[ci] use GitHub Actions to re-generate R configure

[StrikerRUS]

Closed #3283.

Refer to #4117 (review) for the initial discussion.

Refer to https://github.com/StrikerRUS/LightGBM/pull/1 for the usage example.

Push from a workflow won't trigger our regular workflows:

For example, if a workflow run pushes code using the repository's GITHUB_TOKEN, a new workflow will not run even when the repository contains a workflow configured to run when push events occur.
https://docs.github.com/en/actions/reference/events-that-trigger-workflows#triggering-new-workflows-using-a-personal-access-token

I don't think that this a problem for us, because anyway we need a follow-up commit with reverting back to ~~VERSION~~ in configure.ac, right?

[jameslamb]

because anyway we need a follow-up commit with reverting back to VERSION in configure.ac, right?

No, no followup commit is required because there is never a commit that removes the ~~VERSION~~ in configure.ac. I'm confused, how is configure.ac getting updated and showing up in the diff for https://github.com/StrikerRUS/LightGBM/pull/2? Looking at the workflow template, I don't understand how configure.ac is getting changed OR how that change is getting committed.

Notice it was unchanged in the diff for the most recent release: https://github.com/microsoft/LightGBM/pull/3872/files, and recreate-configure.sh does that templating with a temporary configure.ac:

LightGBM/R-package/recreate-configure.sh

Lines 25 to 26 in f879018

	cp configure.ac ${TMP_CONFIGURE_AC}
	sed -i.bak -e "s/~~VERSION~~/${LGB_VERSION}/" ${TMP_CONFIGURE_AC}

.

[StrikerRUS]

I'm confused, how is configure.ac getting updated and showing up in the diff for StrikerRUS#2?

Just like it is suggested in https://github.com/microsoft/LightGBM/tree/master/R-package#changing-the-cran-package (Linux or Mac section):

1. edit configure.ac
2. comment /gha run r-configure
3. revert step #1

How this process should be done right?

[jameslamb]

"Edit configure.ac" there is not about changing the version. It's about making functional changes, for example like the one suggested in #4131.

If the only thing that is changing is the version of LightGBM, you do not need to touch configure.ac at all.

[StrikerRUS]

If the only thing that is changing is the version of LightGBM, you do not need to touch configure.ac at all.

OK, got it. What should be touched then?

[jameslamb]

If the only thing that is changing is the version of LightGBM, you do not need to touch configure.ac at all.

OK, got it. What should be touched then?

you don't need to manually edit any files. Just running recreate-configure.sh will create a new configure script.

[StrikerRUS]

you don't need to manually edit any files.

Ah, seems I'm getting what's going on! Just manually edit VERSION.txt, right?

[jameslamb]

Yep! Just manually edit VERSION.txt if that's changing. Which I think is ok.

Sorry if the instructions weren't clear. When I wrote https://github.com/microsoft/LightGBM/tree/master/R-package#changing-the-cran-package , the main audience I had in mind was contributors making changes like #4131, not our usual maintenance like doing a new release. If there are changes to the language there that you think would make it more clear, I'd be happy to review those as part of this PR.

[StrikerRUS]

OK, @jameslamb please take one more look. I hope I understood it right this time.
Here is new demo: https://github.com/StrikerRUS/LightGBM/pull/1.

[jameslamb]

This looks great, thanks! The diff in https://github.com/StrikerRUS/LightGBM/pull/1/files#diff-dadfc37f082f218f0e2f0adfc1affc7c55044bcdf8dff110aab9cdfda842d6f3 looks exactly like what I'd expect. Just one minor grammar comment, but I think the workflow is perfect.

I think it is ok that the commit from this bot won't trigger a new CI build. Usually on release PRs (the main place where we update configure) there are additional commits after updating configure that don't have any impact on configure.

For cases like #4131 , this will have to be something that we "just know" to re-run if the contributor doesn't manually regenerate configure. I don't think that's problematic at all, as that file very rarely receives updates that are not part of the release process: https://github.com/microsoft/LightGBM/commits/master/R-package/configure.

[jameslamb]

I can tell your main OS is Windows because of your defensive use of quotes 😛

[StrikerRUS]

Thanks!

looks exactly like what I'd expect.

Great!

I think it is ok that the commit from this bot won't trigger a new CI build

It does with the latest code! 🙂 Thanks to token and persist-credentials arguments of actions/checkout.

For cases like #4131 , ...

Yeah, unfortunately, GitHub Actions cannot push into forked repos. So we can't do anything with it.

[github-actions]

This pull request has been automatically locked since there has not been any recent activity since it was closed. To start a new related discussion, open a new issue at https://github.com/microsoft/LightGBM/issues including a reference to this.