Non-working non-root install

[Ryan Schmidt]

I have been running a non-root installation of MacPorts 1.7.1 and  
earlier with no problems. I use "port install foo" (without sudo) most  
of the time. When I encounter the occasional port that really does  
require root, then I use sudo.

I now have a non-root install of MacPorts 1.8.0 and Snow Leopard on a  
clean drive and I am having problems.

First, MacPorts now tells me all the time "MacPorts running without  
privileges. You may be unable to complete certain actions (eg  
install)." Is there a way to get MacPorts to shut up about it? :) I  
know what I'm doing and don't need to be reminded about it ten times  
per port.

Second, every port I've tried so far fails to get through the install  
phase, citing permission problems with manpages, presumably relating  
to MacPorts' re-compressing of manpages. The latter is filed as

http://trac.macports.org/ticket/20887


$ port install zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Computing dependencies for zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Fetching zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Verifying checksum(s) for zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Extracting zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Applying patches to zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Configuring zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Building zlib
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Staging zlib into destroot
MacPorts running without privileges. You may be unable to complete  
certain actions (eg install).
--->  Installing zlib @1.2.3_2
Error: Target org.macports.install returned: could not set attributes  
of "/mp/var/macports/software/zlib/1.2.3_2/mp/share/man/man3/zlib. 
3.gz": permission denied
Error: Status 1 encountered during processing.
$


If I give up and use sudo after all, it fails with a different  
permission error:


$ sudo port install zlib
Password:
--->  Computing dependencies for zlib
--->  Fetching zlib
--->  Verifying checksum(s) for zlib
--->  Extracting zlib
--->  Applying patches to zlib
--->  Configuring zlib
--->  Building zlib
--->  Staging zlib into destroot
--->  Installing zlib @1.2.3_2
Error: Target org.macports.install returned: could not set owner for  
file "/mp/var/macports/software/zlib/1.2.3_2/mp/include/zconf.h": not  
owner
Error: Status 1 encountered during processing.
$