BUG: mysql4 and mysql5 mutually exclusive

[yves@…]

Both share some files and (correct me if I'm wrong) both use $prefix/var/db/mysql

The official binairies used to install as $prefix/mysql-$version/

Since some other ports depend on shared libs, then it could be $prefix/mysql$major to survive between upgrades with $prefix/var/db/mysql$major ?

thanks

[mww@…]

I'm currently trying to get along with something similar for postgresql 7 & 8; I put the stuff in $prefix/include/pgsql7, $prefix/lib/pgsql7/bin etc., then symlink the sql-client to $prefix/bin; maybe something similar can do the trick here w/o polluting $prefix and making the user add an awful lot of paths to its $PATH

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

The port "mysql" was deleted, but the issue remains for "mysql3", "mysql4", "mysql5" and "mysql5-devel".

I'm not sure how much of a big deal this really is, though. Yes, there has been one occasion where I wanted to run a mysql4 server in parallel with my existing mysql5 server. But that was only to test one issue. I don't see this being an everyday desire. As for libraries, if a program is linked against some mysql 4.1.x library, the program should continue to work if you upgrade to a later mysql 4.1.x library. Same for the mysql 5.0.x and 5.1.x series. Now, if you linked against mysql 4.1 and are now upgrading to 5.0, then sure, you'll have to recompile your existing mysql software. Such major upgrades happen so infrequently, however, I'm not sure how much effort we should put into this.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

On the other hand, there have been some complaints about the allegedly convoluted directory layout the mysql5 port currently inflicts. Moving everything to $prefix/mysql$major (and, if you insist, $prefix/var/db/mysql$major) could greatly simplify the directory layout as well as allow simultaneous installation of different versions. Worth considering.

[yves@…]

The original issue, if I remember well, was having conflicts not between myself wanting two mysql versions but rather from multiple port dependencies requiring one and another.

For example, koffice requires mysql4 whie flow-tool requires mysql5.

On the other hand, it's been two years without much fuss.

[nox@…]

I think we should do another ticket for implementing something like the slot mechanism of Gentoo's Portage packet manager.