How should MacPorts show users instruction messages (was: user instructions - was ... mysql5 + php5 + apache2)
I don't think this is not worth the effort. if there were a way to provide instrictions, it would encourages developer to write more messages I suppose. On 2/29/08, markd@macports.org <markd@macports.org> wrote:
The problem is that if you do miss these messages, then you can't easily resurrect them other than installing the whole lot again.
True-ish. Well really you only need to deactivate and active the port again, since ports print such messages in the post-activate phase. But users don't know that. You could also read the portfile source code, but that's not really a clean solution either. Any suggestions for how we could improve this situation?
How about including some instructions like this in ports and install it in /opt/local/share/someplace?
README.macports or something like that.
It would be cool if the ui_msgs could be spit out using a port command, say 'port foo msg' or some such. I use user_msg in Portfiles for extensive documentation, a Howto really, on configuring some ports. For example: http://trac.macports.org/projects/macports/browser/trunk/dports/net/nedi/Por...
Though not many do this, it can be a HUGE timesaver for users. But since comparatively few ports have extensive ui_msg's, perhaps it isn't worth the effort. And it would be a low priority for the MP coders since there are other more foundational things to do. And I think evaluating variables might present some problems too. I usually use 'port ed foo' to look at the ui_msg's in another window.
Mark
js wrote:
I don't think this is not worth the effort. if there were a way to provide instrictions, it would encourages developer to write more messages I suppose.
One option would be to simply hold back any message until all ports installed and output them afterwards. So all messages would be at the end of the log. Or, use some new target like print_message {}, but which would need to be stored in the registry after installation to be always available in the state as it was on install. For this rather long nedi help, I would prefer to put them into some file like /opt/local/share/doc/nedi/INSTALL.macports and just print a message that there is additional help in this file. Rainer
+1 On 2/29/08, Rainer Müller <raimue@macports.org> wrote:
js wrote:
I don't think this is not worth the effort. if there were a way to provide instrictions, it would encourages developer to write more messages I suppose.
One option would be to simply hold back any message until all ports installed and output them afterwards. So all messages would be at the end of the log.
Or, use some new target like print_message {}, but which would need to be stored in the registry after installation to be always available in the state as it was on install.
For this rather long nedi help, I would prefer to put them into some file like /opt/local/share/doc/nedi/INSTALL.macports and just print a message that there is additional help in this file.
Rainer
js wrote:
+1
+1 for what? I just mentioned two possibilities how to solve this and we did not even gather additional ideas. This is not the time for voting yet. If you meant one particular idea, please use inline-replying to make that clear. Rainer
For this rather long nedi help, I would prefer to put them into some file like /opt/local/share/doc/nedi/INSTALL.macports and just print a message that there is additional help in this file. I like this idea.
On 3/1/08, Rainer Müller <raimue@macports.org> wrote:
js wrote:
+1
+1 for what? I just mentioned two possibilities how to solve this and we did not even gather additional ideas. This is not the time for voting yet.
If you meant one particular idea, please use inline-replying to make that clear.
Rainer
participants (2)
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js
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Rainer Müller