Forcing a variant to a variant

[Bradley Giesbrecht]

On Jun 4, 2009, at 5:53 PM, Ryan Schmidt wrote:

>
> On Jun 4, 2009, at 18:33, Bradley Giesbrecht wrote:
>
>> There is:
>> /opt/local/etc/macports/variants.conf
>>
>> where you could put:
>> +server
>>
>> and I believe you will get the +server add to all ports that port  
>> builds, no?
>
> Yes. But I see no reason why a user who wants a server of port A  
> should be automatically assumed to want a server of ports B through  
> Z as well.
>
>
>> I mentioned recently gentoo's package.mask for masking packages or  
>> packages above a version. Personally I'd like something like that  
>> in ports.
>>
>> Wouldn't it be useful and simple to add the capability to /opt/ 
>> local/macports/variants.conf to specify a port:variant combo?
>> clamav+server
>> mysql+server
>>
>> or
>> port:clamav +server
>>
>> or
>> clamav mysql5 +server
>> guncash +nox11
>
> I'm not familiar with the gentoo package.mask feature. But for this  
> case, in MacPorts, I see no benefit to what you suggest.
>
> You're suggesting that a user who wants to have clamav with the  
> +server variant should add a line like "clamav+server" to  
> variants.conf (and enhance MacPorts base to be able to handle that  
> line).
>
> Isn't it much simpler (and already supported by MacPorts today) for  
> that user to simply run "sudo port install clamav +server"?

Agreed.

The dry run feature would allow one to see what ports were going to be  
added as dependents so a person could look at those ports and see if  
they needed to be installed first so as to add desired variants.

I'm happy with MacPorts the way it is.

It was pretty easy on gentoo to get your self in trouble with emerge  
world (more or less port upgrade installed) but that's why pretty much  
everybody I know used the pretend -p flag with emerge before actually  
doing anything.

//Brad