[MacPorts] #45723: require_active_variants not sensibly honored during package installation

[MacPorts]

#45723: require_active_variants not sensibly honored during package installation
------------------------------------+--------------------------------
  Reporter:  howarth.at.macports@…  |      Owner:  macports-tickets@…
      Type:  defect                 |     Status:  new
  Priority:  Normal                 |  Milestone:
 Component:  ports                  |    Version:  2.3.2
Resolution:                         |   Keywords:
      Port:  port                   |
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Old description:

> The pymol package needs to have the syntax...
>
> require_active_variants tcl "" corefoundation
>
> require_active_variants tk "" quartz
>
> honored in a reasonable manner during the package building/installaton.
> In particular, starting from a clean installation of MacPorts 2.3.2 on
> Yosemite, I executed...
>
> sudo port -d install pymol
>
> After the build, this results in an unusable installation of pymol
> because the require_active_variants fields were not honored at either the
> tcl/tk package build times or when the pymol package is built. I was
> forced to manually execute...
>
> sudo port -d install tcl -corefoundation
>
> sudo port -d install tk -quartz
>
> to unbreak pymol afterwards. While I understand it is likely impossible
> for port to look ahead and know about the require_active_variants
> requirements of pymol when tcl/tk, I don't understand why they can't be
> honored at the time pymol is built by forcing the reinstallation of tcl
> and tk with the appropriate variants as dictated by the
> require_active_variants settings in the pymol Portfile.

New description:

 The pymol package needs to have the syntax...

 {{{
 require_active_variants tcl "" corefoundation
 require_active_variants tk "" quartz
 }}}

 honored in a reasonable manner during the package building/installaton. In
 particular, starting from a clean installation of MacPorts 2.3.2 on
 Yosemite, I executed...

 {{{
 sudo port -d install pymol
 }}}

 After the build, this results in an unusable installation of pymol because
 the require_active_variants fields were not honored at either the tcl/tk
 package build times or when the pymol package is built. I was forced to
 manually execute...

 {{{
 sudo port -d install tcl -corefoundation
 sudo port -d install tk -quartz
 }}}

 to unbreak pymol afterwards. While I understand it is likely impossible
 for port to look ahead and know about the require_active_variants
 requirements of pymol when tcl/tk, I don't understand why they can't be
 honored at the time pymol is built by forcing the reinstallation of tcl
 and tk with the appropriate variants as dictated by the
 require_active_variants settings in the pymol Portfile.

--

Comment (by ryandesign@…):

 I think MacPorts base does not contain code that does what you want in
 this case. If you want the variant selections `-corefoundation` and
 `-quzrtz` to be passed to the tcl and tk ports, you have to specify them
 on the command line when you install pymol. The require_active_variants
 portgroup is not part of base and base doesn't know anything about it.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.macports.org/ticket/45723#comment:1>
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