On Jan 11, 2008, at 16:51, markd@macports.org wrote:
- <para>If an epoch is used it must must never be decreased or reset - to zero, because this would always cause a port version comparison - to be incorrect after a port upgrade.</para> + <para>An epoch is not needed for most ports. If an epoch is used it + must never be decreased without updating the port's version number; + this will cause port version comparisons to be incorrect.</para>
I was led to believe that an epoch should never be decreased, ever, once it has been added to a portfile, even if the port's version is increased. I understood that the epoch takes precedence over the version. Do you have new information to the contrary?
I don't think the FreeBSD Porter's handbook states it clearly, some parts I'd interpret as agreeing with your understanding and other parts seem to say otherwise. But then I don't know for sure that MacPorts works the same anyway. http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/porters-handbook/makefile-n... I think discussion from someone (I forget who) some time ago made me to think otherwise so I changed it when revising the section. But I'm not really sure. If could someone could find out one way or another it would be great to know for sure and document it. Mark