Apps that need to be in `/Applications` to work

[vitorgalvao]

Not apps that ask to be moved, but the ones that are broken if not there (even if a symlink works, it should still be included). Maintainers should feel free to edit and add to the list.

• cdock (#11032)
• cmpl (see comment)
• crashplan (#16038)
• diffmerge (#13934)
• duet (#14952)
• fontforge (#12517)
• gnubg (see caveat)
• megasync (#8804)
• postgres (#12857)
• tunnelblick (#10519)

[tsparber]

Removed caveats from casks in this list (when there was one). So I think this issue can also be closed 🎉

[vitorgalvao]

This can’t be closed, as users can still pick a custom directory for installing. In #13201, these are the cases that will need a :required_location (see the New stanzas/keys/flags to enhance these changes section).

[tsparber]

Sorry, forgot about that. 😐 gnubg can be added to the list.

[vitorgalvao]

Not to worry. Added gnubg to the list, thank you.

[allanchau]

Hi, while google-chrome itself works, some extensions such as 1Password break when chrome is not in the Applications folder.

[vitorgalvao]

@allanchau That’s a good point, but the list is focused on the application itself breaking.

[vitorgalvao]

Edited the list to remove casks we no longer have.

[AnansiOmega]

Hi, is this an issue I can work on? I'm very new to open source contribution, but I would love to help.

[vitorgalvao]

Hi, is this an issue I can work on?

Hi! Sure! No one’s working on it and it’s low priority, so please go ahead. Though looking at it now, it might benefit from a simpler approach:

Add :required_location. Example: app 'FontForge.app', required_location: '/Applications'. It means the artifact needs to be in a certain location to function correctly and as such the installation will fail if the target directory is a different location.

Pseudo-code for :required_location, considering an app:

if (cask has :required_location) and (REQUIRED_LOCATION != APPDIR_DESTINATION) and (not using --force)
    print_warning "This app needs to be in REQUIRED_LOCATION to work properly. Use `--force` to install to APPDIR_DESTINATION or `--appdir APPDIR_DESTINATION` to install to the proper location."
end

That’s way simpler and doesn’t surprise the user by installing somewhere unexpected by default. Note that APPDIR_DESTINATION is either the default when it’s unset (/Applications) or whatever the user decided with --appdir. Realistically, I don’t think :required_destination will ever be anything other than /Applications, but it doesn’t hurt to have the flexibility.

Bonus points if the feature is versatile enough to be repurposed to binary at a later time if needed (though don’t worry about it yet if you don’t want to or it makes it too complex).

Thank you for offering!

[AnansiOmega]

Hey @vitorgalvao is there any way to run tests on where the application downloads? I've been trying to get a lay of the land. I noticed some documentation that recommends:

$ brew /Users/anansi/Development/code/openSource/homebrew-cask/Casks/fontforge.rb google-chrome

but that gives me an error: " undefined method `cask' for main:Object " ( also, I've run brew upgrade and brew update to see if that would fix it, but to no avail )

Also, for clarity. All of the items listed on the original post are the ones that need the change? ( asking because I can't find, cdock, cmpl, and gnubg. I assume they no longer exist, because this post is incredibly old. )

[vitorgalvao]

is there any way to run tests on where the application downloads?

I don’t understand the question. Are you looking for brew fetch?

I noticed some documentation that recommends

That command doesn’t make sense, because after brew there should always be a verb, not a cask name or path. If you found that in official documentation, please let me know where so I can fix it.

All of the items listed on the original post are the ones that need the change?

The ones we know about, yes.

asking because I can't find, cdock, cmpl, and gnubg. I assume they no longer exist, because this post is incredibly old.

You are correct. That’s also why I said this is low priority. But it should also be simple enough to get a feel for the codebase if you plan on contributing larger changes later on. If you’d prefer something more challenging or that would make a larger impact, I can point you to something as well!

[AnansiOmega]

I don’t understand the question. Are you looking for brew fetch?

I think so, I'll play around with it more. ( I'm still incredibly lost on how everything works, but I'll figure it out. )

That command doesn’t make sense, because after brew there should always be a verb, not a cask name or path. If you found that in official documentation, please let me know where so I can fix it.

I might be in the wrong here, but the link is: https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask/blob/master/doc/development/hacking.md

If you’d prefer something more challenging or that would make a larger impact, I can point you to something as well!

I'd love to, but I'd like to get a handle of working within homebrew first, and being able to tackle problems without having anyone hold my hand throughout the process.

[AnansiOmega]

@vitorgalvao Hey, I can't figure out how to create a new stanza.

[vitorgalvao]

I might be in the wrong here, but the link is: https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask/blob/master/doc/development/hacking.md

Thank you. Notice that in that case it’s calling a subcommand through its path, and you were invoking a cask. Different thing. But ignore that file because it’s outdated. Any documentation you look at for changing the core should be in https://github.com/Homebrew/brew.

I can't figure out how to create a new stanza.

You don’t want to create a new stanza, but rather a new parameter of an existing stanza. You want required_location to be added to the app stanza, which already supports the target parameter, so that might help.

[AnansiOmega]

I apologize for asking so many questions, but I have more. If there's any resource I can go to ask simple questions like these please let me know so that I don't take up all of your time.

When it comes to adding required_location as a parameter to a stanza I think I found the file where the changes would need to be made, but I'd like to be certain. In Homebrew the path to the file is Library/Homebrew/cask/artifact/relocated.rb ? In other words the file that I need to add in the method of required_location should be in the relocated.rb ?

If that's the case, I have a follow up question because I know this will be a problem I'll stumble upon. How would I be able to invoke the method of 'required_location' to make sure that it's doing the right thing. I'm accustomed to using byebug, and then invoking the file. Thank you.

[AnansiOmega]

I apologize for asking so many questions, but I have more. If there's any resource I can go to ask simple questions like these please let me know so that I don't take up all of your time.

When it comes to adding required_location as a parameter to a stanza I think I found the file where the changes would need to be made, but I'd like to be certain. In Homebrew the path to the file is Library/Homebrew/cask/artifact/relocated.rb ? In other words the file that I need to add in the method of required_location should be in the relocated.rb ?

If that's the case, I have a follow up question because I know this will be a problem I'll stumble upon. How would I be able to invoke the method of 'required_location' to make sure that it's doing the right thing. I'm accustomed to using byebug, and then invoking the file. Thank you.

@vitorgalvao If you have a chance.

[vitorgalvao]

If there's any resource I can go to ask simple questions like these

https://github.com/Homebrew/discussions might work.

[thoran]

I just opened this which is similar: https://github.com/Homebrew/brew/issues/14517.