[MacPorts] #16234: portindex should be atomic

[MacPorts]

#16234: portindex should be atomic
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 Reporter:  ryandesign at macports.org  |       Owner:  macports-tickets at lists.macosforge.org
     Type:  defect                   |      Status:  new                                  
 Priority:  Normal                   |   Milestone:  MacPorts base bugs                   
Component:  base                     |     Version:  1.7.0                                
 Keywords:                           |  
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 The `portindex` script should work atomically -- it should replace the old
 PortIndex file with the new one in a single step. Currently `portindex`
 clears the PortIndex and starts rebuilding it. This means that while the
 `portindex` script is running, you really can't use MacPorts (for example
 to install other ports) because the PortIndex is incomplete until the
 script finishes. `portindex` should rebuild the PortIndex in a temporary
 file, and only move the temporary file over the real PortIndex once it's
 completely done.

 I initially [http://lists.macosforge.org/pipermail/macports-
 dev/2008-August/005886.html brought this up on macports-dev].

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Ticket URL: <http://trac.macports.org/ticket/16234>
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