Bug#1087379: systemd: /etc/timezone not updated by timedatectl

[Thomas Lorblanchès]

Package: systemd
X-Debbugs-Cc: zlika_ese at hotmail.com
Version: 252.31-1~deb12u1
Severity: normal

Dear Maintainer,

"timedatectl set-timezone" does not update the /etc/timezone file since systemd 252.6-1 (cf. https://tracker.debian.org/news/1424576/accepted-systemd-2526-1-source-into-unstable/). However, this file still exists on a normal Debian 12 installation, and is used by some software. For example, openjdk still uses /etc/timezone if the file exists, and only uses /etc/localtime if the previous file does not exist (cf. https://github.com/openjdk/jdk/blob/master/src/java.base/unix/native/libjava/TimeZone_md.c).
Setting the timezone with "timedatectl set-timezone" (or using the Ansible "timezone" command, which also uses timedatectl) leads to inconsistent values for /etc/timezone and /etc/localtime. As long as the /etc/timezone file exists it should be updated by timedatectl to avoid problems with other software (like openjdk) that may use this file if it exists.

Regards,
Thomas