Feature request: Improve error message when Portfile cannot be opened due to insufficient privileges

[judaew (Vadym-Valdis Yudaiev)]

After updating from 2.11.5 to 2.11.6, I initially thought I had hit a bug because the following error appeared when trying to build a local port. However, after Ryan’s explanation, it became clear that this is expected behavior: the macports user simply lacks the necessary permissions to read the Portfile in this location.

Still, it would be helpful to provide a clearer and more informative message for users who encounter this for the first time.

$ sudo port install -dt pre-commit
DEBUG: Opening port in directory: /Users/judaew/wrk/github.com/judaew/macports-ports/python/pre-commit
...
DEBUG: Sourcing PortGroup python 1.0 from /Users/judaew/wrk/github.com/judaew/macports-ports/_resources/port1.0/group/python-1.0.tcl
...
DEBUG: Running callback python_add_dependencies
DEBUG: Finished running callback python_add_dependencies
DEBUG: dropping privileges: euid changed to 502, egid changed to 501.
DEBUG: Could not open file: /Users/judaew/wrk/github.com/judaew/macports-ports/python/pre-commit/Portfile
    while executing
"sha256 file ${portpath}/Portfile"
    (procedure "open_statefile" line 24)
    invoked from within
"open_statefile"
Error: Failed to open statefile for pre-commit: Could not open file: /Users/judaew/wrk/github.com/judaew/macports-ports/python/pre-commit/Portfile
Error: Follow https://guide.macports.org/#project.tickets if you believe there is a bug.
Error: Processing of port pre-commit failed

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

This is intended. See ​https://lists.macports.org/pipermail/macports-dev/2025-October/046528.html and follow-ups.

[judaew (Vadym-Valdis Yudaiev)]

Thank you for the clarification the additional context helped me look at the error from a different angle. Given that the macports user runs with minimal privileges, the behavior now makes sense, and in this light it doesn’t appear to be a bug.

However, I’d like to suggest adding a small explanatory message in Port for cases like this. A brief hint about why the error occurs and how to resolve it (e.g., o-x permissions or move to ${prefix}) would make the issue clearer for users encountering it for the first time.

[robcd (Rob Dickens)]

… would make the issue clearer for users encountering it for the first time.

#me-too. Very despair-inducing. Thanks for submitting this!

Btw, what is the best practice here?

I had put the Portfile in ~me/Devt/MacPorts/local/<category>/<port>/, where me has no admin privileges.

Please could sb just spell out what I should do so that the macports user can read it.

Thanks for reading.

[robcd (Rob Dickens)]

Replying to robcd:

Btw, what is the best practice here?

Okay - must be to do what guide says.

Please could sb just spell out what I should do so that the macports user can read it.

Okay - should have read above link. Solved using ACLs.