Configuration FilesThe MacPorts configuration files do not need to be modified for the
general end user. They contain options that may be of use to advanced users
and port developers.There are three MacPorts configuration files that define important
variables used by the MacPorts system: macports.conf,
sources.conf, and variants.conf.
All MacPorts configurations files are located in
${prefix}/etc/macports.MacPorts configuration file format is a simple key/value pair
separated by either a space or a tab. Lines beginning with '#' are comments,
empty lines are ignored.macports.confmacports.conf is the configuration file used to bootstrap the
MacPorts system. This file is read by the port command and determines how
it behaves.Options locating other .conf files.sources_confWhere to find the sources list.Default:
${prefix}/etc/macports/sources.confvariants_confWhere to find global variants definition file
(optional).Default:
${prefix}/etc/macports/variants.confOptions for MacPorts general operating characteristics.prefixSets the directory where ports are installed. Any path may be
used but those with spaces and/or non-ASCII characters should be
avoided because it can break some ports.Default: /opt/localportdbpathDirectory where MacPorts keeps working data as downloaded
sources, installed port receipts, and the main registry. Same path
restrictions apply as for '${prefix}'.Default: ${prefix}/var/macportsportdbformatStorage type to use for the MacPorts registry: flat or sqlite.
sqlite is not yet supported.Default: portinstalltypeSets the mode in which ports are installed by MacPorts.
Supported values are "direct" or "image". In "direct" mode ports are
installed directly into "${prefix}" and only one version of a port
can be installed at any given time. In "image" mode multiple
versions (and any possible combination of its variants) can be
installed concurrently into "${portdbpath}/software/${portname}" and
only one can be "activated" (hardlinked) into "${prefix}".Default: applications_dirDirectory to install MacPorts that install Mac OS X .app
bundles.Default: /Applications/MacPortsframeworks_dirDirectory to install frameworks installed by ports.Default:
${prefix}/Library/FrameworksportarchivemodeCreate and use binary archive packages for
installation/reinstallation ease.Default: portarchivepathWhere to store/retrieve port binary archive files.Default:
${prefix}/var/macports/packagesportarchivetypeType of binary archive packages to create when using archive
mode. Available types are: tgz, tar, tbz, tbz2, tlz, xar, zip, cpgz,
cpio.Multiple types are supported to build multiple file types in
one step. Unarchive uses multiple types as a search list to locate
an archive, and the first to match a specified type is used.
Multiple types must be separated by a colon or comma (NO
spaces).Default: .tgzconfigureccacheUse ccache (C/C++ compiler cache) - see
http://ccache.samba.org/Default: configuredistccUse distcc (distributed compiler) - see
http://distcc.samba.org/Default: configurepipeUse pipes rather than intermediate files when compiling
C/C++/etcDefault: buildnicevalueLowered scheduling priority (0-20) to use for make when
building ports.Default: 0buildmakejobsNumber of simultaneous make jobs (commands) to use when
building ports. Using "0" will cause a runtime autodetection to use
all available processer cores.Default: 1portautocleanSet whether to automatically execute "clean" after "install"
of ports.Default: rsync_serverRsync server from which to fetch MacPorts sources.Default: rsync.macports.orgrsync_dirRsync directory from which to pull the base/ component
(infrastructure) of MacPorts.Default: release/base/rsync_optionsRsync optionsDefault: -rtzv --delete-afterdestroot_umaskUmask value to use during the destrooting or a port.Default: 022binpathSets the directory search path for locating system executables
(rsync, tar, etc.) during port installation. Only applications in
these directories are available while ports are being installed even
if other paths are specified by $PATH in a user's
environment.Default:
${prefix}/bin:${prefix}/sbin:/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbinThe binpath is implicitly defined, but it may be overwritten
by defining the variable in macports.conf. However, using a
non-default binpath is discouraged and should only be performed by
advanced users.Options for MacPorts Universal Binaries (+universal variant)universal_targetSets MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGETExample: 10.5universal_sysrootThe SDK "sysroot" full path to use for +universal
variant.Example:
/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.5.sdkuniversal_archsThe machine architectures to use for +universal variant
(multiple entries must be space delimited). Options include: ppc,
i386, ppc64, x86_64Default: ( for 10.5 and earlier)Options for StartupItemsstartupitem_typeOptions for generated startup items, though this may be
overridden by the "startupitem.type" Portfile key. Options are
"default" option, "SystemStarter", "launchd", or "none". For an
empty or "default" option, a startupitem type appropriate to the
platform is used; if "none", no port startupitems are
installed.Default: Other optionsextra_envExtra environment variables to keep. Any variables listed here
are added to the list of variables that are not removed from the
environment used while processing ports.Default: nonesources.confThis file enables rsync synchronization of the default ports tree
with the MacPorts rsync server when either of the commands port
selfupdate or port sync are run.Default:
rsync://rsync.macports.org/release/ports/Optional local repositories are enabled using a file url:
file:///path/to/localportsrepositoryvariants.confThis optional file specifies any variants you'd like to be invoked
globally. If a variant specified ib this file is not supported by a given
Portfile, the variant is simply ignored.Default: none