On 2021-7-10 17:42 , Jim DeLaHunt wrote:
Hi folks:
I'm trying to write my first Portfile, and I have a terribly naive
question: what does the "subport" directive in the Portfile do?
Please see <https://trac.macports.org/ticket/36957#comment:3>.
And: How do the "subport" directives interact with what is defined at
the top level of the Portfile? How do both the top level of the
Portfile and the subport blocks relate to a) fetching the source code
and b) configuring the source code and c) building the software and d)
installing the software?
Should I think of the top-level Portfile definitions and each subport as
being separate ports, each with their own fetch, configure, build, and
install activity? Or do the subports somehow modify the top-level
Portfile definitions for a single fetch, configure, build, and install
activity?
Both really. Each subport is added to the PortIndex as a distinct port.
Any code not inside a subport block executes for all subports defined in
the Portfile. They are separate ports that share part of their definition.
I don't see the subport directive mentioned in the MacPorts Guide,
particularly not in Chapter 4. Portfile Development[1], nor in Chapter
5. Portfile Reference[2]. I didn't see anything about subports authoring
in the Wiki either.
Indeed, see previously referenced ticket.
FYI, I am working on a Portfile for ticket #62984 on port:freeciv [3].
The upstream code can be configured to generate about 5 different sets
of client software, with about five different sets of dependencies. So
the concept is to make each set of client software a subport, and have a
base subport and an overarching port. But I don't know if this means six
fetches, configures, and builds, or one.
The former. All the subports will share a dist_subdir by default though,
so you won't have to actually download 6 copies of the distfile.
- Josh
P.S. Please use the list address @lists.macports.org, not the old
macosforge address.
