Keeping package.use tidy

[navigium]

Sorry about yet another noob question from me.

 

I somehow lost the overview of the contents in my /etc/portage/package.use file. There are a lot of entries that were asked for by some package I installed. So the file grows and grows. How do you keep this file tidy? How do you know what entries are still required and which became obsolete over time (and a few @world upgrades)?

[thrakcattak]

You can create a folder /etc/portage/package.use instead of the file and then split up the contents of your file into multiple files inside this folder.

[navigium]

Great, thanks! Didn't know this. This makes the whole thing a lot tidier.

But now, what's the best practise to use those file. Do I create one file per package or one file per install (with all it's dependencies). How do you do this?

[sputnik]

There is no "right" way, whatever seems right to you is the right way.

Tidiness?  If you figure out a way, we'd all like to know  :D

But yeah, it's a little easier that way.

[PeGa!]

I use to create a file for each program that needs a change in a USE flag. But if there is any dependency that needs a USE change as well, I put that dependency into that first file then. It could be said that I use a package'ish philosophy of package.use files. Works for me :)

 

Regards.