[Bug 1424641] [NEW] On some packages dh_installdocs will not find files listed in package.docs if debian compat=9

[Pascal Mons]

Public bug reported:

When building packages using Launchpad or on my Ubuntu Trusty 14.04
using CLI:

$ dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -us -uc -Zxz -z9

The  build fails because dh_installdocs will not find doc files listed in debian/package.docs if debian/compat is 9. Although these listed files : AUTHORS, NEWS, README, TRANSLATORS are present in the tarball.
Downgrading the value of debian/compat to 8 will get the build working properly.
This behavior is frequent but not systematic. I have in my PPA https://launchpad.net/~anton+/+archive/ubuntu/photo-video-apps/+packages two applications : "birdfont" and "converseen" which cannot build in compat 9 because of bugs in dh_installdocs.

Here is the terminal dump for "birdfont":

make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2'
   dh_installdocs
/home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 1: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: AUTHORS: not found
/home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 2: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: NEWS: not found
/home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 3: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: README: not found
/home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 4: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: TRANSLATORS: not found
dh_installdocs: problem reading debian/birdfont.docs: 
make: *** [binary] Error 127
dpkg-buildpackage: error: fakeroot debian/rules binary gave error exit status 2

For "converseen" I have debian/converseen.docs containing a README.md (a
markdown format) and the build will fails in debian compat 9 with the
same message. Hence it is in compat 8 in my PPA.

However for "diffimg" I am able to build in compat 9 successfully. The
debian/docs file contains AUTHORS.txt, Changelog.txt, COPYING.txt,
CREDITS.txt, INSTALL.txt, LICENSE.txt, NEWS.txt, README.txt, TODO.txt .

I cannot explain the behavior of dh_installdocs in compat 9 otherwise
than calling it a bug. As it does not conform to its manpage properties.

http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/utopic/man1/dh_installdocs.1.html

Is it possible for Ubuntu to handle it ? Or should I report this to
Debian ?

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: debhelper 9.20131227ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-30.40~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt3
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-30-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.7
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Mon Feb 23 08:42:14 2015
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-12-19 (65 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: debhelper
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: debhelper (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug third-party-packages trusty

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1424641

Title:
  On some packages dh_installdocs will not find files listed in
  package.docs if debian compat=9

Status in debhelper package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  When building packages using Launchpad or on my Ubuntu Trusty 14.04
  using CLI:

  $ dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -us -uc -Zxz -z9

  The  build fails because dh_installdocs will not find doc files listed in debian/package.docs if debian/compat is 9. Although these listed files : AUTHORS, NEWS, README, TRANSLATORS are present in the tarball.
  Downgrading the value of debian/compat to 8 will get the build working properly.
  This behavior is frequent but not systematic. I have in my PPA https://launchpad.net/~anton+/+archive/ubuntu/photo-video-apps/+packages two applications : "birdfont" and "converseen" which cannot build in compat 9 because of bugs in dh_installdocs.

  Here is the terminal dump for "birdfont":

  make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2'
     dh_installdocs
  /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 1: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: AUTHORS: not found
  /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 2: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: NEWS: not found
  /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 3: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: README: not found
  /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: 4: /home/ubuntu-trusty/jean/Downloads/birdfont/birdfont-2.0.2/debian/birdfont.docs: TRANSLATORS: not found
  dh_installdocs: problem reading debian/birdfont.docs: 
  make: *** [binary] Error 127
  dpkg-buildpackage: error: fakeroot debian/rules binary gave error exit status 2

  For "converseen" I have debian/converseen.docs containing a README.md
  (a markdown format) and the build will fails in debian compat 9 with
  the same message. Hence it is in compat 8 in my PPA.

  However for "diffimg" I am able to build in compat 9 successfully. The
  debian/docs file contains AUTHORS.txt, Changelog.txt, COPYING.txt,
  CREDITS.txt, INSTALL.txt, LICENSE.txt, NEWS.txt, README.txt, TODO.txt
  .

  I cannot explain the behavior of dh_installdocs in compat 9 otherwise
  than calling it a bug. As it does not conform to its manpage
  properties.

  http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/utopic/man1/dh_installdocs.1.html

  Is it possible for Ubuntu to handle it ? Or should I report this to
  Debian ?

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
  Package: debhelper 9.20131227ubuntu1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-30.40~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt3
  Uname: Linux 3.16.0-30-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.7
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Mon Feb 23 08:42:14 2015
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-12-19 (65 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: debhelper
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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