Hello, folks:
I am working through the Migration[1] procedure after upgrading my macOS
version. I made a list of my installed ports using `port -qv installed`.
Curiously, a number of the ports in that list include the notation
`requested_variants='+universal'`, even though the port appears to have
no +universal variant. For example,
bison @3.7.6_1+universal requested_variants='+universal'
platform='darwin 17' archs='x86_64' date='2021-07-04T14:08:44-0700'
bison @3.7.6_2+universal (active) requested_variants='+universal'
platform='darwin 17' archs='x86_64' date='2021-08-12T18:44:11-0700'
But there appars to be no +universal variant:
% port info bison
bison @3.7.6_2 (devel)
Sub-ports: bison-runtime
Description: Bison is a general-purpose parser generator that
converts an annotated context-free grammar into a deterministic LR
or generalized LR (GLR) parser employing LALR(1)
parser tables. As an experimental feature, Bison can also generate
IELR(1) or canonical LR(1) parser tables. Once
you are proficient with Bison, you can use it to develop a wide range
of language parsers, from those used in simple
desk calculators to complex programming languages.
Homepage: https://www.gnu.org/software/bison
Extract Dependencies: xz
Library Dependencies: gettext, libiconv, m4
Runtime Dependencies: bison-runtime
Platforms: darwin
License: (GPL-3+ or Permissive)
Maintainers: none
% port info --variants bison
variants:
Perhaps these +universal request are a relic of the distant past? I have
migrated this MacPorts installation forward through several OS versions
and multiple computers. It might be that some data originated on a
PowerPC mac long ago, when +universal was significant.
I have on MacPorts 2.7.1 and macOS 10.14 Mojave (just upgrade from 10.13
High Sierra) and a 7-year-old Mac with an intel CPU.
The buildUniversal wiki page[2] seems to be 8 years old and not relevant
to my situation.
Q1. What does a `+universal` variant request do, on MacPorts 2.7.1 and
macOS 10.14 Mojave and a Mac with an intel CPU, if the port does not
advertise a `+universal` variant?
Q2. Is there a `+universal` variant which is built in to MacPorts, even
if the port does not advertise a `+universal` variant? MacPorts Guide,
5. Portfile Reference, 5.5.1. User-Selected Variants[3] seems to imply
"yes".
Q3. Are there ports which have a `+universal` variant which is important
for my system? How do I find this out, and understand the significance?
Q4. Should I edit my list of installed ports to remove the `+universal`
from the port identifier and requested_variants keyword? For instance,
should I change the bison entry from:
bison @3.7.6_1+universal requested_variants='+universal'
platform='darwin 17' archs='x86_64' date='2021-07-04T14:08:44-0700'
bison @3.7.6_2+universal (active) requested_variants='+universal'
platform='darwin 17' archs='x86_64' date='2021-08-12T18:44:11-0700'
into:
bison @3.7.6_1 requested_variants='' platform='darwin 17' archs='x86_64'
date='2021-07-04T14:08:44-0700'
bison @3.7.6_2 (active) requested_variants='' platform='darwin 17'
archs='x86_64' date='2021-08-12T18:44:11-0700'
Note: this list of installed ports had some entries with `archs='i386
x86_64'`. I already got rid of the `i386` arch entry.
[1] https://trac.macports.org/wiki/Migration
[2] https://trac.macports.org/wiki/howto/buildUniversal
[3] https://guide.macports.org/chunked/reference.variants.html
Thank you in advance for your help.
—Jim DeLaHunt
