pkg already does that the packages are in the cache directory so one can manually install it via pkg install /var/cache/pkg/chromium

This would require saving all of the old dependencies as well. At some level, package or shlib files. This behavior has bitten me plenty. People have asked for similar fix to Poudriere but the same problems exist with dependencies. Smarter fat packages could solve this but I don't see that happening.

@bapt

Packages are places into /var/cache/pkg when they are originally installed with pkg, and not when they are installed by building from a port.
This cache was cleaned at some point for unrelated reasons, and the file wasn't there.

So I suggest that /var/cache/pkg/{name}.xxx is created in the case when:
(1) it needs to be removed
(2) it isn't in /var/cache/pkg
(3) it isn't in the binary package DB

True, some dependency might be different, etc., but in the current specific case I reinstalled chromium by creating a binary package from the file system backup from 2-3 days ago and it works fine. In case when that backup wouldn't have been available - I wouldn't be able to use chromium for many hours until it would rebuild.

I believe this is a real problem for regular users that an important package can just disappear like this.

Also:

• Logging, backup and undo #311