[Pkg-javascript-devel] Bug#949579: node-npmrc: FTBFS (and/or unreproducible) if $HOME/.npmrcs exists

[Chris Lamb]

Source: node-npmrc
Version: 1.1.1-2
Severity: wishlist
User: reproducible-builds at lists.alioth.debian.org
X-Debbugs-Cc: reproducible-bugs at lists.alioth.debian.org

Hi,

Whilst working on the Reproducible Builds effort [0] we noticed that
node-npmrc FTBFS when $HOME/.npmrcs already exists. For example, if
I build first everything appears to work fine, but then the second
time I build I get:

  make[1]: Entering directory '…'
  help2man -v 1.1.1 -N -n "Switch between different .npmrc files" -o npmrc.1 ./npmrc.js
  help2man: can't get `1.1.1' info from ./npmrc.js
  Try `--no-discard-stderr' if option outputs to stderr
  make[1]: *** [debian/rules:13: override_dh_auto_build] Error 1

Adding `--no-discard-stderr` does fix this but I think what is
actually happening is that the call to npmjs.js (via help2man) is
creating a .npmrcs directory in my home directory and also appends a
message that it is doing that to the generated npmrc.1 manpage … which
leads to an unreproducible build:

│ │ │ │ -Creating /path/to/build-a/.npmrcs
│ │ │ │ +Creating /path/to/build-b/.npmrcs

I suspect the solution here is not to strip this message out but
rather ensure that npmrc.js does not alter the home directory in the
first place.

 [0] https://reproducible-builds.org/


Regards,

-- 
      ,''`.
     : :'  :     Chris Lamb
     `. `'`      lamby at debian.org / chris-lamb.co.uk
       `-