>The guide says this about default_variants: > >> If variants are defined, then the default_variants value lists >> which variants are enabled by default. This allows for Portfile >> modularity and also allows users to suppress default variants if >> they wish. >> >> * Default: none >> * Example: default_variants +ssl +tcpd >> >> Default variants may be suppressed by preceding a variant name >> with a "-" as shown in this example. >> >> %% port install foo -ssl > >A MacPorts bug makes default_variants inadvisable to use for variants >that you might conceivably want to disable. (If, as in the example >above, you "port install foo -ssl", foo -ssl is installed. But when >you later need to upgrade foo, default_variants +ssl will take >precedence and you'll be left with just "foo" (no "-ssl") installed.) >Therefore, this section should add a note like this: > > >"The use of default_variants is discouraged. Instead, it's recommend >that a port be built such that the most commonly requested >functionality is on, and if needed, can be disabled with a >"+no_something" variant. To extend the above example, build the port >so that ssl and tcpd functionality is on, without needing to select >any variant. Provide "no_ssl" and "no_tcpd" variants if there's a >good reason someone might want to disable those features."
Is this still the best advice on default variants? I recalled (or so I thought) of a distant thread that had recommended them, so I have a few ports that use them. Is this view stated here the consensus view now? I just want to be sure. Also, is the bug referred to in v1.6 (still a bug) for ports that still use default variants? Mark _______________________________________________ macports-dev mailing list [email protected] http://lists.macosforge.org/mailman/listinfo/macports-dev
