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RFC: Moderator role for the AUR
by Torsten Keßler 27 Jun '23

27 Jun '23

A new RFC (request for comment) has been opened here: https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/rfcs/-/merge_requests/19 Please visit the above link for discussion. Summary: Create a dedicated role for the moderation of the AUR that supports and eventually replaces the Package Maintainers as the current moderators.

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NEWS DRAFT: TeX Live package reorganization
by Antonio Rojas 17 Jun '23

17 Jun '23

Starting from version 2023.66594-9, TeX Live packages have been reorganized to mirror upstream collections. Even though the new texlive-basic replaces the old texlive-core, many of the texlive-core contents (including language specific files) are now split between different packages. To find out which Arch package contains a specific CTAN package, you can use the tlmgr utility, eg. $ tlmgr info euler | grep collection collection: collection-latexrecommended which means the euler CTAN package is contained in texlive-latexrecommended. You may also use 'pacman -F' to query for specific files. A new metapackage texlive-meta is available to install all subpackages (except for language specific ones), and the new texlive-doc package provides the full documentation for offline use.

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Arch Linux in May 2023
by Levente Polyak 13 Jun '23

13 Jun '23

## Staff We would like to welcome Anton Hvornum (torxed) and Christian Heusel (gromit) among the Arch Linux Package Maintainers. On top we would like to welcome Leonidas Spyropoulos (artafinde) to their new additional duties as Arch Linux Developer ## Git packaging We are thrilled to announce the successful migration [0] of our packaging ecosystem to Git, with package sources now accessible on GitLab [1]. As part of this transition, we have developed a powerful new tool called `pkgctl` [2], available through `devtools`, offering a user-centric design and streamlined user experience for interacting with all aspects of Arch Linux packaging for users and packagers alike. Please note that our bugtracker remains on Flyspray, and we are not currently accepting merge requests. However, opening the issue tracker and accepting merge requests on GitLab package repositories is a top priority for us, and we are actively working towards making this transition in the near future. ## Infrastructure ### security-tracker We implemented nginx caching for the feed and API endpoints of the security-tracker, effectively reducing server resource consumption. This heavily improved server efficiency and the ability to handle a much higher volume of requests. ### GitLab In preparation for the migration of our packaging infrastructure to GitLab, we successfully transferred the GitLab instance from a VPS to a harder, better, faster, stronger bare metal server. This move not only provided a more responsive user experience but also eliminated bottlenecks that occured during peak times. To enhance the search capabilities across our GitLab instance, we've set up an OpenSearch instance. This allows us to enable advanced search functionality [3], facilitating faster and more efficient searches across the entire GitLab platform. Users can now benefit from improved search accuracy and speed, allowing for a more streamlined and productive experience when locating specific content within GitLab. ## Open Technology Fund Our official application to the Open Technology Fund for a comprehensive audit of Pacman and its integration in Arch Linux has been approved. As the package manager plays a central role in fetching software updates over the network, it is vital for us to prioritize the safety and security of our user base. By undertaking this audit, we aim to enhance the overall reliability and protection of our distribution, ensuring a secure environment for our users. The timeline for the audit is yet to be determined, and further planning on both sides is underway. ## ArchISO We have removed [4] the PGP-based signature for the root file system (`/arch/x86_64/airootfs.sfs.sig`) within the ISO. Its replacement is an OpenSSL CMS based signature which is available since the 2022.10.01 ISO. The signature is made using the same code signing certificate as already used for netboot images. The `verify=y` kernel command line option will stop working and must be replaced with `cms_verify=y`. The official netboot [5] and ISO's PXE menu entries have already been adjusted. Any custom PXE setups will need to update their boot menu entries manually. This is done because GPG integrates poorly in the ISO build process. This only concerns PXE booting, the PGP signature for the ISO itself is still there and that will not change. ## mkinitcpio We have released mkinitcpio v36, which brings a lot of improvements and several noteworthy changes [6]. These include support for kernel command line drop-ins for UKIs in `/etc/cmdline.d/` and `mkinitcpio.conf` drop-in files in `/etc/mkinitcpio.conf.d/`. To utilize the `mkinitcpio.conf` drop-in files, existing presets in `/etc/mkinitcpio.d/*.preset` must have `ALL_config` commented out. Additionally, a new `run_emergencyhook` function has been added for busybox-based hooks, running before the emergency shell is launched. ## alpm-types We started development on the Rust based alpm-types project [7], which is meant to provide low-level types for working with Arch Linux Package Management (ALPM). This library strives to provide all underlying types for writing ALPM based software. ## AURWeb We have released AURWeb 6.2.4 [8], which includes a number of bug fixes and improvements. Notably, we have incorporated important dependency updates to ensure compatibility with the latest software libraries. Additionally, we have implemented a new package name filter option for the "Requests" feature and support for the new repository layout for the git migration. ## bash 5.2 Preparations for the bash 5.2 upgrade are underway, including compatibility fixes in various projects such as pacman, devtools, and others. These proactive measures ensure a seamless transition to the new version while minimizing any compatibility issues and disruptions within our ecosystem. [0] https://archlinux.org/news/git-migration-completed/ [1] https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages [2] https://man.archlinux.org/man/pkgctl.1 [3] https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/search/advanced_search.html [4] https://github.com/pierres/archiso-manager/pull/17 [5] https://github.com/archlinux/archweb/pull/436 [6] https://lists.archlinux.org/archives/list/arch-projects%40lists.archlinux.o… [7] https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/alpm/alpm-types [8] https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/aurweb/-/tags/v6.2.4 [9] https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/devtools/-/commit/0365edb264c08b6520… [10] https://gitlab.archlinux.org/pacman/pacman/-/commit/0e938f188692c710be36f9d…

