cmd/go: go install fails when given source file path

[campoy]

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. ~/bug.go contains any program compiling successfully (e.g.
http://play.golang.org/p/RQT4BfIN7h)
2. go install ~/bug.go

Reading the documentation of "go install" I expect it to fail because ~/bug.go
is not an import path.

Instead this error message is logged: "go install: no install location for .go
files listed on command line (GOBIN not set)"

In any case there's a documentation in the bug, since there's no mention $GOBIN.

Once the expected behavior clarified I'm happy to try to fix it.

[ianlancetaylor]

Comment 1:

Labels changed: added repo-main, release-none.

[carstn]

The same incorrect error message is outputted when you go install some .go file that doesn't contain a main package.

For example, if you run go install mgorus.go on github.com/weekface/mgorus, the compiler complains:
go install: no install location for .go files listed on command line (GOBIN not set).
This doesn't describe the correct problem. The problem is that you can install only main packages, not that GOBIN is not set (echo $GOBIN returns /Users/carstn/Code/go/bin).

current go version and os: go1.5 darwin/amd64

[coltin]

@carstn is correct, I'm seeing the same thing. I tried to install a library with GOBIN set and I get this error message.

$ go version
go version go1.5.1 darwin/amd64

[bcmills]

#23439 is a duplicate of this, but has quite a bit more discussion. Consolidating into that issue.