Download Instructions Improvement Request re: multiple versions on MacOS with MacPorts

[beryllium]

As an avid MacPorts user, I have a couple of things that I would like to suggest for this sections of code that decides which file to include for which OS / variant / etc.

web-php/downloads-get-instructions.php

Lines 48 to 60 in 10ff798

	switch ($options['os']) {
	case 'linux':
	$defaultOrCommunity = ($options['version'] !== 'default' || $multiversion) ? 'community' : 'default';
	if ($defaultOrCommunity === 'community' && $options['version'] == 'default') {
	$options['version'] = $latestPhpVersion;
	}
	$file = "{$options['osvariant']}-{$options['usage']}-{$defaultOrCommunity}";
	break;
	case 'osx':
	case 'windows':
	$file = "{$options['osvariant']}";
	break;
	}

Once a filename is decided on for what multiversion should look like, it could include these MacPorts instructions:

MacPorts versioning usually looks like this:

sudo port install php84
sudo port install php83 # Not sure how these templates would best represent "previous version"

# Changing between versions
sudo port select php php84
sudo port select php php83

Now, that's when PHP is installed & working normally. However, the MacPorts project is having a volunteer shortage and as a result there are some issues with installing PHP 8.4 and higher using it. Certain important extensions are not available.

There is a manual workaround that can be applied by modifying the related Portfiles in the ports tree. A user is meticulously maintaining a custom commit/PR that contains the patch data. However, the project is not willing to accept the PR as a monolith, along with some additional concerns.

Since I have personal objections to using Homebrew, I'm kind of in a limbo state at the moment. But it would be nice to see the download instructions updated to provide more context to the user. Let me know if I can help! (I would just need a decision on how to specify the filename to react to the checkbox, since multiversion is not exactly the same as 'community' ...)

[shivammathur]

@beryllium

I think the instructions to switch to a version can be added as the last command, like we have the brew link step for brew, we can have the port select command for macports. Feel free to create a PR to add that to the instructions file.

I do not think the php downloads page would be the right place to mention the maintenance issues for macports.

[beryllium]

I think my PR adequately addresses my concern here, so I'm closing this issue. Thanks for the guidance!