Bug 907704

Summary: Use the plain `perl` command instead of the `%{_perl}` macro in generated specfiles
Product: [Fedora] Fedora Reporter: Mathieu Bridon <bochecha>
Component: cpanspecAssignee: Steven Pritchard <steve>
Status: CLOSED WONTFIX QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance <extras-qa>
Severity: unspecified Docs Contact:
Priority: unspecified    
Version: 18CC: ktdreyer, perl-devel, ppisar, rc040203, steve, strobert
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Last Closed: 2014-02-05 18:52:52 UTC Type: Bug
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Description Mathieu Bridon 2013-02-05 03:34:27 UTC
Description of problem:
In all my recent perl-related package submissions, the reviewer has suggested to me to use the plain `perl` command instead of the `%{_perl}` macro.

For example:
 %build
-%{__perl} Makefile.PL INSTALLDIRS=vendor OPTIMIZE="%{optflags}"
+perl Makefile.PL INSTALLDIRS=vendor OPTIMIZE="%{optflags}"
 make %{?_smp_mflags}

Now, of course I'll try to pay more attention to it, or else reviewers will be tired of always repeating the same thing. :)

However, it would be very helpful if cpanspec could create specfiles which directly respect our experts' recommendations, so that we don't have to change it for every package.

This is with:
cpanspec-1.78-12.fc18.noarch

Comment 1 Steven Roberts 2013-02-05 04:55:46 UTC
Have you found and refs for this?

Only things I found related in the packaging guidelines:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging:Perl

shows it as %{__perl} and not perl.

I would recommend asking the perl-sig folks to see what the thought is on this.  and if going to perl from %{__perl} is the desired path going forward, let's get it changed on the guidelines page and then we can work on getting a change upstream into cpanspec.

Comment 2 Petr Pisar 2013-02-05 10:42:48 UTC
Main packaging guidelines discourage using macros for plain commands <https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging:Guidelines#Macros>:

Macro forms of system executables SHOULD NOT be used except when there is a need to allow the location of those executables to be configurable. For example, rm should be used in preference to %{__rm}, but %{__python} is acceptable.

Comment 3 Ralf Corsepius 2013-02-05 13:46:06 UTC
(In reply to comment #2)
> Main packaging guidelines discourage using macros for plain commands
> <https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging:Guidelines#Macros>:
> 
> Macro forms of system executables SHOULD NOT be used except when there is a
> need to allow the location of those executables to be configurable. For
> example, rm should be used in preference to %{__rm}, but %{__python} is
> acceptable.

a) %__perl is in a similar position as %__python.

b) The wording "SHOULD NOT" means %__perl or other macros are _allowed_


=> It's up to a packager's discretion to use it or not. I encourage people to use it and consider people enforcing plain "perl" to commit a mistake.

Comment 4 Fedora End Of Life 2013-12-21 11:09:27 UTC
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Comment 5 Fedora End Of Life 2014-02-05 18:52:52 UTC
Fedora 18 changed to end-of-life (EOL) status on 2014-01-14. Fedora 18 is
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