Add a manual short-term unlock/lock context manager thing

[mattkram]

It would be nice if there was a way to conda install that explicitly un-protects the environment, does the install, then re-protects at the end. In Python, this would use a context manager pattern:

# Pseudocode
with un_protect(env):
  do_install()
# Environment gets `conda protect env`'d after exiting the with block

But at the CLI it might be something like: conda force-install numpy or something. I'm not sure what the best naming would be, but it would help with usability. Ideally the subcommand name is different enough from install that it would be really hard to accidentally use it.

[travishathaway]

@mattkram,

I would prefer to nest this underneath the conda protect namespace rather than have it register a separate force-install sub-command. I understand this might make the command itself a little verbose, but it would help keep things organized and give the end user a clear idea of which plugin has registered this command.

Maybe:

conda protect force-install -n <package>

But, wouldn't mirroring the install command open up a can of worms regarding keep the options and help pages in sync? Or do you have an idea for how to deal with this?

[mattkram]

Is there a way to add a CLI option flag to the relevant conda install, conda update, conda remove commands? I'm thinking like conda install --override-protect or something else?

[travishathaway]

@mattkram,

That is not possible with the current plugins system.