installing gdal fails with coreutils+with_default_names

[jabronson@…]

# port installed coreutils
The following ports are currently installed:
  coreutils @7.4_0+with_default_names
# which -a ln
/opt/local/bin/ln
/bin/ln
# port install gdal +curl +framework +geos +postgresql84 +sqlite3
...
--->  Staging gdal into destroot
...
ln -sfh Versions/Current/unix /opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_science_gdal/work/destroot/Library/Frameworks/GDAL.framework/unix
ln: invalid option -- h
Try `ln --help' for more information.
make: *** [install-actions] Error 1

Error: Status 1 encountered during processing.

Indeed, BSD ln has a -h option while GNU ln does not. Install succeeded after I deactivated coreutils and tried again.

[tobypeterson]

We really, really need to just remove that stupid variant.

[jabronson@…]

Replying to toby@…:

We really, really need to just remove that stupid variant.

Do you mean make "with_default_names" the default when installing coreutils, or do you mean don't even allow it as a variant? I assume you mean the latter, since the former wouldn't help this bug much, though I'd be strongly -1 on removing default names altogether. (What's the point of installing coreutils if you have to remember to prefix everything you use on a daily basis with a g? It requires totally rewiring your brain, so it's just not an option.)

[seanasy@…]

Replying to jabronson@…:

Replying to toby@…:

We really, really need to just remove that stupid variant.

Do you mean make "with_default_names" the default when installing coreutils, or do you mean don't even allow it as a variant? I assume you mean the latter, since the former wouldn't help this bug much, though I'd be strongly -1 on removing default names altogether. (What's the point of installing coreutils if you have to remember to prefix everything you use on a daily basis with a g? It requires totally rewiring your brain, so it's just not an option.)

I'm inclined to agree with toby. Are we to add complexity to every portfile to accommodate gnu coreutils? It's dangerous to have gnu coreutils without the 'g' which is why the variant comes with a warning and FreeBSD uses the 'g'.

Ports should be able to assume coreutils work a certain way and using the system versions makes sense.

Maybe, MacPorts can be modified to use the system utils exclusively. But, I don't think portfiles should be modified to take gnu coreutils into account unless MacPorts switches to using only gnu coreutils.

[jabronson@…]

see ​http://trac.macports.org/ticket/18149

[blb@…]

See also #20748.