====== Installing Source Packages ======

===== pkgsrc =====

[[http://www.netbsd.org/docs/software/packages.html|pkgsrc]] is used to build third-party software. This page describes how to use pkgsrc.

Before diving in, you should be aware of a few things:
  * precompiled binary packages are available for many applications. This can save a lot of time and headaches. See [[.:installingbinarypackages|Installing Binary Packages]] for details.
  * a list of packages that are expected to build under Minix '[[.:..:developersguide:trackingcurrent|current]]' is available here: //[[http://git.minix3.org/?p=pkgsrc.git;a=blob;f=minix/limited_list.pbulk;hb=refs/heads/minix-master|/usr/pkgsrc/minix/limited_list.pbulk]]// Other packages either haven't been port to Minix or haven't been tested on Minix yet.
  * pkgsrc-current tracks minix-current. For best results, update the base system to [[.:..:developersguide:trackingcurrent|current]].

===== Requirements =====

  * 1 GB of hard disk space for the pkgsrc tree (as of April 8, 2013). Additional space is required to build software.
  * 512MB of RAM or more. Some applications such as gcc need more than 512MB of RAM to build.

==== Setting up pkgsrc on MINIX ====

Git is required to download the pkgsrc tree and GCC is required to compile software.

<code>
# pkgin install scmgit-base binutils gcc44
</code>

To set up the pkgsrc tree:

<code>
# cd /usr
# make pkgsrc-create
</code>

<!> This is all that is needed to prepare the system to build software with pkgsrc. The MINIX installation comes pre-bootstrapped. Do NOT run the bootstrap script that comes with pkgsrc.

==== Updating the pkgsrc Tree ====

To update the pkgsrc tree in the future:

<code>
# cd /usr
# make pkgsrc-update
</code>

This will download any changes (new versions of packages, patches, etc.).

<!> It is important to update your copy of the pkgsrc tree using this method, instead of //git pull//. This update method may perform additional steps, such as updating your //mk.conf// file.

==== Compiling a Package ====

All pkgsrc operations should be done with //bmake//.

To build a package, //misc/figlet// in this example, you need to //cd// to that directory and do a //bmake install//.

<code>
# cd /usr/pkgsrc/misc/figlet
# bmake install
</code>

This installs //figlet// in ///usr/pkg/bin//.

===== Additional Documentation =====

See the official [[http://www.netbsd.org/docs/pkgsrc/|pkgsrc guide]] for complete details.