[PATCH] Let the default compiler be configurable

[Joshua Root]

On 2011-6-10 12:46 , Ryan Schmidt wrote:
> 
> On Jun 9, 2011, at 21:31, Joshua Root wrote:
> 
>> On 2011-6-10 12:25 , Ryan Schmidt wrote:
>>>
>>>> We do already have some variables in macports.conf that can easily cause
>>>> breakage and we don't support changing, namely binpath and extra_env.
>>>> Maybe if we grouped all the setting in that category (optflags is the
>>>> other one that comes to mind) in a section at the end of the file, with
>>>> a strongly worded comment to the effect of "Changing these is not
>>>> supported. If you do change them it is at your own risk. Do not report
>>>> bugs or ask for support if something breaks after you change them."?
>>>
>>> Perhaps. But what is the purpose of an option to change the compiler? If a port doesn't work with its default compiler, then that is a bug to be reported and fixed in that port. And if the port does work with its compiler, then why are we changing it?
>>
>> Jeremy presumably had a reason to want to. That guy who reported
>> libgcc_s conflicts on -users presumably has a reason he wants to build
>> with FSF GCC.
> 
> We also had a user who wanted to use llvm-gcc for everything. But all that pointed out was that many ports didn't work with that.
> 
>> Besides, exactly the same arguments apply to binpath and extra_env.
> 
> I don't know why we have extra_env. But I know two reasons to have binpath: 1) it lets us check that ports are using the right compiler [1]; 2) it lets users use MacTeX instead of MacPorts' TeX Live.
> 
> [1] https://trac.macports.org/wiki/UsingTheRightCompiler

So we're in violent agreement: there can be reasons for using options
which are nonetheless unsupported.

- Josh