I feel the output of the commands below are somewhat incomplete... Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: # emerge --buildpkgonly -u world or # emerge -avB cairo-dock cairo-dock-plugins Actual Results: Calculating world dependencies ...done! !!! --buildpkgonly requires all dependencies to be merged. !!! Cannot merge requested packages. Merge deps and try again. or These are the packages that would be built, in order: Calculating dependencies... done! [ebuild U *] x11-misc/cairo-dock-9999 [2.2.0.4] USE="-xcomposite" 0 kB [1] [ebuild U *] x11-misc/cairo-dock-plugins-9999 [2.2.0.4] USE="alsa exif terminal wifi xfce -compiz -gio -gmenu -gnome -kde -mail -musicplayer -network-monitor -powermanager -tomboy -webkit -xgamma -xklavier" 0 kB [1] Total: 2 packages (2 upgrades), Size of downloads: 0 kB Portage tree and overlays: [0] /usr/portage [1] /var/lib/layman/desktop-effects Would you like to merge these packages? [Yes/No] !!! --buildpkgonly requires all dependencies to be merged. !!! Cannot merge requested packages. Merge deps and try again. Expected Results: Something like this would be give a better explanation... !!! --buildpkgonly (-B) requires all dependencies to be previously merged. !!! Cannot merge requested packages because compile-time dependencies are not installed. !!! Please merge dependencies (listed below) and try again. !!! Required dependencies are: [list here] This page was helpful to me, in giving a more-complete explanation: http://old.nabble.com/Re%3A-%22emerge---buildpkgonly-world%22-won%27t-go%3A-kde-metapackage-problem--p2522438.html
Alternatively, we might change the meaning of --buildpkgonly so that it merges the dependencies and just doesn't merge the package(s) given as arguments when possible.
(In reply to comment #1) > Alternatively, we might change the meaning of --buildpkgonly so that it > merges the dependencies and just doesn't merge the package(s) given as > arguments when possible. +1 user vote for that. I.e., "merge as many pkgs as possible and meaningful".
