Installing optional packages

[Andrew]

I just installed an optional package but it took me a while to remember how to do it. Of course, it is completely straightforward but I just forgot....

The first place that I looked was in the "Installation guide". There is a section there on "standard packages" but nothing on "optional packages". Is there any objection to adding such a section?

A.

[Andrew]

This is now https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/21101

[leif]

Andrew wrote:
> I just installed an optional package but it took me a while to remember
> how to do it. Of course, it is completely straightforward but I just
> forgot....

Ahem, './sage --help'?

That points you to './sage --advanced' (advanced help) as well, which gives

Installing packages and upgrading:
-package [args] -- call the new package manager with given arguments.
Run without arguments for package-specific help.
-experimental -- list all experimental packages that can be
installed
-f [opts] [packages]-- shortcut for -i -f: force build of the given Sage
packages
-i [opts] [packages]-- install the given Sage packages. Options:
-c -- run the packages' test suites
-d -- only download, do not install packages
-f -- force build: install the packages even
if they are already installed
-s -- do not delete the temporary build
directories
after a successful build
-p [opts] [packages]-- install the given Sage packages, without dependency
checking and with support for old-style spkgs.
Options are -c, -d and -s with the same meaning as
for the -i command
-info [packages] -- print the SPKG.txt of the given packages
--location -- if needed, fix paths to make Sage relocatable
-optional -- list all optional packages that can be installed
-standard -- list all standard packages that can be installed
-installed -- list all installed packages
-upgrade [version] -- download, build and install the given version.
Here,
'version' is a git branch or tag name. Useful
values
are 'master' (the current development version, this
is the default) or a version number like '5.13'.
-pip [...] -- invoke pip, the Python package manager


besides further usage help on other topics.


-leif

[Andrew]

On Wednesday, 27 July 2016 18:13:44 UTC+10, leif wrote:

Andrew wrote:
> I just installed an optional package but it took me a while to remember
> how to do it. Of course, it is completely straightforward but I just
> forgot....

Ahem, './sage --help'?

Sure that's what I did when I didn't find it i the manual. The point is that it should ALSO be in the manual.
 

[leif]

Andrew wrote:
> On Wednesday, 27 July 2016 18:13:44 UTC+10, leif wrote:
>
> Andrew wrote:
> > I just installed an optional package but it took me a while to
> remember
> > how to do it. Of course, it is completely straightforward but I just
> > forgot....
>
> Ahem, './sage --help'?
>
> Sure that's what I did when I didn't find it i the manual. The point is
> that it should ALSO be in the manual.

Sure. I was just surprised you didn't try that first, but then you
wouldn't have noticed our documentation being incomplete. :-)

(Not sure whether the help messages are at all up-to-date; they're at
least still ugly or inconsistent regarding short and long options, and
old-style vs. new-style packages I think.)


-leif