XFree86 installation

[lars@…]

I have the apple X11 application installed. I try a port install XFree86 (I want to compile gimp)

The installer wants me to do a:

mv /usr/X11R6 /usr/X11R6.apple

I do this, then rerun port -d install XFree86

I then get:

DEBUG: Executing proc-post-org.macports.destroot-destroot-0
ln: ./XDarwin.app: File exists
Error: Target org.macports.destroot returned: shell command "ln -s /usr/X11R6/bin/XDarwin.app" returned error 1
Command output: ln: ./XDarwin.app: File exists

What to do? Why do I have to install the XFree86 port in order to install the gimp port? Why does the XFree86 port operate in /usr/X11R6, even though the MacPort repository is supposed to be installed in /opt/local ?

[ryandesign@…]

You do not need XFree86 in order to install gimp. XFree86 is listed as an indirect dependency of gimp, because if you do not have Apple's X11 environment, then you would need to install XFree86. However, since you do have Apple's X11 environment, that's completely sufficient, and if you ask MacPorts to install gimp, it should not attempt to install XFree86. Just make sure you have both X11User.pkg and X11SDK.pkg in /Library/Receipts. If you're missing the former, install it from your Mac OS X DVD. If you're missing the latter, install it from your Xcode disk image.

It is my understanding that due to peculiarities of X, it must always live in /usr/X11R6.