Best way to maintain local changes?

[JustinLove]

Is there a good way to maintain a small number of local customizations/patches 
while staying synced with upstream changes?  So far all my attempts have run 
into various gotchas.  This is what I currently believe:

Using a different recipe name breaks implicit directory names and specialized 
variables. (example: using a modified machine file)

Using a different recipe name with PROVIDES and PREFERRED_PROVIDER still causes 
the original package to be built, with possible conflicts.  The only way around 
  this would seem to be patching every single reference in OE to use a virtual 
target. (example: using directfb with a graphics driver; other packages still 
depend on just 'directfb')

Patches and other files are relative to the top level recipe, so it is 
necessary to copy all patches etc when using an overlay.  This also applies 
when using 'inherit.'  Linking can get around this a little bit, but only if 
you don't need to include a custom patch, inside one of the file trees. 
(example: making small changes to a kernel defconfig, while the kernel is under 
active development)


-- 
Justin Love

Creative Electronics & Software
650 Sundown Road
South Elgin, IL 60177

Phone (847) 695-0023
FAX   (847) 695-0483