GNU bug report logs - #35047
"Running the Test Suite" root user

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: mikadoZero <mikadozero <at> yandex.com>
To: bug-guix <at> gnu.org
Subject: "Running the Test Suite" root user
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2019 08:47:56 -0400

Looking at "2.3 Running the Test Suite" of the manual it does not
mention that tests should be run as a non root user.

The test `tests/pack` fails when `make check` is run as a root user.  It
does not fail when run as a non root user.  I found this example by
running `make check TESTS="tests/pack.scm"`.  Is this an issue for many
tests?

I can prepare a patch for the relevant part (parts if this also applies
to `make check-system` as well) in "2.3 Running the Test Suite" of the
manual.

Should `make check-system` also be run as a non root user to avoid
failing tests?

Is there a section in the manual that explains why tests should not be
run as a root user which I can just refer to in the patch?  If not could
anyone provide an explanation which I could include in the patch?

Message #8 received at 35047 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me <at> tobias.gr>
To: mikadoZero <mikadozero <at> yandex.com>
Cc: 35047 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#35047: "Running the Test Suite" root user
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2019 14:50:35 +0100

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

mikadoZero,

mikadoZero wrote:
> Looking at "2.3 Running the Test Suite" of the manual it does 
> not
> mention that tests should be run as a non root user.

I guess this is one of those (Unix-)cultural knowledge things: it 
wouldn't even occur to me to build or test anything as root unless 
explicitly asked to do so :-)

> The test `tests/pack` fails when `make check` is run as a root 
> user.  It
> does not fail when run as a non root user.  I found this example 
> by
> running `make check TESTS="tests/pack.scm"`.  Is this an issue 
> for many
> tests?
>
> I can prepare a patch for the relevant part (parts if this also 
> applies
> to `make check-system` as well) in "2.3 Running the Test Suite" 
> of the
> manual.

Thanks for the offer!  I think adding yet another gotcha to the 
manual should be a last resort, though.  Many people still miss 
them and get into trouble (and on to IRC).

Could we, in order of preference:

- make these tests pass even when run as root?  (I guess not?)
- skip them and add ‘n tests not run as root’ to the final tally?
- refuse to even start the test suite as root?

What ‘root’ means here will depend on why these tests are failing.

Kind regards,

T G-R

[signature.asc (application/pgp-signature, inline)]

Message #11 received at 35047 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: mikadoZero <mikadozero <at> yandex.com>
To: Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me <at> tobias.gr>
Cc: 35047 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#35047: "Running the Test Suite" root user
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2019 11:30:52 -0400

Tobias Geerinckx-Rice writes:

> mikadoZero,
>
> mikadoZero wrote:
>> Looking at "2.3 Running the Test Suite" of the manual it does not
>> mention that tests should be run as a non root user.
>
> I guess this is one of those (Unix-)cultural knowledge things: it
> wouldn't even occur to me to build or test anything as root unless
> explicitly asked to do so :-)
>
>> The test `tests/pack` fails when `make check` is run as a root user.
>> It
>> does not fail when run as a non root user.  I found this example by
>> running `make check TESTS="tests/pack.scm"`.  Is this an issue for
>> many
>> tests?
>>
>> I can prepare a patch for the relevant part (parts if this also
>> applies
>> to `make check-system` as well) in "2.3 Running the Test Suite" of
>> the
>> manual.
>
> Thanks for the offer!  I think adding yet another gotcha to the manual
> should be a last resort, though.  Many people still miss them and get
> into trouble (and on to IRC).
>
> Could we, in order of preference:
>
> - make these tests pass even when run as root?  (I guess not?)
> - skip them and add ‘n tests not run as root’ to the final tally?
> - refuse to even start the test suite as root?
>
> What ‘root’ means here will depend on why these tests are failing.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> T G-R

Preventing the issue instead of warning of it in the manual sounds like
a better solution to me.

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