but only in aggregate and after anonymizing
the individual systems.