Bug 2208474 - update-alternatives lint checks not in line with Fedora packaging guidelines
Summary: update-alternatives lint checks not in line with Fedora packaging guidelines
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED ERRATA
Alias: None
Product: Fedora
Classification: Fedora
Component: rpmlint
Version: 42
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
unspecified
low
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Tom "spot" Callaway
QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2023-05-19 08:24 UTC by Xavier Delaruelle
Modified: 2025-11-08 01:28 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

Fixed In Version: rpmlint-2.8.0-1.fc43 rpmlint-2.8.0-1.fc42
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2025-11-04 04:13:20 UTC
Type: ---
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)

Description Xavier Delaruelle 2023-05-19 08:24:11 UTC
When linting (through fedpkg) a package I maintain (environment-modules), I recently obtain errors that were not reported previously:

* alternative-link-missing
* alternative-generic-name-not-symlink

I cannot describe when these new errors appeared unfortunately. What I can say for sure:

* I did not get these alternative errors when building and testing the package in May 2022
* The update-alternative setup in the spec file I work on has not changed since a long time
* Now I want to build and test the package I obtain these 2 new errors.

Now looking at these 2 error explanations, it asks to reference the /etc/alternatives/<name> symlink in the %file section of the spec package.

I have checked the Fedora packaging guidelines (https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/packaging-guidelines/Alternatives/) and these errors reported by rpmlint are not in line with Fedora guidelines. I have checked other Fedora packages and they still follow the distribution packaging guidelines.

Looking at rpmlint code (https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpmlint/commit/62cb4fb1dac50d385f9c22a6f2a5aad965dc622a), it seems it also support openSUSE guidelines (https://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Packaging_Multiple_Version_guidelines). These openSUSE guidelines seem to be in line with rpmlint reports.

So from my understanding, either:
* rpmlint should be adapted for Fedora to cope with Fedora packaging guidelines
* Fedora packaging guidelines should be updated to reflect the new error reports

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. dnf install fedpkg
2. git clone ssh://<login>@pkgs.fedoraproject.org/rpms/environment-modules
3. cd environment-modules
4. fedpkg mockbuild
5. fedpkg lint


Actual Results:  
$ fedpkg lint
Mockbuild results directory found. Linting mockbuild results.
============================================================================================== rpmlint session starts =============================================================================================
rpmlint: 2.4.0
configuration:
    /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/rpmlint/configdefaults.toml
    /etc/xdg/rpmlint/fedora-legacy-licenses.toml
    /etc/xdg/rpmlint/fedora-spdx-licenses.toml
    /etc/xdg/rpmlint/fedora.toml
    /etc/xdg/rpmlint/scoring.toml
    /etc/xdg/rpmlint/users-groups.toml
    /etc/xdg/rpmlint/warn-on-functions.toml
rpmlintrc: [PosixPath('/home/user/devel/environment-modules/environment-modules.rpmlintrc')]
checks: 31, packages: 3

environment-modules.x86_64: W: package-with-huge-docs 73%
environment-modules.x86_64: I: package supports update-alternatives
environment-modules.x86_64: W: no-manual-page-for-binary envml
environment-modules.x86_64: W: files-duplicate /usr/share/Modules/init/ksh-functions/module /usr/share/Modules/init/ksh:/usr/share/Modules/init/ksh-functions/ml
environment-modules.x86_64: W: dangerous-command-in-%post rm
environment-modules.x86_64: E: alternative-link-missing /etc/alternatives/modules.csh
environment-modules.x86_64: E: alternative-link-missing /etc/alternatives/modulecmd
environment-modules.x86_64: E: alternative-link-missing /etc/alternatives/modules.sh
environment-modules.x86_64: E: alternative-generic-name-not-symlink /etc/profile.d/modules.csh
environment-modules.x86_64: E: alternative-generic-name-not-symlink /usr/bin/modulecmd
environment-modules.x86_64: E: alternative-generic-name-not-symlink /etc/profile.d/modules.sh
=============================================================== 2 packages and 1 specfiles checked; 6 errors, 4 warnings, 6 badness; has taken 0.4 s ==============================================================
Could not execute lint: Failed to execute command.

