Getting around goofy package dependencies

[Ihor Antonov]

On Wednesday, January 1, 2020 5:51:09 PM PST Ronald F. Guilmette wrote:

Hi, I am not familiar with Perl at all, but here is some generic advice

> I am having a feeling of deja vu because I'm sure I have been here
> before.
> 
> I need to use a package named p5-Net-IDN-Encode on one of my FreeBSD 12.0
> systems.  I tried to just install it with pkg add but that didn't work
> becaise I had an older version of perl5 installed and p5-Net-IDN-Encode
> wanted a newer one.
> 
> So I installed the latest per5, i.e. "perl5-5.30.0".  I figured that
> should make me golden.
> 
> Apparently I'm not that lucky, and p5-Net-IDN-Encode appars to want one
> very specific version of perl5, i.e. perl5-5.28.2, even though I have
> an even newer one.  as a result, now when I try to install the
> p5-Net-IDN-Encode [ackage, using "pkg install" I get the following
> helpful notice:
> 
> =======================================================================
> Updating FreeBSD repository catalogue...
> FreeBSD repository is up to date.
> All repositories are up to date.
> The following 2 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):
> 
> New packages to be INSTALLED:
>         p5-Net-IDN-Encode: 2.500
>         perl5.28: 5.28.2
> 
> Number of packages to be installed: 2
> ...
> =======================================================================
> 
> I have tried to get around this by invoking "pkg install" with the -f
> option, and separately also with the -M option, but neither one made
> even the slightest bit of diofference.
> 
> So, two questions:
> 
> 1)  Why do neither the -f nor -M options for "pkg install" do what the
>     corresponding man page seems to say they will do?

'-f' option is "Force the reinstallation of the package if already installed." 
So this has nothing to do with skipping undesired packages behaviour that you 
probably need.

'-M' also causes perl5 to be installed for me, so maybe pkg bug? (Did not 
check bugs)

> 2)  Why is the package for p5-Net-IDN-Encode configured in a way that
>     causes it to need *only* and *exactly* perl5-5.28.2, and why doesn't
>     the configuration of the and p5-Net-IDN-Encode packahe allow me to
>     install it when  have an even newer version fo perl5 installed?
>
It is a good question, without knowing specifics it is hard to answer. 
I look at package configuration [1] and see that package wants perl5 - no 
specific version there. So my guess is that the dependency is somewhere in the 
code of the the p5-Net-IDN-Encode package

I'd try 2 things:
- Try contacting package maintainer and see if you can get some help.
- Try building the port yourself [2] instead of using binary package


[1] https://svnweb.freebsd.org/ports/head/textproc/p5-Net-IDN-Encode/Makefile?
view=markup

[2] https://metacpan.org/release/Net-IDN-Encode