[Bug 1842947] [NEW] dpkg 1.19.0.5ubuntu2.2 build did not recreate 'configure' file, losing changes in 'configure.ac'

[Dan Streetman]

Public bug reported:

[impact]

dpkg at version 1.19.0.5ubuntu2 had support for zstd added:
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dpkg/1.19.0.5ubuntu2

part of that change was to update the 'configure.ac' file with zstd support, e.g.:
http://launchpadlibrarian.net/366237303/dpkg_1.19.0.5ubuntu1_1.19.0.5ubuntu2.diff.gz

note that the 'configure' file was not updated - which *should* be ok,
as it should be recreated from the 'configure.ac' file during build.
For the build of that version and the next (1.19.0.5ubuntu2.1), the
'configure' file was correctly recreated during build.

However at version 1.19.0.5ubuntu2.2, the 'configure' file was not
recreated during build.  Thus, dpkg was not built linked against
libzstd.

[test case]

(to be added)

[regression potential]

TBD

[other info]

this might not be an issue specifically with dpkg itself, it could be an
issue with debhelper and other tooling that is responsible for calling
autoconf or autoreconf during build.  Or, simply including the
'configure' file in the package source might be considered a bug, since
it's an intermediate build file that really shouldn't be included.
However, it's included in many source packages, including in debian, and
removing it from all of them seems unlikely and/or unwieldy.  Possibly
build tooling should just always call autoconf/autoreconf with -f
instead of relying on file timestamps, which may not always give the
correct relationship (e.g. the 'configure.ac' file might have an older
timestamp than the 'configure' file, even if the 'configure' file really
should be rebuilt).

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

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1842947

Title:
  dpkg 1.19.0.5ubuntu2.2 build did not recreate 'configure' file, losing
  changes in 'configure.ac'

Status in dpkg package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  [impact]

  dpkg at version 1.19.0.5ubuntu2 had support for zstd added:
  https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dpkg/1.19.0.5ubuntu2

  part of that change was to update the 'configure.ac' file with zstd support, e.g.:
  http://launchpadlibrarian.net/366237303/dpkg_1.19.0.5ubuntu1_1.19.0.5ubuntu2.diff.gz

  note that the 'configure' file was not updated - which *should* be ok,
  as it should be recreated from the 'configure.ac' file during build.
  For the build of that version and the next (1.19.0.5ubuntu2.1), the
  'configure' file was correctly recreated during build.

  However at version 1.19.0.5ubuntu2.2, the 'configure' file was not
  recreated during build.  Thus, dpkg was not built linked against
  libzstd.

  [test case]

  (to be added)

  [regression potential]

  TBD

  [other info]

  this might not be an issue specifically with dpkg itself, it could be
  an issue with debhelper and other tooling that is responsible for
  calling autoconf or autoreconf during build.  Or, simply including the
  'configure' file in the package source might be considered a bug,
  since it's an intermediate build file that really shouldn't be
  included.  However, it's included in many source packages, including
  in debian, and removing it from all of them seems unlikely and/or
  unwieldy.  Possibly build tooling should just always call
  autoconf/autoreconf with -f instead of relying on file timestamps,
  which may not always give the correct relationship (e.g. the
  'configure.ac' file might have an older timestamp than the 'configure'
  file, even if the 'configure' file really should be rebuilt).

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