Bug 154017 – Obscurity in USE-settings documentation

• Product: [OLD] Docs on www.gentoo.org
• Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

[Description Stefan Salewski 2006-11-04 04:27:37 UTC]

2. USE flags (Updated November 3, 2006)
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=2&chap=2

I think there is one point in the explanation of Gentoo USE-settings which makes it difficul for new users to understand how useflags are combined:

Gentoo writes:
>As previously mentioned, all USE-flags are declared
>inside the USE variable.
>[...]
>Code Listing 2: An example USE setting in /etc/make.conf
>USE="-kde -qt3 -qt4 ldap"

The problem is, that the reader of the document may think that all portage useflags are stored in an (environment) USE variable, and that statements like
'USE="-kde -qt3 -qt4 ldap"' or 'USE="-java" emerge mozilla' will overwrite/replace all default useflags.

Of course, if reading the document very carefully, all will become clear.
And I hope if you read my remarks very carefully, my criticism will become clear too. But maybe I am wrong.

Best regards

Stefan Salewski

[Comment 1 SpanKY 2006-11-04 15:32:21 UTC]

so what's the request ?  we mention the fact that USE is incremental earlier on ?

[Comment 2 nm (RETIRED) 2006-11-04 18:11:47 UTC]

What vapier said -- the docs are very clear about USE flags. We also already note emerging with " USE="-X" emerge links " will do things like override a global value set in make.conf, but only that value. Doc stays as-is, thanks.