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pulling grub from core-testing
by Christian Hesse 12 Jun '23

12 Jun '23

Hello everbody, grub 2:2.06.r557.gac560966d-1 was reported to be bad... Looks like it results in stalled boot and black screen (on some systems). No idea what caused this for now. Pulling from core-testing so it can not cause more harm... -- main(a){char*c=/* Schoene Gruesse */"B?IJj;MEH" "CX:;",b;for(a/* Best regards my address: */=0;b=c[a++];) putchar(b-1/(/* Chris cc -ox -xc - && ./x */b/42*2-3)*42);}

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OpenSSL 3.1 Update
by Pierre Schmitz 10 Jun '23

10 Jun '23

Hi all, I am about to push version 3.1 of OpenSSL into the core-testing repository. This time it is an actual minor update which is compatible with 3.0. That means there is no soname change and no rebuild should be required. However, packages might do runtime checks and ask for the specific version they were built with. OpenSSH is such a case. So far I have not noticed any other package having this check, but I guess we have to figure this out in [testing]. If you notice an issue, please let me know so I can add it to the todo list: https://archlinux.org/todo/openssl-31/ Greetings, Pierre -- Pierre Schmitz, https://pierre-schmitz.com

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NEWS DRAFT: OpenBLAS >= 0.3.23-2 update requires manual intervention
by Felix Yan 05 Jun '23

05 Jun '23

The openblas package prior to version 0.3.23-2 doesn't ship optimized LAPACK routine and CBLAS/LAPACKE interfaces for compatibility. This decision has been reverted now, and the ability to choose a different default system BLAS/LAPACK implementation while keeping openblas installed is now provided to allow future co-installation of BLIS, ATLAS, etc. The default BLAS implementation will be used for most packages like NumPy or R. Please install "blas-openblas" and "blas64-openblas" to make OpenBLAS the default BLAS implementation, just like the old behavior. Unfortunately you will get errors on updating if you currently have OpenBLAS installed as the default BLAS implementation: error: failed to prepare transaction (could not satisfy dependencies) :: installing openblas (0.3.23-2) breaks dependency 'blas' required by cblas :: installing openblas (0.3.23-2) breaks dependency 'blas' required by lapack Please append your preferred default BLAS implementation to the regular -Syu command line to get around it. For example: # pacman -Syu blas-openblas or # pacman -Syu blas -- Regards, Felix Yan

