[MacPorts] #66524: Autoremove macports/software not to waste space with archived duplicates

[MacPorts]

#66524: Autoremove macports/software not to waste space with archived duplicates
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  Reporter:  esbugz       |      Owner:  (none)
      Type:  enhancement  |     Status:  new
  Priority:  Normal       |  Milestone:
 Component:  base         |    Version:  2.8.0
Resolution:               |   Keywords:
      Port:               |
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Comment (by esbugz):

 Replying to [comment:2 kencu]:
 > I presume you know about:
 > {{{
 > sudo port -v reclaim
 > }}}

 Yes, though I'd prefer this to also autorun on a schedule rather than
 having to run it myself. Basically, I don't see much value in these
 backups, I almost never need them and when I do, a redownload is much
 easier since it's ore likely the package has been updated by then anyway,
 so the backup is stale


 > But it won't remove all the archives from software you have installed,
 stored in the software folder.

 Yeah, that's the biggest one — I need to clean the versions that I
 actually use, not just the unused ones

 > To be honest, I thought this was a requirement of how macports worked --
 it is used to reinstall software you already have installed, as lots of
 folks have had to build those and wouldn't be happy to go through the
 whole rebuild process.

 Sure, but now the main use case is just download prebuilt stuff, and even
 for the build artifacts that should be optional as in my experience this
 is also very rarely needed to justify having it by default (but if someone
 wants to keep them, that's also fine)

 > It would be easy enough to test that. If MacPorts can work properly with
 the contents of that folder moved or deleted, and it will just rebuild or
 redownload what is needed, then emptying that software folder might
 something that could be added to the port reclaim mechanism.

 I've already deleted the folder so already testing it, seems fine :) And
 the SO implied it's fine, so it should be fine ;) (but you're right, they
 are pretty old, so shouldn't rely on it much)

 > But I am not certain MacPorts will work right if that folder is deleted
 -- I can see how it might malfunction -- so it would need some testing to
 see.

 Why would it? Anyway, the proper way would be to fix the cause of the
 malfunctioning, the whole design of mandatory backup isn't great


 > Homebrew in some ways has it much easier, a consequence of restricting
 your options and flexibility - it does not support you building your own
 software, for example

 But it does, I've built a few formulas myself from the git HEAD versions
 when I needed a quick fix before it lands in the main formula. Yes,
 Homebrew removed the many options previously available in their main
 repository (very bad decision), but not the ability to build


 > - so it can make some assumptions that MacPorts cannot make.

 Which ones? Even when I was building the latest HEAD versions, I never
 needed a backup since I'd just never uninstall it to require a full
 rebuild (and hence needing a backup).

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.macports.org/ticket/66524#comment:5>
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