[debhelper-devel] Bug#759886: Bug#759886: debhelper: please make mtimes of packaged files deterministic

[Bernhard R. Link]

* Jérémy Bobbio <lunar at debian.org> [141228 22:06]:
> Joey Hess:
> > Jérémy Bobbio wrote:
> > > Joey Hess:
> > > > My other idea is to make dh_fixmtimes set something that a later command
> > > > (eg, dh_builddeb) could use and warn if it was not run.
> > > 
> > > Maybe it should be integrated to dh_builddeb, then?
> > 
> > I don't think it belongs in dh_builddeb directly.
> 
> Unfortunately, while trying to understand why r-cran-gbm was not
> building reproducibly [1], I noticed that there might be a compelling
> reason to merge dh_fixmtimes in dh_builddeb.
> 
> When DH_ALWAYS_EXCLUDE is specified, dh_builddeb might delete files.
> When this happens, parent directories get their mtime updated, reverting
> dh_fixmtimes work.
> 
> So the ideal moment to set deterministic mtimes is after that pass.
> Which means integrating the find+xargs+touch in dh_builddeb…

May I suggest to just duplicate the DH_ALWAYS_EXCLUDE handling in
dh_fixmtimes for the time being?

If they are already removed then dh_builddeb should not do any new harm
and this way you keep more control over dh_fixmtimes so there is less
chances debhelper will ship outdated code.

Those two can then still later be merged if that still looks sensible
then.

	Bernhard R. Link
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