Symlink multiple packages

[mfts]

Asked via Discord by DitchComfort

Let say I want to actually use the GNU coreutils as default tools on my Mac, will they become defaults as long as I have the one-liner (magic) in my .zshrc? Or do I have to actually symlink every tool to e.g. /usr/local/bin for them to work?
I know Homebrew use a prefix g if you install coreutils, and you can choose to add a gnubin to the PATH of you want to use it without a prefix. Are there something similar if/when you install coreutils with tea?

I did try an example yesterday for dircolors and symlinked tea+dircolors to /usr/local/bin and everything was fine. But I really don’t want to symlink every tool, and what about man pages for those tools? Can I get the GNU man-pages?

[mxcl]

This is a good set of questions.

Let say I want to actually use the GNU coreutils as default tools on my Mac, will they become defaults as long as I have the one-liner (magic) in my .zshrc? Or do I have to actually symlink every tool to e.g. /usr/local/bin for them to work?

They will be the defaults for you in your terminal. But scripts will not find them without the symlinks.

I know Homebrew use a prefix g if you install coreutils, and you can choose to add a gnubin to the PATH of you want to use it without a prefix. Are there something similar if/when you install coreutils with tea?

Not yet, but we intend to have an “install” type solution at some point this year.

I did try an example yesterday for dircolors and symlinked tea+dircolors to /usr/local/bin and everything was fine. But I really don’t want to symlink every tool

Yeah I feel you, I wouldn't want to do that either. The “install” type solution will be a real solution here

and what about man pages for those tools? Can I get the GNU man-pages?

We add man pages to the env, but currently you would need to do tea man foo. We intend to add magic so tools like man will find everything in tea, but I'm still figuring out how that might work.

[DitchComfort]

So in the meantime I can probably symlink some of the tools I really want discovered everywhere...

I symlinked them all when I did the test the other day… tea+, so wasn't a big problem, but glad to hear there will be an easier "install"-type solution later this year (probably).

And thank you for the information regarding man pages, I didn't know that.

[mfts]

Hi @DitchComfort, it's possible to symlink to ~/.tea/local/bin now.

• related issue: https://github.com/orgs/teaxyz/discussions/600
• pull request of feature: auto symlink ~/.tea/local/bin/foo on installs #601

[DitchComfort]

Excellent 👌🏻 but I still don’t have the opportunity to use my Mac (or be online). But I’m really excited for all the new releases.