Local portfile masks portfile in main repository

[Ryan Schmidt]

On Apr 15, 2011, at 06:06, Rainer Müller wrote:

> On 04/15/2011 01:00 PM, Ryan Schmidt wrote:
>> If you look at the output in the above ticket, it shows that MacPorts
>> was aware of php5 @5.3.6 (presumably from the rsync port repository),
>> but still chose php5 @5.3.5 (presumably from the local directory
>> which came from an old ports tarball). I think that's the scenario
>> that might merit some kind of message to the user.
> 
> That's done this way on purpose. It's the only way to stick to an older
> version of a port. Keeping a local Portfile avoids to be considered
> outdated.

I know, and I'm not suggesting the behavior be changed. I'm just bringing to discussion that some users, like the one who filed that ticket, did not expect the behavior, and that it would have helped to have MacPorts print a message in the case that a newer portfile is available in the main repo, but it is masked by a local portfile; to discuss how such a message could be implemented (what we'd have to check and where); and what the wording of the message could be.