On Nov 19, 2011, at 00:23, Roger Pack wrote: > I used macports today, and had a few usability "suggestions/feature requests": > for what they're worth :) > > Here goes... > > If I do this: > $ sudo port install vlc -f > > I'd expect it to be a "force install" the equivalent of > $ sudo port -f install vlc > > instead, it surprised me by not doing a force install. FWIW.
Single-dash options like "-f" must appear immediately after the word "port", e.g. "sudo port -f install foo" (not that one should be using "-f" except in unusual circumstances). Double-dash options like "--enforce-variants" are specific to the subcommand and must appear immediately after the subcommand, i.e. "sudo port upgrade --enforce-variants foo" > The "help" syntax might be expandable a bit.. > > $ port help install > Usage: install > > Installs the given ports > > (doesn't list any options available to the install command?) "man port" and the guide have better help. > Also it seems to be missing a "reinstall" command...perhaps one could > be added, perhaps like the equivalent of > sudo port uninstall suchAndSuch > sudo port clean –all suchAndSuch > sudo port install suchAndSuch > or the like [?] Reinstall is: sudo port -n upgrade --force foo > Also I would have expected this to work: > $ sudo port install twolame # it installs binary twolame > $ sudo port install -s twolame # it "reinstalls, but from source" > (currently it "does nothing") sudo port -ns upgrade --force foo > At least output something like "twolame is already installed" but, > better yet, I had hoped that it would basically reinstall it, from > source, realizing that its initial installation had been from a binary > package. I think we try to follow the philosophy of other UNIX command line tools here: "no response" means there's nothing to be done. In fact we seem to not quite print nothing: we still print a "---> Cleaning" line. Oh well. > Well sorry for the flood. Thanks for the input; there's room for improvement, certainly at least in the documentation. But I admit I do like commands like "svn" which accept arguments in nearly any order. _______________________________________________ macports-users mailing list macports-users@lists.macosforge.org http://lists.macosforge.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/macports-users