How to switch between dev and normal version of the same package

General Usage
1

I’m developing a package which is stored in my Github rep but not registered with Julia. I have the dev version in the .julia/dev directory, and I also install the normal version from Github in the .julia/packages directory. But how do I switch between these two versions? I tried to free the dev version of the package but it doesn’t work: ERROR: unable to free unregistered package.

2

Any reason why can’t just add the unregistered package by its url?

(v1.1) pkg> add https://github.com/JuliaLang/Example.jl

(from Pkg · The Julia Language)

3

That’s a package prompt I haven’t seen in a while :joy:

4 Likes
4

Correct me if I am wrong but I have this impression that if you want to use the registered version of the package in your script or function you go

Pkg.add Example

and if you want to use the development version go

Pkg.dev Example
5

Yeah, Julia 1.1 - maybe time to upgrade :slight_smile:

6

Yes. I can move to the dev version by dev, but how to I go back to the normal version? Do I have to add the normal version from github every time I use it?

7

You can use free

help?> Pkg.free
  Pkg.free(pkg::Union{String, Vector{String}}; io::IO=stderr, all_pkgs::Bool=false)
  Pkg.free(pkgs::Union{PackageSpec, Vector{PackageSpec}}; io::IO=stderr, all_pkgs::Bool=false)


  If pkg is pinned, remove the pin. If pkg is tracking a path, e.g. after Pkg.develop, go
  back to tracking registered versions. To free all dependencies set all_pkgs=true.

  │ Julia 1.7
  │
  │  The all_pkgs kwarg was introduced in julia 1.7.

  Examples
  ≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡

  Pkg.free("Package")
  Pkg.free(all_pkgs = true)
8

That doesn’t work because the package is not registered:
ERROR: unable to free unregistered package

9

Ahh, right. Missed that part.

Would guess the easiest is then to add/dev back and forth if you need to.

Or, depending on your use case, maybe you can split it up in different envs, one with add and one with dev, and just switch between them?

10

You can create your own registry where you add your package. You don’t need to add any versions, but just having the relevant Package.toml file in your registry makes it possible to at least to pkg> add Package#master (or any other git revision).

1 Like
11

And to make this easier:

12

Another option that I would use (but requires some comfort with git) would be sticking with the one in your ~/.julia/dev directory, and just doing git checkout devbranch and git checkout v0.whatever #the release version.