GNU logs - #43959, boring messages

Message sent to bug-coreutils@HIDDEN:

Subject: bug#43959: `cp --archive --symbolic-link` non-reproducible and creates hardlinks between symbolic links that dereference to the same inode
Resent-From: "Martin Ramsdale (mramsdal)" <mramsdal@HIDDEN>
Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-CC: bug-coreutils@HIDDEN
Resent-Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2020 14:22:02 +0000
Resent-Message-ID: <handler.43959.B.16025124806815 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
To: 43959 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
IronPort-PHdr: 9a23:fyN88BBmkS5JYJQityUHUyQJPHJ1sqjoPgMT9pssgq5PdaLm5Zn5IUjD/qw01A3GW5id7OhL2KLasKHlDGoH55vJ8HUPa4dFWBJNj8IK1xchD8iIBQyeTrbqYiU2Ed4EWApj+He2YkdTBYD5fVKB6nG35CQZTxP4Mwc9L+/pG4nU2sKw0e36+5DabwhSwjSnZrYnJxStpgKXvc4T0oY=
From: "Martin Ramsdale (mramsdal)" <mramsdal@HIDDEN>
Thread-Topic: `cp --archive --symbolic-link` non-reproducible and creates
 hardlinks between symbolic links that dereference to the same inode
Thread-Index: AdaghHVlKGGlvbG2Rziulqh5nzcBbQAEQ1XA
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2020 13:00:13 +0000
Message-ID: <DM6PR11MB3993DBCACEFE56731EC66F18C9070@HIDDEN>
References: <DM6PR11MB3993615351F5D05411F8F03EC9070@HIDDEN>
In-Reply-To: <DM6PR11MB3993615351F5D05411F8F03EC9070@HIDDEN>
Accept-Language: en-GB, en-US
Content-Language: en-US
Content-Type: multipart/signed; protocol="application/x-pkcs7-signature";
 micalg=SHA1; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_071E_01D6A09F.FF986530"
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-Network-Message-Id: 7cef118a-c441-48bb-60a7-08d86eaec251
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-originalarrivaltime: 12 Oct 2020 13:00:13.5393 (UTC)
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-fromentityheader: Hosted
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-id: 5ae1af62-9505-4097-a69a-c1553ef7840e
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-mailboxtype: HOSTED
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-userprincipalname: dFO71qaQqCpa3tPZ9/tJ2TeGBCO4FIxYm6Hf90BdnXULE4vITPfWQpXISnE3HIx76mC+0ImKdtDmOK4cBOa+3A==
X-MS-Exchange-Transport-CrossTenantHeadersStamped: DM6PR11MB3993
X-OriginatorOrg: cisco.com
X-Outbound-SMTP-Client: 173.36.7.14, xch-aln-004.cisco.com
X-Outbound-Node: rcdn-core-7.cisco.com
Received-SPF: pass client-ip=173.37.142.95; envelope-from=mramsdal@HIDDEN;
 helo=alln-iport-8.cisco.com
X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: First seen = 2020/10/12 09:02:28
X-ACL-Warn: Detected OS   = FreeBSD 9.x or newer [fuzzy]
X-Spam_score_int: -118
X-Spam_score: -11.9
X-Spam_bar: -----------
X-Spam_report: (-11.9 / 5.0 requ) BAYES_00=-1.9, DKIMWL_WL_MED=-0.001,
 DKIM_SIGNED=0.1, DKIM_VALID=-0.1, DKIM_VALID_AU=-0.1, DKIM_VALID_EF=-0.1,
 RCVD_IN_DNSWL_MED=-2.3, RCVD_IN_MSPIKE_H2=-0.001, SPF_HELO_PASS=-0.001,
 SPF_PASS=-0.001, USER_IN_DEF_DKIM_WL=-7.5 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no
X-Spam_action: no action
X-Spam-Score: -1.3 (-)
X-Mailman-Approved-At: Mon, 12 Oct 2020 10:21:13 -0400
X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18
Precedence: list
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/options/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/private/debbugs-submit/>
List-Post: <mailto:debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Help: <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=subscribe>
Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
X-Spam-Score: -2.3 (--)

------=_NextPart_000_071E_01D6A09F.FF986530
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Self-reply, following some discussion with my colleague.

