Fwd: Another getting started thread

[David I]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David I <postpostpostpostpostpostpost at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Sep 14, 2008 at 12:29 AM
Subject: Another getting started thread
To: macports-users at lists.macosforge.org


Hi, I'm totally new.  I'm quasi-computer savvy, but I really don't
know anything at the coding/command line level or below.  I've been
getting a couple of strange errors that don't seem to be documented,
and I have a few questions that need answering.

First error:  When trying to run the command I got from this page:
http://trac.macports.org/wiki/ProblemHotlist
that allows some stuff that I don't really understand (including the
port [and apparently sudo] command [s]), I get this:

*************************
> [Users/Pfhortipfhy] > curl -O http://svn.macports.org/repository/macports/branches/release_1_6/base/portmgr/dmg/postflight && bash postflight

Usage: port
       [-bcdfiknopqRstuvx] [-D portdir] [-F cmdfile] action
[privopts] [actionflags]
       [[portname|pseudo-portname|port-url] [@version] [+-variant]...
[option=value]...]...

"port help" or "man 1 port" for more information.
logout

> [Process completed]
*************************
At which point it locks me out, I can't even type.  I assume that
there's a way to log back in, but that seems like it shouldn't be
logging me out.  Also, I get none of the error messages that the other
page talked about:

*************
This will set up your .profile for you. After the .profile is set up,
the script will attempt to run sudo port selfupdate but will fail.
This is normal in this case. Please ignore the permission errors the
rsync process will print. When the script finishes, you should run
sudo port selfupdate manually.
************

It's kind of hard to run selfupdate when I can't type.
It also locks me out after typing "selfupdate" just by itself:

***********************
[Users/Pfhortipfhy] > selfupdate
Error: /opt/local/bin/port: port selfupdate failed: Couldn't sync the
ports tree: Synchronization the local ports tree failed doing rsync
logout

[Process completed]
***********************


Strange indeed.


The specific port that I'm trying to install is rrgbis, under the games section.
When trying to install with porticus, all of the libraries but smpeg
compiled installed.  I then tried with PA, and I got a "rrgbis as been
installed, look at box for details" message in growl, but alas, the
log box was blank.  When I look at the "Installed" section, all of
rrgbis' required libraries are there, but rrgbis isn't.  When I do the
port files command on rrgbis, it tells me that it's not installed.

This is the error message that I get when trying to install rrgbis
right off the bat in terminal:

*************************
[Users/Pfhortipfhy] > install rrgbis
Error: Unable to execute port:
/opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_games_rrgbis/work/.macports.rrgbis.state
is not writable - check permission on port directory
[Users/Pfhortipfhy] >
*************************


What's going on here?  Can anybody tell me what I'm doing wrong, so
I'll be able to set up this famed "one command download" feature that
I hear about?

Also: My question:  Some ports (like rrgbis) say that they need
Darwin.  I'm confused because I thought that Darwin was a
collaboration of Open Source Projects combined into (and added onto)
to make various Mac OS's.  If so, how is the platform "Darwin"
different from the platform "Mac OSX".  If it's a standalone OS, where
would I get it?


Computer hate me, but I love them.  It seems I always get the
undocumented (at least, not that I can find) crap :P

Thanks a lot you guys/girls.

-Pfhortipfhy-