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Git migration completed
by Levente Polyak 03 Jun '23

03 Jun '23

We are proud to announce that the migration to Git packaging succeeded! 🥳 Thanks to everyone who has helped during the migration! Package sources are now available on GitLab[0]. Note that the bugtracker is still flyspray[1] and that merge requests are not accepted as of now. We intend to open the issue tracker and merge requests on the Gitlab package repos in the near future. Mirrors are syncing again, but it may take a bit of time until your mirror of choice has caught up. ## For users Update your system and merge the pacman pacnew `/etc/pacman.conf.pacnew` file. This is required as we have moved the `[community]` repository into `[extra]`. $ pacman -Syu "pacman>=6.0.2-7"` For users of the now deprecated `asp` tool, you will need to switch to `pkgctl`: $ pacman -Syu "devtools>=1:1.0.0-1" $ pkgctl repo clone linux For some more detailed instructions on how to obtain PKGBUILDs see the corresponding wiki article[2]. ## For packagers Before starting, first uninstall `devtools-git-poc` and remove any repos from your filesystem that you cloned during the git proof-of-concept testing. Make sure you have both, an updated devtools and pacman on your system: $ pacman -Syu "devtools>=1:1.0.0-1" "pacman>=6.0.2-7"` Additionally clean up old chroots in `/var/lib/archbuild/` $ rm -rf /var/lib/archbuild/ # or optionally, use the --clean option for pkgctl build *ONCE* $ pkgctl build --clean For instruction on how to use `pkgctl`, please take a look at the "How to be a packager" wiki article[3] and also consult the man page of each subcommand for further information: $ man pkgctl-build $ man pkgctl-repo-clone [0] https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages [1] https://bugs.archlinux.org [2] https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Arch_build_system#Retrieve_PKGBUILD_source [3] https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/DeveloperWiki:HOWTO_Be_A_Packager

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Flyspray migration plan
by Jelle van der Waa 02 Jun '23

02 Jun '23

Hey all, We discussed shutting down flyspray during the DevOps meeting. The plan is to migrate all open issues to Gitlab and close them on Flyspray with a comment to the newly created Gitlab issue. All closed bugs will be archived and will most likely become available on https://bugs-old.archlinux.org/ Before we start a migration, we need some time to write a migration script. We would really appreciate it if all packagers can verify if their open bugs are still valid, can be fixed or closed. All packagers (previously known as TU) have been granted access to the Arch Linux project so can assign/close and resolve issues. As of writing we have: Arch Linux: 1072 open tasks Community: 851 open tasks On Gitlab, packagers will get auto-assigned on issues for packages they are the maintainer of in Archweb (https://archlinux.org/devel) A bot will periodically scan issues and automatically assign them. We are also looking into creating a generic global issue template for features/bugs. The bot will also set an “unconfirmed” label to new issues so bug wranglers and packagers alike can see and filter whether a bug has already been reproduced. Migrating the issues to Gitlab implies that we will open Gitlab issues for everyone. There is no timeline set yet for the migration, the main blocker is writing a migration script for our open issues. Greetings, Jelle van der Waa

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[multilib] access
by Jelle van der Waa 28 May '23

28 May '23

Hey all, I would like to propose to allow everyone to upload to [multilib], currently it's restricted to a small set of packagers. This already caused some confusion because a packager could not upload mangohud. Let's just give everyone access by default. Greetings, Jelle van der Waa

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GitLab bug: Your push has been rejected....
by Kristian Klausen 27 May '23

27 May '23

Hi all, As pointed out by multiple staff at IRC, there is currently a bug in GitLab, resulting in the following error on some git push: remote: ======================================================================== remote: remote: Your push has been rejected, because this repository has exceeded remote: its size limit of 0 Bytes by 25 GB. Please contact your GitLab remote: administrator for more information. remote: remote: ======================================================================== This is a harmless bug in GitLab[1] and the push succeeds. GitLab will fix it eventually. [1] https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/409953 Cheers, Kristian Klausen

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