[gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Christoph Niethammer]

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Hello.

Currently I am doing a from scratch installation of gentoo.

While setting up my USE flags I noticed, that some default USE flags in the 
default environment (default/linux/amd64/10.0/desktop/kde) are neither
documented (in /usr/portage/profiles/use.desc) nor used in IUSE by any package 
(amd64).

I am wondering if they are a leftover from older/outdated packages and could 
be removed.

Here is the list of USE flags I identified at my system:

* Undocumented use flags:
----------
amd64
consolekit
declarative
gdu
kipi
mudflap
nptlonly
pango
phonon
pppd
qt3support
sysfs
xorg

* Unused and undocumented USE flags:
----------
amd64
mudflap
sysfs


For those who want to search on their system I attached two scripts:
* find_undocumented_uses.sh : 
	searches for use flags which are active but not documenten in
	/usr/portage/profiles/use.desc.
* find_unused_uses.sh :
	Checks for given USE flags if they are found in any ebuild's IUSE statment

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Re: [gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Jory A. Pratt]

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On 03/16/2012 07:05 AM, Christoph Niethammer wrote:
> 
> * Unused and undocumented USE flags:
> ----------
> amd64
> mudflap
> sysfs
> 
amd64 is never documented, it is defined by arch being built for,
mudflap is used by gcc, sysfs I believe is a dead useflag. Maybe someone
else can comment on it.

Jory



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Re: [gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[René Neumann]

> * Undocumented use flags:
> ----------
> pango


% euse -i pango
global use flags (searching: pango)
************************************************************
no matching entries found

local use flags (searching: pango)
************************************************************
[+  D   ] pango
    app-i18n/fcitx: Enable support for x11-libs/pango
              3.6.3 [gentoo]
              3.6.4 [gentoo]
        [+  ] 4.0.0 [gentoo]
        [+  ] 4.0.1 [gentoo]
        [+  ] 4.2.0-r2 [gentoo]
        [+  ] 4.2.1 [gentoo]

[+  D   ] pango
    media-gfx/fontforge: Enable pango font rendering
        [+  ] 20100501 [gentoo]
        [+  ] 20110222 [gentoo]
        [+  ] 20110222-r1 [gentoo]

[+  D   ] pango
    media-gfx/imagemagick: Enable Pango support using x11-libs/pango

[...]

Re: [gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Christoph Niethammer]

Hello.

I see. There is more documentation on a per package bases wich has to be considered, too. (Found already the metadata.xml files.)

As with the pango USE they may differe in their description - maybe also in their meaning for different packages. So local USE flags should only be used on a per package basis!

Here the euse command is realy handy. :-)
However the sysfs USE flag is still hiding its documentation.
So lets see if this is a bug or a feature. ;-)

Thx for the clarification so far.

Best regards
Christoph

René Neumann <lists@necoro.eu> schrieb:

>> * Undocumented use flags:
>> ----------
>> pango
>
>
>% euse -i pango
>global use flags (searching: pango)
>************************************************************
>no matching entries found
>
>local use flags (searching: pango)
>************************************************************
>[+  D   ] pango
>    app-i18n/fcitx: Enable support for x11-libs/pango
>              3.6.3 [gentoo]
>              3.6.4 [gentoo]
>        [+  ] 4.0.0 [gentoo]
>        [+  ] 4.0.1 [gentoo]
>        [+  ] 4.2.0-r2 [gentoo]
>        [+  ] 4.2.1 [gentoo]
>
>[+  D   ] pango
>    media-gfx/fontforge: Enable pango font rendering
>        [+  ] 20100501 [gentoo]
>        [+  ] 20110222 [gentoo]
>        [+  ] 20110222-r1 [gentoo]
>
>[+  D   ] pango
>    media-gfx/imagemagick: Enable Pango support using x11-libs/pango
>
>[...]
>

Re: [gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Kent Fredric]

On 17 March 2012 01:05, Christoph Niethammer
<christoph.niethammer@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Hello.


 quse -D amd64 consolekit declarative gdu kipi mudflap nptlonly pango
phonon pppd qt3support sysfs xorg

 arch:amd64: amd64 architecture

 local:consolekit:app-emulation/spice-vdagent: Use sys-auth/consolekit
to determine the master vdagentd in case of multiple running vdagentds
(highly recommended)
 local:consolekit:gnome-base/gdm: Allow proper handling of removable
media according to who is actually present on the machine.
 local:consolekit:kde-base/kdm: Enables support for authorization
using consolekit
 local:consolekit:kde-misc/networkmanagement: Enable support for
sys-auth/consolekit
 local:consolekit:lxde-base/lxdm: Enables support for authorization
using consolekit
 local:consolekit:net-wireless/bluez: Use sys-auth/pambase[consolekit]
to determine access to bluetooth devices based on whether a user is
logged in locally or remotely
 local:consolekit:sys-auth/pambase: Enable pam_ck_connector module on
local system logins. This allows for console logins to make use of
ConsoleKit authorization.
 local:consolekit:x11-apps/xdm: Enable native sys-auth/consolekit support
 local:consolekit:x11-misc/slim: Enable native consolekit support
 local:consolekit:xfce-base/xfce4-session: Enable authentication
support using sys-auth/consolekit

