Re: gnulib inclusion error exposed by Linux ppc64le build

[Erik Auerswald]

Hi,

On 02.04.23 18:40, Georg Sauthoff wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm the new Fedora datamash package maintainer.
>
> This was reported previously on this list (cf.
> https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-datamash/2022-03/msg00000.html),
> but it's still an issue with tht latest Datamash 1.8 release.
>
> See also https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2056736 for
> the old Fedora bug report.

In comment #6[0] of that bug report, some problem with the
Gnulib "error" module is diagnosed.  It seems as if this
module lacks special handling for PPC64LE with 128bit long
double.  Then there is a confusing statement regarding use
of only the Gnulib _definition_, but not _implementation_
of the error() function.

[0] <https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2056736#c6>

Looking at the Git history, the Gnulib "error" module has
been used since at least 2014.

> Currently, Datamash 1.8 fails to build on Linux ppc64le because of how
> the gnulib error module is integrated.

I have no idea "how" Gnulib modules are integrated.  Can you
describe the integration problem in more detail?

> That means the following test fails there:
>
>      FAIL: tests/datamash-error-msgs.pl
>
> cf.  https://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org//work/tasks/2782/99442782/build.log
> via https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/taskinfo?taskID=99442782

The bug description[1] and comment #4[2] from the Red Hat
bug report show the actual errors.

[1] <https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2056736#c0>
[2] <https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2056736#c4>

> My workaround for this is to simply delete that error module like this
> after unpacking the source archive, because it isn't needed on Linux:
>
>      rm lib/error.*

AFAIUI, this module is not needed on GNU systems, at least
not on recent ones.

> See also https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/taskinfo?taskID=99443708
> for how a thus modified package build succeeds on ppc64le.
>
> Of course, I prefer if this is getting fixed upstream.

I'd like to help fix this problem, but I have no idea how.
I do not have a PPC64LE system to test with, either.

> Perhaps that error module isn't even needed anymore on any of the target
> platforms you want to support.
> Or, if you still want to include it, perhaps you can change configure
> such that it's only (properly) included on non-Linux platforms.

I'd say we rely on users of non-GNU and/or non-x86-64
platforms to support them.  Removing the Gnulib "error"
module would most likely fix the Fedora packaging issue.
It might create a problem for others.  Can you describe
how to "properly" include the module, since it obviously
is already included.

GNU Datamash currently works on some BSD variants.
I would not like to break that.

> Another thing, I noticed that Datamash now requires the makeinfo
> program:

I think you wanted to report that _installing_ GNU Datamash
using "make install" now requires the "makeinfo" program.
I'd prefer to concentrate on the _build_ issue first.

Please consider bringing the _installation_ issue up again
later, if it falls between the cracks.  Thanks!

Best regards,
Erik