Re: 1.4.0->1.4.0.1 problem

[jgotts linuxsavvy com]

In message <002201c0bdda$50f7a120$9756623e e6z1t6>, "Germano Rizzo" writes:

> some time ago, I reported that (well, I reported this only for two, but
>it's the same) the packages

>gnome-core 1.4.0
>control-center 1.4.0
>gnome-applets 1.4.0
>gnome-games 1.4.0

> were broken by the process of applying the patch to 1.4.0.1. More
>detailfully (ough! I've invented a word, I fear!), when making `make dist'
>on them after patching, the make process failed.
> I only want to report that this happens because the new packages have some
>pictures added; for example the package gnome-applets have many new
>documentation (mainly japanese translations) that contains pictures, in the
>directory figures. Invoking diff with the switches `-ruN' ignores these
>binary files, so when one makes dist, the process won't find them, and
>fails. Anyway, the compilation/installation process is still ok, because an
>error in the help directories isn't fatal.
> So, this was the reason; I don't think it's *so* important, but it's always
>a fault of the new package... a solution would be to invoke diff with the
>`-a' switch, but I think this won't behave *too* well; another would be, as
>suggested by Miguel De Icaza, adopting xdelta.

This a longstanding problem with incremental diffs on ftp.gnome.org.  I'd hate
to see the elimination of these patches, though, for the majority of situations
where no binary files are added/replaced.

I've taught my colleagues the fine art of reading diffs, and you lose that
ability completely with xdelta files.

John

-- 
John GOTTS <jgotts linuxsavvy com>  http://linuxsavvy.com/staff/jgotts