TeXLive distribution and macports

[Werner LEMBERG]

>> [...] For example, I want to create a replacement for
>> `texlive-basic' that does nothing except fulfilling the dependency.
>> This is, after installing this dummy `texlive-basic', `port' shall
>> believe that `texlive-basic' is indeed installed.
>>
>> Ditto for all other `texlive-*' ports.  Ideally, I would like to
>> have all this stuff in a single file, to be automatically created
>> from the actual list of `texlive-*' ports as in
>> texlive-dummy-opensuse,
>> cf. https://github.com/rolfn/texlive-dummy-opensuse/blob/ba0bc1e2f866c379f750046439b6f4e40725805f/Makefile#L61
>> and following lines.
>
> Then I am not sure what you intention here is.
> 
> Note that MacPorts has a policy of not using external libraries, as
> far as possible (apart from obvious system ones) so if you aim is to
> have a port that basically allows something externally externally to
> pretend to be something MacPorts provides, then no this is strictly
> not allowed. See for instance
> 
> https://trac.macports.org/wiki/FAQ#ownlibs <https://trac.macports.org/wiki/FAQ#ownlibs>
> 
> its the same deal as why we do not support using anything installed
> outside of MacPorts, from /usr/local

Ah, I assumed too much knowledge, sorry.  TeXLive itself comes with
binaries for MacOS (both legacy platforms, i.e., 10.6-10.10, and
recent versions, i.e., 10.10-10.13).  By simply prepending the path to
those binaries to PATH, the `texlive-*' ports from MacPorts would be
completely hidden and thus useless, more or less: TeXLive wouldn't use
any data, binaries, or libraries from MacPorts.

However, to build various packages like `lilypond', `port' needs to
believe that some `texlive-*' ports are installed.  What certainly
works is to create a small port repository similar to René Bertin's
`macstrop' repository to override MacPorts with dummy ports.  My
question was whether macports itself provides a simpler solution
similar to `texlive-dummy-opensuse', where I have to install just a
single .rpm file...  I guess the answer is no.


    Werner