odd problem trying to use Macports ...

[Ryan Schmidt]

On Dec 30, 2020, at 17:10, raf wrote:

>  Error: Error installing new MacPorts base: command execution failed
>  Please run `port -v selfupdate` for details.
>  Error: /opt/local/bin/port: port selfupdate failed: Error installing new MacPorts base: command execution failed
> 
>  (it was "configure: error: no configure found in vendor/tcl/unix")

Many years ago now, we made a change to how we distribute MacPorts via rsync, which inadvertently caused selfupdates to break in this manner. We never resolved the issue because users worked around it by installing the latest MacPorts using the installer you can download from our web site, which is how you should fix it as well.

MacPorts is designed with the assumption that you will selfupdate and update your ports at least once a year. Not doing so will likely result in greater difficulties when you eventually do update, because we start removing port upgrade paths after they have been in place for a year. Base upgrade paths should stay in place for many years however; we try not to remove the ability to selfupdate base unless we absolutely have to.