GNU bug report logs - #78877
31.0.50; Command `package-vc-rebuild' fails with error '(wrong-type-argument stringp nil)'

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

From: Roi Martin <jroi.martin <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 31.0.50; Command `package-vc-rebuild' fails with error
 '(wrong-type-argument stringp nil)'
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2025 18:50:26 +0200

After installing a package using `package-vc-install-from-checkout',
`package-vc-rebuild' fails with error '(wrong-type-argument stringp nil)'.

The error can be reproduced following these steps:

  emacs -Q --init-directory=/tmp/package-vc-bug
  M-x package-vc-install-from-checkout /path/to/pkg-foo RET
  M-x package-vc-rebuild pkg-foo RET

Which produces the following backtrace:

  Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-type-argument stringp nil)
    vc-file-getprop(nil vc-working-revision)
    vc-working-revision(nil)
    package-vc--unpack-1(#s(package-desc :name pkg-foo :version (0) :summary "No description available." :reqs nil :kind vc :archive nil :dir "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/" :extras ((:commit . "unknown")) :signed nil) "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/")
    package-vc-rebuild(#s(package-desc :name pkg-foo :version (0) :summary "No description available." :reqs nil :kind vc :archive nil :dir "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/" :extras ((:commit . "unknown")) :signed nil))
    funcall-interactively(package-vc-rebuild #s(package-desc :name pkg-foo :version (0) :summary "No description available." :reqs nil :kind vc :archive nil :dir "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/" :extras ((:commit . "unknown")) :signed nil))
    command-execute(package-vc-rebuild record)
    execute-extended-command(nil "package-vc-rebuild" nil)
    funcall-interactively(execute-extended-command nil "package-vc-rebuild" nil)
    command-execute(execute-extended-command)

Where pkg-foo is a dummy package exposing a couple of functions.

I think this bug could be related to the changes installed as part of
Bug#78017.

Tested in:

  GNU Emacs 31.0.50 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version
   3.24.49, cairo version 1.18.2) of 2025-06-23 built on wopr
  Repository revision: 1a8e8203a158f6bdc74e38f2cdb3214b6c06b9d8
  Repository branch: master

Message #8 received at 78877 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Philip Kaludercic <philipk <at> posteo.net>
To: Roi Martin <jroi.martin <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 78877 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#78877: 31.0.50; Command `package-vc-rebuild' fails with
 error '(wrong-type-argument stringp nil)'
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:44:51 +0000

Roi Martin <jroi.martin <at> gmail.com> writes:

> After installing a package using `package-vc-install-from-checkout',
> `package-vc-rebuild' fails with error '(wrong-type-argument stringp nil)'.
>
> The error can be reproduced following these steps:
>
>   emacs -Q --init-directory=/tmp/package-vc-bug
>   M-x package-vc-install-from-checkout /path/to/pkg-foo RET
>   M-x package-vc-rebuild pkg-foo RET
>
> Which produces the following backtrace:
>
>   Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-type-argument stringp nil)
>     vc-file-getprop(nil vc-working-revision)
>     vc-working-revision(nil)

The critical issue seems to be this line, right?  We didn't find a main
file, but wanted determine the revision of that file.

>     package-vc--unpack-1(#s(package-desc :name pkg-foo :version (0) :summary "No description available." :reqs nil :kind vc :archive nil :dir "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/" :extras ((:commit . "unknown")) :signed nil) "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/")
>     package-vc-rebuild(#s(package-desc :name pkg-foo :version (0) :summary "No description available." :reqs nil :kind vc :archive nil :dir "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/" :extras ((:commit . "unknown")) :signed nil))
>     funcall-interactively(package-vc-rebuild #s(package-desc :name pkg-foo :version (0) :summary "No description available." :reqs nil :kind vc :archive nil :dir "/tmp/package-vc-bug/elpa/pkg-foo/" :extras ((:commit . "unknown")) :signed nil))
>     command-execute(package-vc-rebuild record)
>     execute-extended-command(nil "package-vc-rebuild" nil)
>     funcall-interactively(execute-extended-command nil "package-vc-rebuild" nil)
>     command-execute(execute-extended-command)
>
> Where pkg-foo is a dummy package exposing a couple of functions.

