[Reproducible-builds] Bug#778458: please strip times from generated doc-cache

[Chris West]

Package: octave-pkg-dev
Version: 1.1.3
Severity: wishlist
Tags: patch
User: reproducible-builds at lists.alioth.debian.org
Usertags: timestamps

Hi!

While working on Debian's “reproducible builds” effort [1], we have
noticed that none of the octave-* packages build reproducibly.
Octave, by default, writes a timestamp to (at least) the doc-cache
file output by the "pkg install" action.

The attached patch prevents this.

It will, however, change the output of all calls to the save function.
I do not know if this will be a problem, or if this matters in practice.

Possible alternative fixes:
 * Don't ship the doc-cache?  Octave recommend shipping it. #37542 [2]
 * Call save_header_format_string at a narrower scope, to ensure it only
      changes the doc-cache.
      install.m -> generate_lookfor_cache.m -> doc_cache_create.m.
 * Make it possible for packages to opt-in to this fix (environment
      variable, perhaps?)

Regards,
 Chris

 [1]: https://wiki.debian.org/ReproducibleBuilds
 [2]: https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?37542

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