selfupdate 2.4.2: file can't be deleted

[AndrewSwann]

On macOS High Sierra, version 10.13.2, running

sudo port selfupdate

results in the error report

--->  Updating MacPorts base sources using rsync
Error: error deleting "/opt/local/var/macports/sources/rsync.macports.org/macports/release/tarballs/base/vendor/tcllib-1.18/modules/valtype/valtype_gs1_ean13.pcx": permission denied
Please run `port -v selfupdate' for details.
Error: /opt/local/bin/port: port selfupdate failed: error deleting "/opt/local/var/macports/sources/rsync.macports.org/macports/release/tarballs/base/vendor/tcllib-1.18/modules/valtype/valtype_gs1_ean13.pcx": permission denied

Running with the -v option does not provide more significant information.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

I haven't heard of anyone else reporting this. It's hard to see how permission could be denied if you're using sudo.

You could try to delete the file manually. If selfupdate then still complains about that file, or another similar file, you could try deleting the entire /opt/local/var/macports/sources/rsync.macports.org directory.

[AndrewSwann]

Thanks, however running sudo rm -rf on this file also gives a Permission denied. The output of ls -lO is

-rwxr-xr-x  1 500  505  -  744 22 Aug 23:11 valtype_gs1_ean13.pcx

Trying to delete the rsync.macports.org directory runs into the same problem with this and a few other files.

[AndrewSwann]

I have now managed to remove the rsync.macports.org directory by using the Finder. On trying to empty the Trash it reported that the files were in "in use", but that could be dealt with via ​https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201583. What caused this is still a mystery.

[jmroot (Joshua Root)]

OK, so probably an OS issue and not something we could fix. Glad you got it working.