p5-archive-tar: dependency on p5-test-harness should be removed

[vinc17@…]

Port p5-test-harness is broken (see bug 10978) and p5-mail-spamassassin can no longer be installed/upgraded because of that. As test-harness is provided by perl5.8, the dependency is useless anyway (and if the user wants the a newer version of the modules, he can still install them in some way or another).

[vinc17@…]

If fact, that's p5-archive-tar which depends on p5-test-harness.

[simon@…]

CCing maintainer.

[narf_tm@…]

I can't understand why the dependancy should be removed. It IS a dependancy. The Portfile doesn't have some_dependancies or most_dependancies. I have been complaining about how MacPorts' Perl has handled installing modules for years. Instead of fixing the real problem we are coming up with every way we can think of to get around it. Like removing dependancies that aren't REALLY need just because nobody will fix the actual Perl install. And then there is my favorite solution... Let's have modules replace core modules buy requiring force. Please read my reply to #12710. I really think it is time to fix the real problem.

[vinc17@…]

It is not a dependency as the Perl core already provides the modules:

/opt/local/lib/perl5/5.8.8/Test/Harness
/opt/local/lib/perl5/5.8.8/Test/Harness/Assert.pm
/opt/local/lib/perl5/5.8.8/Test/Harness/Iterator.pm
/opt/local/lib/perl5/5.8.8/Test/Harness/Point.pm
/opt/local/lib/perl5/5.8.8/Test/Harness/Straps.pm
/opt/local/lib/perl5/5.8.8/Test/Harness/TAP.pod
/opt/local/lib/perl5/5.8.8/Test/Harness.pm

(FYI, this dependency doesn't exist in Debian for the libarchive-tar-perl package, so that there should be no problem to use the versions provided by the core.)

Using "force" is not a solution and should never be recommended as it is dangerous, may break other ports (because some files from perl5.8 have been changed), and this will break perl5.8 upgrades.

In any case, p5-test-harness is broken (and no-one wants to fix it) and a port should not depend on a broken port.

[narf_tm@…]

There are plenty of other ports that require newer versions of the modules than the Perl core provides. This will only get worse as Perl 5.10 gets traction. I really think this needs to be fixed now. I am tired of this being broken. Every other *nix distro I use has managed to get this right... why not MacPorts? The vendor path we use should be first in the @INC order. Again, see my reply to #10978.

Just because something is included with Perl, doesn't mean the module no longer depends on it. I personally would rather my modules use the newest version of dependancies over the ones that are included with the core. Otherwise, you have to live with a bug in the module until Perl decides to make another release.

[vinc17@…]

The point is that until bug 12710 is fixed, the dependency isn't valid. IMHO, bug 12710 should be fixed ASAP since it blocks upgrades.

[nox@…]

narf_tm: We should depend on new core modules ports only if it is required. But you're right, we'll need to discuss whether or not to add those dependencies when we'll have come to a conclusion in the "force installation" vs "reversed @INC path" vs "let's write a metaport" debate.

[narf_tm@…]

Dependancy for p5-test-harness was removed in change set [33801].

[(none)]

Milestone Port Bugs deleted