Mark Duling writes:
One question about "use_parallel_build". Do you think that keyword relates to a phase, or should it be considered a "global keyword"? I thought perhaps "global", or do you consider it specifically related to the build phase? I thought parallelism applied more generally to the port overall. But if that were true, I suppose the name would be "use_parallel_install" or some such, so if you could comment on that it might clarify it. If I had followed the recent thread I suppose I would know this, but I didn't.
I also have to say that I struggled to come up with an organizing principle for keywords, and I'm not entirely sure that separating them into "global" (those relating to the port as a whole and not primarily related to a phase) and "phase" (those relating to a particular phase) is the best way. Perhaps there is a better way, but I haven't hit upon it yet. So I just wanted to ask if you think given that distinction, if portfile-phase is the best place for use_parallel_build. And if you have an opinion on whether that distinction is adequate or not, I'd welcome your comments on that as well.
Okay, I looked at the thread and I see that "use_parallel_build" does indeed relate specifically to the build phase. I should have done that before sending the email. Sorry. I gotta stop trying to think in the morning without caffeine. :) Perhaps I was influenced by my recollections that some ports stop installing outside of the build phase until another port is finished installing. At least I think I've seen this. If that is so and a ports hangs at activate or another phase until another port completes, it seems like parallel building still wouldn't get parallel installs. Mark