[Octave-bug-tracker] [bug #60472] pkg -global option changes pkg prefix for subsequent calls

[Nicholas Jankowski]

Follow-up Comment #14, bug #60472 (project octave):

ok, applying the patch the the latest version of 6.2.1 stable:

before patch, prefix starts local as it should, -global call makes persistent
change to subsequent calls to global package location: 

>> pkg prefix
Installation prefix:             C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave
Architecture dependent prefix:   C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave
>> pkg install -global abc
error: pkg: file not found: abc.
This looks like an Octave Forge package name.  Did you mean:
       pkg install -forge abc
error: called from
    pkg at line 554 column 19
>> pkg prefix
Installation prefix:            
C:\Programs\Octave\OCTAVE~2\mingw64\share\octave\packages
Architecture dependent prefix:  
C:\Programs\Octave\OCTAVE~2\mingw64\lib\octave\packages


after applying the patch:


>> pkg prefix
Installation prefix:             C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave
Architecture dependent prefix:   C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave
>> pkg install -global abc
error: pkg: file not found: abc.
This looks like an Octave Forge package name.  Did you mean:
       pkg install -forge abc
error: called from
    pkg at line 554 column 19
>> pkg prefix
Installation prefix:             C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave
Architecture dependent prefix:   C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave


so prefix now reverts to the proper context on the next call to pkg. This
appears to fix at least part of the problem. running a single -global
install/uninstall will not change the default local/global behavior, and
subsequent packages will go to their default location. 


>> pkg list ga
package ga is not installed.

>> pkg install -global -forge ga
For information about changes from previous versions of the ga package, run
'news ga'.

>> pkg list ga
Package Name  | Version | Installation directory
--------------+---------+-----------------------
          ga  |  0.10.2 |
...\Octave\octave-stable\mingw64\share\octave\packages\ga-0.10.2

>> pkg list arduino
package arduino is not installed.

>> pkg install -forge arduino
For information about changes from previous versions of the arduino package,
run 'news arduino'.

>> pkg list arduino ga
Package Name  | Version | Installation directory
--------------+---------+-----------------------
     arduino  |   0.7.0 | C:\Users\nicholas.jankowski\octave\arduino-0.7.0
          ga  |  0.10.2 |
...\Octave\octave-stable\mingw64\share\octave\packages\ga-0.10.2


this should solve the main issue that kicked off this bug report trying to
manage locally and globally installed packages. pkg update should behave
better as well since it doesn't currently take -local/-global options. 


checking the behavior of prefix, it appears a manual setting does take
priority over any following -local or -global statements.


>> pkg prefix
Installation prefix:             C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave
Architecture dependent prefix:   C:\Users\NICHOL~1.JAN\octave

>> pkg list arduino
package arduino is not installed.

>> pkg list ga 
package ga is not installed.

>> pkg prefix C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages
ans = C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages

>> pkg prefix
Installation prefix:             C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages
Architecture dependent prefix:   C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages

>> pkg install -global -forge arduino
For information about changes from previous versions of the arduino package,
run 'news arduin
o'.

>> pkg list arduino
Package Name  | Version | Installation directory
--------------+---------+-----------------------
     arduino  |   0.7.0 | C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages\arduino-0.7.0

>> pkg install -local -forge ga
For information about changes from previous versions of the ga package, run
'news ga'.

>> pkg list ga
Package Name  | Version | Installation directory
--------------+---------+-----------------------
          ga  |  0.10.2 | C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages\ga-0.10.2

>> load(pkg('local_list'))
>> local_packages
local_packages =
{
  [1,1] =

    scalar structure containing the fields:

      name = ga
      version = 0.10.2
      date = 2020-12-02
      author = Luca Favatella <slackydeb@gmail.com>
      maintainer = Octave-Forge community <maintainers@octave.org>
      title = Genetic Algorithm
      description = Genetic optimization code
      categories = Optimization
      depends =
      {
        [1,1] =

          scalar structure containing the fields:

            package = octave
            operator = >=
            version = 3.4.0

      }

      autoload = yes
      license = GPL version 3 or later
      url = http://octave.sf.net
      dir = C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages\ga-0.10.2
      archprefix = C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages\ga-0.10.2

}

>> load(pkg('global_list'))
>> global_packages(end)
ans =
{
  [1,1] =

    scalar structure containing the fields:

      name = arduino
      version = 0.7.0
      date = 2021-04-28
      author = John Donoghue <john.donoghue@ieee.org>
      maintainer = John Donoghue <john.donoghue@ieee.org>
      title = Octave Arduino Toolkit
      description = Basic Octave implementation of the matlab arduino
extension,  allowing co
mmunication to a programmed arduino board to control its  hardware.
      categories = Arduino Toolkit
      depends =
      {
        [1,1] =

          scalar structure containing the fields:

            package = octave
            operator = >=
            version = 4.0.0

        [1,2] =

          scalar structure containing the fields:

            package = instrument-control
            operator = >=
            version = 0.3.0

      }

      systemrequirements = arduino-ide (>= 1.5)
      license = GPLv3+
      url = https://octave.sourceforge.io/arduino/
      dir = C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages\arduino-0.7.0
      archprefix = C:\Programs\Octave\testpackages\arduino-0.7.0

}
  

So, after a prefix change, -local and -global flags will not change the
install location, but they will populate the appropriate local and global
package lists. I think this behavior makes sense and is consistent with intent
unless someone knows otherwise.

It would be nice if there was a 'pkg prefix -default' option to force a reset
back to default paths and set user_prefix back to false without the need to
close/restart octave.  but maybe the wishlist is stretching a bit long for, as
Kai said, what is already a bit of an overburdened tool. 

TL;DR:  absent any other issues, Markus's patch seems to fix the primary issue
that prompted this bug report. As the rmdir bug was fixed elsewhere, I would
consider it complete.

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