[MacPorts] #51498: requested (meta) ports get uninstalled on uninstall leaves

[MacPorts]

#51498: requested (meta) ports get uninstalled on uninstall leaves
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  Reporter:  nick@…       |      Owner:  macports-tickets@…
      Type:  enhancement  |     Status:  new
  Priority:  Normal       |  Milestone:
 Component:  base         |    Version:  2.3.4
Resolution:               |   Keywords:
      Port:               |
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Changes (by mojca@…):

 * cc: devans@… (added)


Comment:

 I'm adding David to CC (even if he is absent at the moment; he'll have a
 chance to follow the ticket when he's back).

 Ryan, thanks a lot for the very precise analysis which made me aware of
 additional problems I didn't know about earlier.

 I wonder if `p5-whatever` should perhaps print a note like "you probably
 want to install `p5.xx-whatever`" and would not install anything at all
 (python modules don't install anything for example, but I admit that I'm
 often confused as I'm used to run "`sudo port -v test`" without specifying
 port name; this doesn't work with python modules, but I don't get any
 warning either). I'm sure that some users would complain though (I need to
 check, but I believe that some developers insist in not specifying the
 perl version in `port:p5-whatever` for dependencies, arguing that their
 ports work with any given Perl version anyway).

 I would argue that the ports could be revbumped at some point, but
 revbumping wouldn't make any difference at all if users change their
 default perl version earlier or later.

 * What happens if users install `p5.22-whatever` (and `p5.22-whatever` is
 "selected") and then `p5.22-whatever` gets `replaced_by` `p5.24-whatever`.
 Will `p5.24-whatever` still be selected?

 * I'm generally slightly worried about the fact that the registry doesn't
 change if (default) variants change. I probably never revbump ports after
 changing default variants. I thought that worked properly out-of-the-box.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.macports.org/ticket/51498#comment:8>
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