Cannot build Macports in path containing spaces

[cowwoc@…]

1. Download Macports source tarball into a path containing spaces
2. Configure the environment and run make
3. The build will fail with numerous errors. For example:

checking that any existing MacPorts install can be upgraded... ./configure: line 10002: test: /Users/gili/.jenkins/workspace/GStreamer: binary operator expected
yes
./configure: eval: line 10011: syntax error near unexpected token `('
./configure: eval: line 10011: `prefix_expanded=/Users/gili/.jenkins/workspace/GStreamer (iOS)/client/ios/gstreamer/gstreamer/intermediate/macports'

or

===> making install in doc
/usr/bin/install -c -d -o gili -g staff -m 0755 /Users/gili/.jenkins/workspace/GStreamer (iOS)/client/ios/gstreamer/gstreamer/intermediate/macports
/bin/sh: -c: line 0: syntax error near unexpected token `('

[neverpanic (Clemens Lang)]

Please remember to use WikiFormatting when posting in trac.

[neverpanic (Clemens Lang)]

The problem with configure should be fixed in r97234 and r97235.

[cowwoc@…]

Cal,

Please note I mentioned two sample errors, but there are others. The best way to ensure that this issue is completely fixed is to try reproducing it on your end.

[neverpanic (Clemens Lang)]

r97239, r97243.

Since the fixes are simple, please consider providing a patch.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

Even if you can fix MacPorts itself to install in a path with spaces, likely many ports will fail to build in such a configuration. Years ago I reported this problem to the developers of autoconf, a configuration system used by many many ports, and the developers of autoconf said they had no plans to fix this issue and that it was a user error to attempt to use a path containing spaces. Therefore it seems unwise for us to attempt to support such a configuration either.

Consequently, because we've been under the impression that we'll never run in a path with spaces, many many portfiles make that assumption as well. It would be a great deal of effort to fix this problem in all portfiles, for no discernible gain, since it's trivial for the user to choose to install MacPorts a different path that doesn't contain spaces.

I would suggest closing this ticket as "wontfix".