[MacPorts] #39185: ImageMagick: Using the +perl variant should not stop the installation

[MacPorts]

#39185: ImageMagick: Using the +perl variant should not stop the installation
-----------------------------+--------------------------
  Reporter:  jozef.mojzis@…  |      Owner:  ryandesign@…
      Type:  defect          |     Status:  closed
  Priority:  Normal          |  Milestone:
 Component:  ports           |    Version:  2.1.3
Resolution:  wontfix         |   Keywords:
      Port:  ImageMagick     |
-----------------------------+--------------------------
Changes (by ryandesign@…):

 * status:  new => closed
 * resolution:   => wontfix


Comment:

 Replying to jozef.mojzis at ... (from non-Trac email):

 >> The reason I made the ImageMagick port do that is so that users who
 >> previously indicated they wanted perlmagick by using the +perl variant
 >> would be informed why they don't have it anymore after upgrading. After
 a
 >> time (after most users can be assumed to have upgraded) I will remove
 the
 >> +perl variant.
 >>
 >> The alternative is to make the ImageMagick port display the message but
 >> continue with the installation. But users often upgrade all outdated
 ports
 >> at once, which frequently produces more output than fits in their
 terminal
 >> window, and they frequently don't bother scrolling up to see messages,
 >> leading to user surprise.
 >
 > Only one idea.
 > When I specify some variants, e.g. +jpeg2 for ImageMagick,
 > - with the +jpeg2 will install the jasper package too.
 > - without the +jpeg2 will not install the jasper
 >
 > in the portfile:
 >
 > {{{
 > variant jpeg2 description {Support JPEG-2000 using JasPer} {
 >   depends_lib-append      port:jasper
 >   archcheck.files-append  lib/libjasper.dylib
 >   configure.args-delete   --without-jp2
 >   configure.args-append   --with-jp2
 > }
 > }}}
 >
 > Isn't possible to do the same with the +perl? Something like:
 >
 > {{{
 > variant perl description {Install p5-perlmagick too} {
 >   depends_lib-append      port:p5-perlmagick
 > ...
 >   configure.args-delete   --without-perl
 >   configure.args-append   --with-perl
 > }
 > }}}
 >
 > So when someone add the +perl, to ImageMagick simply will install the
 p5-perlmagick package. Done.
 > The users get one more installed package, but the problem is solved, the
 functionality remains and and don't bother. ;)

 The port used to have pretty much exactly that perl variant. It was added
 in r22391. But we already had the separate p5-perlmagick port, added in
 r15323. They are the same software; it didn't make sense to have two ways
 to install the same software. I deleted the functional perl variant in
 r105938, replacing it with the message you encountered, so that users
 realize that p5-perlmagick is the correct way in MacPorts to install
 perlmagick.

 >> Note that you don't need to remove +perl from variants.conf to overcome
 >> this issue. You can instead specifically disable the perl variant when
 >> installing ImageMagick:
 >>
 >> {{{
 >> sudo port install ImageMagick -perl
 >> }}}
 >
 > Nice suggestion, good to know. ;)
 >
 > thank you. [[br]]
 > jm.
 >
 > The macports are excellent and the best !!! - only simply has TOO MUCH
 variants. :) The only flaw with macports is the outdated default perl 5.12
 (and the HARDCODED 5.12 deps in some ports - like in the
 /opt/local/var/macports/sources/rsync.macports.org/release/tarballs/ports/textproc/help2man/Portfile
 :( But this is off-topic.... ;)

 Right: ImageMagick is a great example of a port with too many variants.
 That is why I recently removed several of them: mpeg (r105936);
 no_plus_plus (r105937); perl (r105938); q8, q16, q32, hdri (r106049).

 It is necessary to hardcode a specific perl version in ports that use
 perl, to guarantee that they function correctly. If you would like to
 petition that the default perl in MacPorts be changed from 5.12 to
 something else, like say 5.16, please make your case for that on the
 macports-users mailing list, since as you say it's off-topic in this
 ticket.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.macports.org/ticket/39185#comment:5>
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