Re: [gentoo-user] USE flags

["Peter O'Connor" <vandagar@gmail.com>]

John Dangler wrote:

>I have just installed a basic 2005.1 system (2.6.12-r6) on my laptop.  I'm
>trying to get my arms around the USE flags.  I found a set of 'default'
>settings (I think) under /usr/portage/profiles/base/use.defaults .  From
>what I've read in the gentoo documentation, this seems to be a list of
>default USE= flags.  What I'd like to try and get to is, a difference
>between what's there and the 'total' list, and why would I add others to my
>own make.conf file?
>
>Thanks, as always, for the input.
>
>John D
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I believe it takes the default USE flags from 
/usr/portage/profiles/default-linux/x86/make.defaults (since I am on a x86)

The way the system works is that it applies those default USE flags 
unless you say otherwise. The way to alter the default USE flags for 
your system is to edit your /etc/make.conf and make 
additions/subtractions from the USE flags. Basically this is a way to 
customise your system to the way you want it.

This site shows them all and a brief description

http://www.gentoo.org/dyn/use-index.xml

The best way to see what USE flags are currently set is
# emerge info
as this takes into account the defaults and all the changes you have 
made through /etc/make.conf

For instance in the default USE flags has

USE="alsa apm arts avi berkdb bitmap-fonts crypt cups eds....(many more)"

If you don't have a printer on your system, there is little point in 
having cups as a USE flag (it will add unnecessary time to compile your 
packages). So in your /etc/make.conf file you can put

USE="-cups"

Same thing if you don't want to use kde, and say you want to have 
mozilla support on your system as well you would end up with.

USE=-cups -kde mozilla"

Then if you run
# emerge info
again it will have removed cups and kde from the USE flags and added 
mozilla to the list as well.

Hope that helps
Peter
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