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= How to install an older version of a port =

 * Audience: Anyone needing an older version of a port than is currently available in the repository
 * Requires: MacPorts >=1.7

== Introduction ==

MacPorts does not include a feature to let you install an older version of a port. It only lets you install the current version of the port that has been created by the port author.

== Installation ==

=== Step 1: '''Finding the right revision''' ===
To install an older version of the port, you'll have to manually download the files from the repository. [browser:trunk/dports Browse the repository] to find the directory of the port you want, then use the Revision Log link in the upper right to find the older version that you want to install. For example, if you wanted to install the older 8.4.16 version of tcl, browse to the [browser:trunk/dports/lang/tcl lang/tcl] directory and look at its [log:trunk/dports/lang/tcl revision log]. Here you'll note that tcl was updated to 8.5.0 in r32235, so you want the revision before that, which was r30810. Click the [browser:trunk/dports/lang/tcl@30810 @30810] link in the revision log (not the [30810] link) to see the directory as it existed in that revision.

=== Step 2: '''Getting the Portfile''' ===
Click the Portfile to see it, then download it to disk using the Original Format link at the bottom of the page. The tcl port doesn't have a `files` directory, but if it did, you should download each file within it as well, and place them in a `files` directory on your disk in the same place where you downloaded the Portfile.

=== Step 3: '''Building the dowloaded port''' ===
Finally, use the Terminal to `cd` to the directory where you downloaded the Portfile and type "`sudo port install`".

== Alternative method to getting the port ==

Subversion can be used as well to fetch an older port, and is simpler for one that has a files/ subdirectory.

=== Step 1: '''Finding the right revision''' ===
Follow Step 1 earlier to find the right revision for the port you need, eg, 30810.

=== Step 2: '''Checking out the port''' ===
Check out the revision you found for the port, you'll need that revision number and the category/portname path to the port (lang/tcl for tcl).  Then you use svn to check out the port at that revision:
{{{
svn co -r 30810 http://svn.macports.org/repository/macports/trunk/dports/lang/tcl
}}}
This creates a tcl directory in your current location, and populates that with everything the port should need to build.  Replace the 30810 and lang/tcl with the correct revision and category/portname for your interested port.

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