 local:declarative:dev-python/PyQt4: Build QtDeclarative module
 local:declarative:dev-python/pyside: Build QtDeclarative module
 local:declarative:kde-base/kdebindings-perl: Compile bindings for
x11-libs/qt-declarative.
 local:declarative:kde-base/kdebindings-ruby: Compile bindings for
x11-libs/qt-declarative.
 local:declarative:kde-base/perlqt: Compile bindings for
x11-libs/qt-declarative.
 local:declarative:kde-base/qtruby: Compile bindings for
x11-libs/qt-declarative.
 local:declarative:kde-base/smoke: Compile bindings for x11-libs/qt-declarative.
 local:declarative:kde-base/smokeqt: Compile bindings for
x11-libs/qt-declarative.

 local:gdu:gnome-base/gvfs: Enable sys-apps/gnome-disk-utility integration

 local:kipi:kde-base/gwenview: Support for the KDE Image Plugin Interface.
 local:kipi:kde-base/ksnapshot: Support for the KDE Image Plugin Interface.
 local:kipi:media-gfx/kphotoalbum: Support for the KDE Image Plugin Interface

 local:mudflap:dev-embedded/msp430-gcc: Add support for mudflap, a
pointer use checking library
 local:mudflap:sys-devel/gcc: Add support for mudflap, a pointer use
checking library

 local:pango:app-i18n/fcitx: Enable support for x11-libs/pango
 local:pango:media-gfx/fontforge: Enable pango font rendering
 local:pango:media-gfx/imagemagick: Enable Pango support using x11-libs/pango
 local:pango:media-libs/cogl: Build cogl-pango library for
x11-libs/pango integration
 local:pango:media-libs/silgraphite: Enables the pango-graphite pango module.
 local:pango:media-sound/abcm2ps: Use the pango library to render
fonts with non-latin characters
 local:pango:sys-boot/plymouth: Adds support for printing text on
splash screen and text prompts, e.g. for password
 local:pango:x11-libs/libaosd: Enable the textual helpers (requires pangocairo).
 local:pango:x11-libs/libmatchbox: Enable x11-libs/pango support
 local:pango:x11-wm/enlightenment: Enable pango font rendering
 local:pango:x11-wm/sawfish: Enable pango support

 local:phonon:dev-python/PyQt4: Build phonon module
 local:phonon:dev-python/pyside: Build phonon module
 local:phonon:kde-base/kdebindings-csharp: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:kde-base/kdebindings-perl: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:kde-base/kdebindings-ruby: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:kde-base/perlqt: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:kde-base/qtruby: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:kde-base/qyoto: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:kde-base/smoke: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:kde-base/smokeqt: Compile bindings for Phonon.
 local:phonon:net-im/kadu: Enables phonon audio plugin
 local:phonon:net-irc/kvirc: Support Phonon for audio output
 local:phonon:net-irc/quassel: Build client with phonon backend
support. This enables sound playback in client.
 local:phonon:x11-libs/qt-qt3support: Enable phonon configuration
dialog in qtconfig

 local:pppd:net-dialup/capi4k-utils: Installs pppdcapiplugin modules

 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-assistant: Enable the Qt3Support
libraries for Qt4. Note that this does not mean you can compile pure
Qt3 programs with Qt4.
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-core: Enable the Qt3Support libraries
for Qt4. Note that this does not mean you can compile pure Qt3
programs with Qt4.
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-declarative: Enable the Qt3Support
libraries for Qt4. Note that this does not mean you can compile pure
Qt3 programs with Qt4.
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-demo: Enable the Qt3Support libraries
for Qt4. Note that this does not mean you can compile pure Qt3
programs with Qt4.
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-gui: Enable the Qt3Support libraries for
Qt4. Note that this does not mean you can compile pure Qt3 programs
with Qt4.
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-meta: Enable the Qt3Support library for Qt4
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-opengl: Enable the Qt3Support libraries for Qt4
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-openvg: Enable the Qt3Support libraries for Qt4
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-phonon: Enable the Qt3Support libraries
for Qt4. Note that this does not mean you can compile pure Qt3
programs with Qt4.
 local:qt3support:x11-libs/qt-sql: Enable the Qt3Support libraries for Qt4

 local:xorg:x11-base/xorg-server: Build the Xorg X server (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

 qfile $( which quse  )
app-portage/portage-utils (/usr/bin/quse)

<3 portage-utils, I know they're not standard, but I've always found
them faster/more useful than their e* equivalents I can never remember
the name for.



