applications_dir under prefix (was: Re: Framework install location)

[Ryan Schmidt]

On Oct 14, 2008, at 04:06, Randall Wood wrote:

>> I don't know the implications of having the frameworks outside of /
>> Library/Frameworks (e.g. in ${prefix}/Library/Frameworks) but for
>> applications I thought the point was that the OS wouldn't know about
>> them (e.g. things like "open -a foo" wouldn't work unless foo.app was
>> somewhere under /Applications). Though testing this right now, I
>> can't reproduce that.
>>
>> If that is a problem, we could have MacPorts create a symlink at /
>> Applications/MacPorts pointing to ${prefix}/Applications/MacPorts if
>> one does not already exist (if installing as root). This would
>> satisfy the majority of users who have just a single installation,
>> but still work fine for those with multiple installations. Finally
>> there could be a configure switch to not make that symlink.
>
> Symlinks break in the 'list view' for the Applications folder in the
> Dock. If you drag your applications folder to the dock, and place it
> in list view, you get a "menu" of applications. Subfolders can be
> navigated through like submenus, but symlinks are not followed. I'd
> keep applications in /Applications/MacPorts

Ok, those sound like convincing reasons to me.