It is possible that, strictly speaking, -s doesn't make sense alongside -a:
By using `cp -as` we're asking to preserve hardlinks AND create symbolic
links instead of copying
 
From the man page:
       -a, --archive
              same as -dR --preserve=all
.
       -d     same as --no-dereference --preserve=links
.
       --preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
              preserve the specified attributes (default:
mode,ownership,timestamps), if possible additional attributes: context,
links, xattr, all
.
       -s, --symbolic-link
              make symbolic links instead of copying

As an alternative invocation to get the "expected" behaviour:
  $ cp -RPs --preserve=all --no-preserve=links "$(pwd)"/copy_from/ copy_to
  $ ls -l copy_to/file*
  copy_to/file1 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file1
  copy_to/file2 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file2

So, if the combination of -a/-s doesn't make sense - can this be better
documented?
Otherwise, please consider fixing the default behaviour (e.g. via my
previous tentative diff; or perhaps -s should always imply
--no-preseive=links)

Kind Regards,
Martin

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Ramsdale (mramsdal) 
Sent: 12 October 2020 11:45
To: bug-coreutils@HIDDEN
Subject: `cp --archive --symbolic-link` non-reproducible and creates
hardlinks between symbolic links that dereference to the same inode

Dear coreutils maintainers,

I've encountered, what I consider, a bug in GNU cp: If you do a recursive
copy, then any files with identical inodes from the source will be created
with new-identical inodes in the destination. For example:
  $ mkdir copy_from
  $ echo aaa > copy_from/file1
  $ ln copy_from/file1 copy_from/file2
  $ cp -as "$(pwd)"/copy_from/ copy_to
  $ stat -c '%n %i' copy_to/file*
  copy_to/file1 42615790
  copy_to/file2 42615790
  $ ls -l copy_to/file*
  copy_to/file1 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file1
  copy_to/file2 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file1

Whereas the expected result is:
  $ ls -l copy_to/file*
  copy_to/file1 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file1
  copy_to/file2 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file2

Issues this can cause include:
  1) Incorrect file usage:
    Whilst initially any usage of copy_to/file[1,2] is as expected, if any
of copy_from/file[1,2] is *replaced* (rather than modified), then usage of
copy_to/file[1,2] will yield unexpected results. For example:
      $ rm copy_from/file2
      $ echo bbb > copy_from/file2
      $ cat copy_from/file*
      aaa
      bbb
      $ cat copy_to/file*
      aaa
      aaa

  2) Non-reproducible behaviour: symlinks created may point to any of the
original inodes, and so for the same input directory the output of `copy
-as` may differ. For example invocations on different systems could yield
either:
    > ls -l copy_to/file*
    copy_to/file1 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file1
    copy_to/file2 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file1
   OR
    > ls -l copy_to/file*
    copy_to/file1 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file2
    copy_to/file2 -> /gnu_cp_bug/copy_from/file2

From brief code inspection, I believe this issue to orginiate from
earlier_file lookup in copy_internal(). I haven't had the opportunity to
build/validate this as a fix, but propose the following for consideration:
  diff --git a/src/copy.c b/src/copy.c
  index 4050f6953..74c1e7499 100644
  --- a/src/copy.c
  +++ b/src/copy.c
  @@ -2513,6 +2513,8 @@ copy_internal (char const *src_name, char const
*dst_name,
       {
         if (command_line_arg)
           earlier_file = remember_copied (dst_name, src_sb.st_ino,
src_sb.st_dev);
  +      else if (x->symbolic_link)
  +        earlier_file = NULL;
         else
           earlier_file = src_to_dest_lookup (src_sb.st_ino, src_sb.st_dev);
       }

Kind Regards,
Martin

------=_NextPart_000_071E_01D6A09F.FF986530
Content-Type: application/pkcs7-signature;
	name="smime.p7s"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="smime.p7s"
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------=_NextPart_000_071E_01D6A09F.FF986530--

Message sent:

Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Mailer: MIME-tools 5.505 (Entity 5.505)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
X-Loop: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
From: help-debbugs@HIDDEN (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: "Martin Ramsdale (mramsdal)" <mramsdal@HIDDEN>
Subject: bug#43959: Acknowledgement (`cp --archive --symbolic-link`
 non-reproducible and creates hardlinks between symbolic links that
 dereference to the same inode)
Message-ID: <handler.43959.B.16025124806815.ack <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
References: <DM6PR11MB3993DBCACEFE56731EC66F18C9070@HIDDEN>
X-Gnu-PR-Message: ack 43959
X-Gnu-PR-Package: coreutils
Reply-To: 43959 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2020 14:22:02 +0000

Thank you for filing a new bug report with debbugs.gnu.org.

This is an automatically generated reply to let you know your message
has been received.

Your message is being forwarded to the package maintainers and other
interested parties for their attention; they will reply in due course.

Your message has been sent to the package maintainer(s):
 bug-coreutils@HIDDEN

If you wish to submit further information on this problem, please
send it to 43959 <at> debbugs.gnu.org.

Please do not send mail to help-debbugs@HIDDEN unless you wish
to report a problem with the Bug-tracking system.

--=20
43959: http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=3D43959
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact help-debbugs@HIDDEN with problems

Last modified: Mon, 12 Oct 2020 14:30:01 UTC

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.