-- 
Kent

perl -e  "print substr( \"edrgmaM  SPA NOcomil.ic\\@tfrken\", \$_ * 3,
3 ) for ( 9,8,0,7,1,6,5,4,3,2 );"

Re: [gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Rich Freeman]

On Fri, Mar 16, 2012 at 8:49 AM, Christoph Niethammer
<christoph.niethammer@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Here the euse command is realy handy. :-)
> However the sysfs USE flag is still hiding its documentation.
> So lets see if this is a bug or a feature. ;-)

Yup, euse is helpful, or you can grep /usr/portage/profiles/use.*
(including the local version).

I suspect we'll find 3 categories here:

1.  Stuff like amd64 which isn't really a USE flag proper, but which
is required due to how arch support works.  As far as I know amd64 is
the only one in this category.

2.  Stuff like pango which really are documented.

3.  Stuff like sysfs which are neither.  File a bug...  :)

Rich

Re: [gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Joshua Kinard]

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On 03/16/2012 08:05, Christoph Niethammer wrote:


> Here is the list of USE flags I identified at my system:
> 
> * Undocumented use flags:
> ----------

[snip]

> nptlonly

[snip]

nptlonly was used during the transition from linuxthreads to NPTL in glibc.
 The toolchain would build glibc twice, once with linuxthreads, and the
other with NPTL.  By setting this USE flag, you would cause glibc to only
build the NPTL version, thus cutting the build-time in half.

Whether it's needed or not anymore, I am not certain.  It might be left over
for people who need an upgrade path from such an old glibc to something newer.

-- 
Joshua Kinard
Gentoo/MIPS
kumba@gentoo.org
4096R/D25D95E3 2011-03-28

"The past tempts us, the present confuses us, the future frightens us.  And
our lives slip away, moment by moment, lost in that vast, terrible in-between."

--Emperor Turhan, Centauri Republic


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Re: [gentoo-dev] Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Alec Warner]

On Fri, Mar 16, 2012 at 5:49 AM, Christoph Niethammer
<christoph.niethammer@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Hello.
>
> I see. There is more documentation on a per package bases wich has to be considered, too. (Found already the metadata.xml files.)

The metadata.xml files are  used to generate the use.local.desc file.

>
> As with the pango USE they may differe in their description - maybe also in their meaning for different packages. So local USE flags should only be used on a per package basis!

Usage of flags are not so clear cut as this, so I wouldn't make that
kind of generalization on their use.

>
> Here the euse command is realy handy. :-)
> However the sysfs USE flag is still hiding its documentation.
> So lets see if this is a bug or a feature. ;-)
>
> Thx for the clarification so far.
>
> Best regards
> Christoph
>
> René Neumann <lists@necoro.eu> schrieb:
>
>>> * Undocumented use flags:
>>> ----------
>>> pango
>>
>>
>>% euse -i pango
>>global use flags (searching: pango)
>>************************************************************
>>no matching entries found
>>
>>local use flags (searching: pango)
>>************************************************************
>>[+  D   ] pango
>>    app-i18n/fcitx: Enable support for x11-libs/pango
>>              3.6.3 [gentoo]
>>              3.6.4 [gentoo]
>>        [+  ] 4.0.0 [gentoo]
>>        [+  ] 4.0.1 [gentoo]
>>        [+  ] 4.2.0-r2 [gentoo]
>>        [+  ] 4.2.1 [gentoo]
>>
>>[+  D   ] pango
>>    media-gfx/fontforge: Enable pango font rendering
>>        [+  ] 20100501 [gentoo]
>>        [+  ] 20110222 [gentoo]
>>        [+  ] 20110222-r1 [gentoo]
>>
>>[+  D   ] pango
>>    media-gfx/imagemagick: Enable Pango support using x11-libs/pango
>>
>>[...]
>>

[gentoo-dev] Re: Undocumented and unused USE variables

[Duncan]

Rich Freeman posted on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:01:43 -0400 as excerpted:

> On Fri, Mar 16, 2012 at 8:49 AM, Christoph Niethammer
> <christoph.niethammer@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> Here the euse command is realy handy. :-)
>> However the sysfs USE flag is still hiding its documentation.
>> So lets see if this is a bug or a feature. ;-)
> 
> Yup, euse is helpful, or you can grep /usr/portage/profiles/use.*
> (including the local version).

FWIW, there's also equery uses (or just equery u), part of gentoolkit 
along with euse.  But you run equery uses against a specific package, so 
"equery u portage" for instance.  Where USE flags have a package-specific 
meaning, it's printed, and I've come to prefer equery u's output to euse -
i's.

FWIW(2), I'd suggest reading the equery manpage and getting familiar with 
all of its actions.  At least here, I find it QUITE a useful command. =:^)

There's also portage-utils and I believe a few other alternatives.  
Personally, I prefer equery, but I have portage-utils installed, as I'll 
see an occasional post-install message recommending a query using portage-
utils, and it's easier to just have it installed than it is to figure out 
exactly what the query does and translate it to a equery.

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman