uninstall : updated documentation and error messages

2 files changed, 35 insertions, 16 deletions

diff --git a/lib/spack/docs/basic_usage.rst b/lib/spack/docs/basic_usage.rst
index accf09cc2a..72a02802fb 100644
--- a/lib/spack/docs/basic_usage.rst
+++ b/lib/spack/docs/basic_usage.rst
@@ -149,26 +149,46 @@ customize an installation in :ref:`sec-specs`.
 ``spack uninstall``
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-To uninstall a package, type ``spack uninstall <package>``.  This will
-completely remove the directory in which the package was installed.
+To uninstall a package, type ``spack uninstall <package>``.  This will ask the user for
+confirmation, and in case will completely remove the directory in which the package was installed.
 
 .. code-block:: sh
 
    spack uninstall mpich
 
 If there are still installed packages that depend on the package to be
-uninstalled, spack will refuse to uninstall it. You can override this
-behavior with ``spack uninstall -f <package>``, but you risk breaking
-other installed packages. In general, it is safer to remove dependent
-packages *before* removing their dependencies.
+uninstalled, spack will refuse to uninstall it.
 
-A line like ``spack uninstall mpich`` may be ambiguous, if multiple
-``mpich`` configurations are installed.  For example, if both
+To uninstall a package and every package that depends on it, you may give the
+`--dependents` option.
+
+.. code-block:: sh
+
+   spack uninstall --dependents mpich
+
+will display a list of all the packages that depends on `mpich` and, upon confirmation,
+will uninstall them in the right order.
+
+A line like
+
+.. code-block:: sh
+
+   spack uninstall mpich
+
+may be ambiguous, if multiple ``mpich`` configurations are installed.  For example, if both
 ``mpich@3.0.2`` and ``mpich@3.1`` are installed, ``mpich`` could refer
 to either one. Because it cannot determine which one to uninstall,
-Spack will ask you to provide a version number to remove the
-ambiguity.  As an example, ``spack uninstall mpich@3.1`` is
-unambiguous in this scenario.
+Spack will ask you either to provide a version number to remove the
+ambiguity or use the ``--all`` option to uninstall all of the matching packages.
+
+You may force uninstall a package with the `--force` option
+
+.. code-block:: sh
+
+   spack uninstall --force mpich
+
+but you risk breaking other installed packages. In general, it is safer to remove dependent
+packages *before* removing their dependencies or use the `--dependents` option.
 
 
 Seeing installed packages
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py
index 231c6fe661..1ff3d8db5f 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 ##############################################################################
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-import sys
 import argparse
 
 import llnl.util.tty as tty
@@ -48,8 +47,8 @@ def ask_for_confirmation(message):
         if choice == 'y':
             break
         elif choice == 'n':
-            sys.exit(1)
-        tty.warning('Please reply either "y" or "n"')
+            raise SystemExit('Operation aborted')
+        tty.warn('Please reply either "y" or "n"')
 
 
 def setup_parser(subparser):
@@ -164,7 +163,7 @@ def uninstall(parser, args):
         specs = spack.cmd.parse_specs(args.packages)
         # Gets the list of installed specs that match the ones give via cli
         uninstall_list = concretize_specs(specs, args.all, args.force)  # takes care of '-a' is given in the cli
-        dependent_list = installed_dependents(uninstall_list)  # takes care of '-r'
+        dependent_list = installed_dependents(uninstall_list)  # takes care of '-d'
 
         # Process dependent_list and update uninstall_list
         has_error = False
@@ -182,7 +181,7 @@ def uninstall(parser, args):
             uninstall_list = list(set(uninstall_list))
 
         if has_error:
-            tty.die('You can use spack uninstall -r to uninstall these dependencies as well')
+            tty.die('You can use spack uninstall --dependents to uninstall these dependencies as well')
 
         if not args.yes_to_all:
             tty.msg("The following packages will be uninstalled : ")