mariadb-10.11 @10.11.1_0 binaries aren't in the normal path

[adamfranco (Adam Franco)]

After installing ​https://build.macports.org/builders/ports-12_arm64-builder/builds/72726 I didn't find any of the expected mysql commands available even with /opt/local/bin in my $PATH. It turns out that this port installs its binaries in /opt/local/lib/mariadb-10.11/bin, but there is no note that this path must be added to the user's $PATH. It seems like it would be even better if this step wasn't needed and the binaries were installed in /opt/local/bin or were somehow linked there with a port select mariadb mariadb-10.11 sort of command, but there may be reasons for not doing so. The addition of a note about the path would be a minumum-impact improvement to help avoid confusion.

Here are the existing notes seen on install:

--->  Activating mariadb-10.11 @10.11.1_0
--->  Cleaning mariadb-10.11
--->  Scanning binaries for linking errors
--->  No broken files found.                             
--->  No broken ports found.
--->  Some of the ports you installed have notes:
  mariadb-10.11 has the following notes:
    On activation if no /opt/local/etc/mariadb-10.11/my.cnf file exists one
    will be created which loads
    /opt/local/etc/mariadb-10.11/macports-default.cnf.
    
    If a /opt/local/etc/mariadb-10.11/my.cnf file exists MacPorts does not
    touch it and any changes you make to /opt/local/etc/mariadb-10.11/my.cnf
    will be preserved (e.g., during port upgrades, deactivations or
    activations). /opt/local/etc/mariadb-10.11/my.cnf is a good place to
    customize your mariadb-10.11 installation.
    
    Any changes made to /opt/local/etc/mariadb-10.11/macports-default.cnf
    will be lost during port upgrades, deactivations or activations so you
    are advised to not make changes here. Currently
    /opt/local/etc/mariadb-10.11/macports-default.cnf contains only one
    directive; to disable networking. With disabled networking it is
    possible to install and have running all the MacPorts mysql ports
    simultaneously.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

It is intentional that mariadb-10.11 and all of the other MySQL-compatible software do not install their binaries into /opt/local/bin. If they did that, they would conflict with one another, which we don't want. Considerable effort was expended to ensure that these conflicts do not occur, by moving the files out of /opt/local/bin and other common directories.

mariadb-10.11 and all of the other MySQL-compatible ports do support the sudo port select mechanism; that is the method by which you are intended to obtain symlinks in /opt/local/bin to the programs you want to use. You can use it to see a list of available installed MySQL-compatible ports; for example on my system just now:

% sudo port select mysql
Available versions for mysql:
	mariadb-10.11
	none (active)

To select it:

% sudo port select mysql mariadb-10.11
Selecting 'mariadb-10.11' for 'mysql' succeeded. 'mariadb-10.11' is now active.

And then:

% which mysql
/opt/local/bin/mysql
% mysql --version
mysql  Ver 15.1 Distrib 10.11.1-MariaDB, for osx12.0 (x86_64) using readline 5.1

To deselect it later:

% sudo port select mysql none         
Selecting 'none' for 'mysql' succeeded. 'none' is now active.
% which mysql
mysql not found

You are correct that the mariadb-10.11 port does not print a note informing the user of this capability, and ideally it should be enhanced to do so. Unfortunately right now it is the responsibility of each port that uses the sudo port select mechanism to implement that note manually. It would be better if the select portgroup handled it automatically but at present it does not.