sqlite3 no longer links to readline

[posita (Matt Bogosian)]

At some point (I'm not sure when), sqlite3 stopped linking to readline, which is really annoying if you have (and value) ~/.sqlite_history.

% port info sqlite3
sqlite3 @3.18.0 (databases)
Sub-ports:            sqlite3-tools
Variants:             universal

Description:          SQLite3 is an SQL database engine in a C library. Programs that link the SQLite3 library can have SQL database access without
                      running a separate RDBMS process. The distribution comes with a standalone command-line access program (sqlite3) that can be
                      used to administer an SQLite3 database and which serves as an example of how to use the SQLite3 library.
Homepage:             http://www.sqlite.org/

Library Dependencies: libedit, ncurses
Platforms:            darwin
License:              public-domain
Maintainers:          Email: mps@macports.org, GitHub: Schamschula
                      Policy: openmaintainer
% otool -Lv $( which sqlite3 )
/Users/matt/.site/bin/sqlite3:
        /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1197.1.1)
        time stamp 2 Wed Dec 31 16:00:02 1969

[Schamschula (Marius Schamschula)]

Well, there are reasons why we use libedit, rather than readline, see #52866

If you are willing to deal with those issues, we can always add a readline variant.

[posita (Matt Bogosian)]

Does libedit not provide command history/editing? Because I have libedit installed, and have rebuilt sqlite3, but I am unable to edit/see historical commands.

[Schamschula (Marius Schamschula)]

Since when are you having this problem?

I just saw #31747 (5 years ago) where Ryan Schmidt mentions a licensing issue as the reason for changing to libedit.

[posita (Matt Bogosian)]

I know that it was working as desired about a month ago. Maybe readline is a red herring, but I did have access to interactive command-line editing and command history last month. Here's what I get now:

% sqlite3 --version
3.18.0 2017-03-28 18:48:43 424a0d380332858ee55bdebc4af3789f74e70a2b3ba1cf29d84b9b4bcf3e2e37
[matt:~] % sqlite3
SQLite version 3.18.0 2017-03-28 18:48:43
Enter ".help" for usage hints.
Connected to a transient in-memory database.
Use ".open FILENAME" to reopen on a persistent database.
sqlite> ^P
   ...> ;
Error: unrecognized token: ""
sqlite> ^D

In other words, ^P doesn't work anymore to go back through command line history.

[Schamschula (Marius Schamschula)]

This looks to be the issue:

​https://www.mail-archive.com/sqlite-users@mailinglists.sqlite.org/msg102856.html

[Schamschula (Marius Schamschula)]

In 6142fdfc661c9232b58e045a9b10b2ce285ca70e/macports-ports:

sqlite3: fix issue with command history

Closes: #53988

[mf2k (Frank Schima)]

Note that a "request" ticket type is only for requesting a new port.

[Schamschula (Marius Schamschula)]

Replying to mf2k:

Note that a "request" ticket type is only for requesting a new port.

True enough. The first label actually turned out to be correct: the problem was indeed related to building sqlite3 against libedit, see above links.