macports: provide version info to Apple system information

[Zweihorn (@Zweihorn)]

MacPorts should provide version info to the Apple system information after an installation happened as should be applicable with Apple Style Guides, I presume.

More information on Apple system information at:

• ​https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/system-information/welcome/11.0/mac/11.0

See example image with DE locale attached for the issue mentioned.

[Zweihorn (@Zweihorn)]

MacPorts entries missing the version info in Apple system information display.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

I suppose the problem is that the system information is from when an Apple installer package was used to install MacPorts, which is only for the initial install (or not at all, if the user builds from source). Subsequent updates of MacPorts base usually happen via the selfupdate mechanism which does not at present happen via an Apple installer package; it always happens from source. So even if we change the installer package to report its version it would only report the version you originally installed, not the one currently installed, and would not appear at all for from-source builds.

[Zweihorn (@Zweihorn)]

THX - However, please consider a solution for the basic issue raised.

Rationale:

Replying to ryandesign:

I suppose the problem is that the system information is from when an Apple installer package was used to install MacPorts, which is only for the initial install (or not at all, if the user builds from source).

I would agree. However, one should not postpone a feasible solution by raising a bigger issue, I presume.

.

Subsequent updates of MacPorts base usually happen via the selfupdate mechanism which does not at present happen via an Apple installer package; it always happens from source. So even if we change the installer package to report its version it would only report the version you originally installed, not the one currently installed, and would not appear at all for from-source builds.

Agreed. IMO there is no need for such installs to influence on the a.m. issue.

Furthermore, an extended solution to the a.m. basic issue could provide this as extra information in the Summary field which is shown below the list of a selected entry of MacPorts first install respectively.

Conclusion:

IMO the the initial install of a MacPorts PKG or DMG should provide version info to the Apple system information after an installation happened as should be applicable with Apple Style Guides.

[Zweihorn (@Zweihorn)]

A quick and brief scan of the internet only showed, that the former Apple XCode documentary on making packages was taken down, apparently.

A 'man pkgbuild' might help to find some more local info, I presume.

However, IMO you will be the bigger experts and I trust your long-sightedness.

[jmroot (Joshua Root)]

I'm not sure what's needed here. We already use the --version option when running pkgbuild: ​https://github.com/macports/macports-base/blob/v2.8.1/src/package1.0/portpkg.tcl#L170