What to do when packages are broken because of upstream name changes?

[xiota]

Upstream is currently renaming packages related to KDE and Qt 5. This will affect a lot of AUR packages.

• Before reporting the issue on GitHub, check to see if the AUR package has been updated.
  • If not and no one has commented to notify the maintainer, leave a comment on the AUR page.
• Then wait for the maintainer to update the package.
• After the AUR package is updated, wait a day or so for chaotic build servers to pick up the change.
  • If you still don't see the new package, check the build logs or leave a comment here.

Notes / Updates:

• Do not add comments or flag if someone else already has within the last 1-2 weeks. Multiple comments within such a short period of time is not helpful to maintainers.
• I have left flags/comments on the affected packages in chaotic-aur that I could find.
• As of 2021-11-05, there is a dummy package chaotic-kf5-dummy that "provides" the missing kf5 packages. While it will allow packages to be installed and upgraded, it does not provide any real functionality. The real packages still need to be installed separately.

[xiota]

I do not plan to fix kf5-related issues via interfere until at least late Nov. Doing so makes tracking the broken packages difficult and amounts to giving up on an upstream fix.

A potential solution is to create a dummy package that can fill the dependency gap and be used for tracking. Thoughts? @dr460nf1r3 @Technetium1

[Technetium1]

@xiota any downsides to outweigh upsides?

[xiota]

Dummy packages would allow pacman to install and upgrade packages without complaining. The programs would work as long as the real dependencies are installed. Users can create virtual packages themselves with pacman -S --assume-installed [package_name].

Some potential problems:

• On rebuilds attempts, instead of exiting from missing dependencies, would quit on version check or failed configuration.
• Unnecessary bug reports from users confused about the purpose of the new package.
• Less obvious what's wrong with broken packages.
• Less obvious broken packages are broken.
  • Fewer reports to maintainers.
  • Less motivation for maintainers to fix packages.
• The dummy package would eventually have to be dropped.
  • The original problem would return for packages that still haven't been fixed.
  • Users would have to remove the dummy package on their own. This happens with all dropped packages. The only way I know of to force their remove is with replaces in another package. But that just moves the problem to a different package. Maybe could create a package chaotic-garbage-collector to do clean-up... But would have similar issues as other dummy packages.
• May be other problems?

For anyone reading this, recommended to occasionally review the output of pacman -Qm and pacman -Qdt for unnecessary packages. Use pacman -Runcs to remove packages along with dependencies.

[xiota]

Not all packages need to use the new package names. For instance, -git packages that have already dropped KF5 support should wait for KF6 packages to become available. They are candidates for removal from chaotic-aur (or pausing rebuilds or moving to the KDE-git repo).

Here are the affected packages that I'm aware of.

• audiotube-git
• basket-git # aur
• calamares-git
• disman-kwinft
• kcm-imchooser-frameworks
• kcm-lookandfeel-standalone-git
• kcm-polkit-kde-git # aur
• kcm-tablet-git
• kcm-uefi
• kdenlive-stabledeps-git
• kdisplay-kwinft
• kwinft # aur
• lightly-boehs-git
• material-kwin-decoration-git
• maui-core-git # aur
• maui-shell-git # aur
• mauikit-calendar-git # aur
• nextcloud-client-git
• nx-firewall-git
• pikasso-git # aur
• polkit-dumb-agent-git # aur
• systray-x-git # aur
• tokodon-git
• wrapland-kwinft

The following are also affected, but have optional KF5 dependencies. Updating them is not urgent. Some may even already have been updated, but not rebuilt. Rebuild is not necessary because whether optional dependencies are listed doesn't actually affect program functionality.

• chromium-snapshot-bin
• chromium-wayland-vaapi
• gajim-git
• git-credential-manager-core-bin
• google-chrome
• google-chrome-beta
• google-chrome-dev
• libreoffice-dev-bin
• microsoft-edge-beta-bin
• microsoft-edge-dev-bin
• microsoft-edge-stable-bin
• nheko-git
• p7zip-gui
• qimgv-git
• snapper-gui-git
• ungoogled-chromium
• vlc-luajit
• vlc-wayland-git