[Bug 1917148] Re: ps version is UNKNOWN in procps 2:3.3.16-1ubuntu2

[Eric Desrochers]

[sts-sponsors]

Debian uses autopkgtest for 'version' w/ restriction superficial as
follows:

Tests: version
Restrictions: superficial


https://people.debian.org/~eriberto/README.package-tests.html

superficial
The test does not provide significant test coverage, so if it passes, that does not necessarily mean that the package under test is actually functional. If a superficial test fails, it will be treated like any other failing test, but if it succeeds, this is only a weak indication of success. Continuous integration systems should treat a package where all non-superficial tests are skipped as equivalent to a package where all tests are skipped.

Additionally, since that ".tarball-version" only focus on upstream
version "3.3.16". The version won't change unless ones bump the version
(which won't happen in stable release) unless under serious exception.
So this value is unlikely to be removed or changes any time soon in
Focal.

Usually, adding autopkgtest inside an SRU is not a desired change.

For the above reasons, I think it is safe to skip the autopkgtest and
only focus on the version fix.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1917148

Title:
  ps version is UNKNOWN in procps 2:3.3.16-1ubuntu2

Status in procps package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in procps source package in Bionic:
  Fix Released
Status in procps source package in Focal:
  In Progress
Status in procps source package in Hirsute:
  Fix Released
Status in procps source package in Impish:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  [Impact]

   * Breakage of tools expecting the version number or the number to substantially match the Debian package version.
   * May confuse users expecting the version to substantially match the Debian package version.
   * Restores behavior to that provided in Groovy/Hirsute+ and Bionic and prior releases.
     - Focal is the only release affected.
   * Backported Debian fix to restore ".tarball-version" file to provide version information during build.
     - Also included the autopkgtests for versioning from the same Debian fix.

  [Test Plan]

   1) Create a Focal (or derived from Focal) system.
   2) Execute "ps --version" or any of the binaries provided by the package with their respective version flags.
   3) Instead of desired output of the version, the output is:
      the invoked binary name followed by "from procps-ng UNKNOWN"
      Example: "ps from procps-ng UNKNOWN"

  [Where problems could occur]

   * This fix could cause issues if applications have come to depend on the incorrect behavior. IE, an application that uses a version string of "UNKNOWN" as part of a heuristic for identifying a Focal system.
   * If the version of procps-ng is incremented, this patch would need to be updated or removed if it is no longer relevant. Otherwise, an incorrect version would be reported by the binaries.
   * The addition of the autopkgtests could cause testing failures.

  [Other Info]
   * This change is in Groovy+ and Debian packaging with the same version of procps-ng.
     - Introduced in procps (2:3.3.16-5) unstable in Debian.

  [Original Description]

  From Linux Lint 20.1, so Focal Fossa 20.04.1

  Package procps 2:3.3.16-1ubuntu2

  $ LANG=C ps --version
  ps from procps-ng UNKNOWN

  I don't know if it comes from Ubuntu or upstream.

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