[Reproducible-builds] Bug#759886: debhelper: please make mtimes of packaged files deterministic

[Jérémy Bobbio]

Joey Hess:
> Jérémy Bobbio wrote:
> > Joey Hess:
> > > My other idea is to make dh_fixmtimes set something that a later command
> > > (eg, dh_builddeb) could use and warn if it was not run.
> > 
> > Maybe it should be integrated to dh_builddeb, then?
> 
> I don't think it belongs in dh_builddeb directly.

Unfortunately, while trying to understand why r-cran-gbm was not
building reproducibly [1], I noticed that there might be a compelling
reason to merge dh_fixmtimes in dh_builddeb.

When DH_ALWAYS_EXCLUDE is specified, dh_builddeb might delete files.
When this happens, parent directories get their mtime updated, reverting
dh_fixmtimes work.

So the ideal moment to set deterministic mtimes is after that pass.
Which means integrating the find+xargs+touch in dh_builddeb…

 [1]: https://jenkins.debian.net/userContent/dbd/r-cran-gbm_2.1-1.debbindiff.html

-- 
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