Expected Results:  
I would expect not to get the "E: alternative-link-missing" and "E: alternative-generic-name-not-symlink" errors

Comment 1 Fedora Release Engineering 2023-08-16 08:15:15 UTC
This bug appears to have been reported against 'rawhide' during the Fedora Linux 39 development cycle.
Changing version to 39.

Comment 2 Aoife Moloney 2024-11-08 10:52:28 UTC
This message is a reminder that Fedora Linux 39 is nearing its end of life.
Fedora will stop maintaining and issuing updates for Fedora Linux 39 on 2024-11-26.
It is Fedora's policy to close all bug reports from releases that are no longer
maintained. At that time this bug will be closed as EOL if it remains open with a
'version' of '39'.

Package Maintainer: If you wish for this bug to remain open because you
plan to fix it in a currently maintained version, change the 'version' 
to a later Fedora Linux version. Note that the version field may be hidden.
Click the "Show advanced fields" button if you do not see it.

Thank you for reporting this issue and we are sorry that we were not 
able to fix it before Fedora Linux 39 is end of life. If you would still like 
to see this bug fixed and are able to reproduce it against a later version 
of Fedora Linux, you are encouraged to change the 'version' to a later version
prior to this bug being closed.

Comment 3 Aoife Moloney 2024-11-27 21:12:02 UTC
Fedora Linux 39 entered end-of-life (EOL) status on 2024-11-26.

Fedora Linux 39 is no longer maintained, which means that it
will not receive any further security or bug fix updates. As a result we
are closing this bug.

If you can reproduce this bug against a currently maintained version of Fedora Linux
please feel free to reopen this bug against that version. Note that the version
field may be hidden. Click the "Show advanced fields" button if you do not see
the version field.

If you are unable to reopen this bug, please file a new report against an
active release.

Thank you for reporting this bug and we are sorry it could not be fixed.

Comment 4 Xavier Delaruelle 2025-10-05 08:01:07 UTC
I am reopening this issue. What is explained above is still valid on Fedora 42.

Comment 5 Fedora Update System 2025-10-30 13:01:22 UTC
FEDORA-2025-99cd0e6d6a (rpmlint-2.8.0-1.fc42) has been submitted as an update to Fedora 42.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2025-99cd0e6d6a

Comment 6 Fedora Update System 2025-10-30 13:01:23 UTC
FEDORA-2025-eba01553c6 (rpmlint-2.8.0-1.fc43) has been submitted as an update to Fedora 43.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2025-eba01553c6

Comment 7 Xavier Delaruelle 2025-10-30 16:15:35 UTC
Many thanks for this package update that takes this issue into account.

Comment 8 Fedora Update System 2025-10-31 01:25:01 UTC
FEDORA-2025-99cd0e6d6a has been pushed to the Fedora 42 testing repository.
Soon you'll be able to install the update with the following command:
`sudo dnf upgrade --enablerepo=updates-testing --refresh --advisory=FEDORA-2025-99cd0e6d6a`
You can provide feedback for this update here: https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2025-99cd0e6d6a

See also https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/QA:Updates_Testing for more information on how to test updates.

Comment 9 Fedora Update System 2025-10-31 01:42:31 UTC
FEDORA-2025-eba01553c6 has been pushed to the Fedora 43 testing repository.
Soon you'll be able to install the update with the following command:
`sudo dnf upgrade --enablerepo=updates-testing --refresh --advisory=FEDORA-2025-eba01553c6`
You can provide feedback for this update here: https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2025-eba01553c6

See also https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/QA:Updates_Testing for more information on how to test updates.

Comment 10 Fedora Update System 2025-11-04 04:13:20 UTC
FEDORA-2025-eba01553c6 (rpmlint-2.8.0-1.fc43) has been pushed to the Fedora 43 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.

Comment 11 Fedora Update System 2025-11-08 01:28:11 UTC
FEDORA-2025-99cd0e6d6a (rpmlint-2.8.0-1.fc42) has been pushed to the Fedora 42 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.


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