What was the file structure of the package.

> I think this bug could be related to the changes installed as part of
> Bug#78017.

Could you elaborate your suspicion?

> Tested in:
>
>   GNU Emacs 31.0.50 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version
>    3.24.49, cairo version 1.18.2) of 2025-06-23 built on wopr
>   Repository revision: 1a8e8203a158f6bdc74e38f2cdb3214b6c06b9d8
>   Repository branch: master

Message #11 received at 78877 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Roi Martin <jroi.martin <at> gmail.com>
To: Philip Kaludercic <philipk <at> posteo.net>
Cc: 78877 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#78877: 31.0.50; Command `package-vc-rebuild' fails with
 error '(wrong-type-argument stringp nil)'
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2025 23:32:22 +0200

Philip Kaludercic <philipk <at> posteo.net> writes:

>> I think this bug could be related to the changes installed as part of
>> Bug#78017.
>
> Could you elaborate your suspicion?

The commit 4226eb2b2040 "Avoid using symbolic links when installing
local VC packages" replaced symlinks with autoload indirections.  So,
now the directory created by `package-vc-install-from-checkout' contains
the following files in my test:

<user-emacs-directory>/elpa/pkg-foo/pkg-foo-pkg.el

  ;;; Generated package description from pkg-foo.el  -*- no-byte-compile: t -*-
  (define-package "pkg-foo" "0" "No description available." 'nil :kind vc :commit "85d90568599b3716295fe44b4611b5b31cd3b611")

<user-emacs-directory>/elpa/pkg-foo/pkg-foo-autoloads.el

  ;; Autoload indirection for package-vc
  
  (load (expand-file-name "/home/n/tmp/pkg-foo/pkg-foo-autoloads.el" (or (and load-file-name (file-name-directory load-file-name)) (car load-path))))

My suspicion is that after this change, `package-vc--main-file' cannot
find a main file in that directory anymore.  Does it make sense?

        Roi

Message #14 received at 78877 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Philip Kaludercic <philipk <at> posteo.net>
To: Roi Martin <jroi.martin <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 78877 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#78877: 31.0.50; Command `package-vc-rebuild' fails with
 error '(wrong-type-argument stringp nil)'
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2025 21:39:06 +0000

Roi Martin <jroi.martin <at> gmail.com> writes:

> Philip Kaludercic <philipk <at> posteo.net> writes:
>
>>> I think this bug could be related to the changes installed as part of
>>> Bug#78017.
>>
>> Could you elaborate your suspicion?
>
> The commit 4226eb2b2040 "Avoid using symbolic links when installing
> local VC packages" replaced symlinks with autoload indirections.  So,
> now the directory created by `package-vc-install-from-checkout' contains
> the following files in my test:
>
> <user-emacs-directory>/elpa/pkg-foo/pkg-foo-pkg.el
>
>   ;;; Generated package description from pkg-foo.el  -*- no-byte-compile: t -*-
>   (define-package "pkg-foo" "0" "No description available." 'nil :kind vc :commit "85d90568599b3716295fe44b4611b5b31cd3b611")
>
> <user-emacs-directory>/elpa/pkg-foo/pkg-foo-autoloads.el
>
>   ;; Autoload indirection for package-vc
>   
>   (load (expand-file-name "/home/n/tmp/pkg-foo/pkg-foo-autoloads.el" (or (and load-file-name (file-name-directory load-file-name)) (car load-path))))
>
> My suspicion is that after this change, `package-vc--main-file' cannot
> find a main file in that directory anymore.  Does it make sense?

Of course, that does make sense and is an issue that the change seems to
have introduced.  I will take a look at how we can improve this,
probably by trying to follow the indirection when looking for a main
file...

>         Roi

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