configure/make/install options for compiling applications from source into /opt/local?

Hello, as the Gnumeric package in the Macports repository does apparently not include the Python plugin (as well as a lot of others), I would like to compile Gnumeric from source myself. Such that it is linked against the libraries already in the /opt/local tree and that it is also installed there, of course. What options must I pass to configure, make and install to achieve this? Such as e.g. --prefix=/opt/local or whatnot? TIA, Sincerely, Wolfgang Keller -- My email-address is correct. Do NOT remove ".nospam" to reply.