'whatis' doesn't work

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3 participants
  • Jakub K?dzio?ka
  • Maxim Cournoyer
  • zimoun
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Submitted by
Jakub K?dzio?ka
Severity
normal
J
J
Jakub K?dzio?ka wrote on 31 Dec 2019 22:59
(address . bug-guix@gnu.org)
20191231215941.jpr57n5kqp6x3km6@zdrowyportier.kadziolka.net
The 'whatis' utility from man-db 2.9.0 doesn't work for me. This
includes both my user profile and 'guix environment's. 'apropos' works,
so the man database is present and working.

$ guix environment --pure --ad-hoc man-db man-pages
[env] $ apropos memcpy
memcpy (3) - copy memory area
wmemcpy (3) - copy an array of wide-characters
[env] $ whatis memcpy
memcpy: nothing appropriate.

Regards,
Jakub K?dzio?ka
Z
Z
zimoun wrote on 6 Jan 2020 19:05
(name . Jakub K?dzio?ka)(address . kuba@kadziolka.net)(address . 38838@debbugs.gnu.org)
CAJ3okZ3p+319_nm2p48APK0Sz24=+dwa8GYtZFmHMp=RTYknJQ@mail.gmail.com
Dear,

I confirm that something appears unexpected with the command 'whatis'.


Below, using Guix 3a695c01d7ee18f30f22df53f3c44dfac04017f1, and running
`guix environment --ad-hoc man-db man-pages --pure` then let output the
internal debugging information (option '-d'). See below.

Everything seems pointing to the correct path, so maybe it should come
from the 'index.db' file.


Well, let manually build an index, by first download the necessary files
with (outside the environment):

guix build man-pages --no-grafts --check -K

then inside the environment:

mandb -c /tmp/guix-build-man-pages-5.04.drv-0/man-pages-5.04

and now,

whatis -M /tmp/guix-build-man-pages-5.04.drv-0/man-pages-5.04 memcpy

works as expected.


Last, note that using the 'apropos/whatis' binary from Debian and the
path of the temporary profile (guix environment), I get:

Toggle snippet (12 lines)
/usr/bin/apropos -M
/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man memcpy
memcpy (3) - copy memory area
wmemcpy (3) - copy an array of wide-characters

/usr/bin/whatis -M
/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man memcpy
memcpy: nothing appropriate



I do not know if this report helps and if the index is the culprit.
What do you think?

All the best,
simon



Toggle snippet (63 lines)
# whatis
man -d -f memcpy
From the config file
/gnu/store/l9j6dsfs2i4spfkia492wnighplvhb1c-man-db-2.9.0/etc/man_db.conf:
Mandatory mandir `/usr/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/X11R6/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/bin/X11' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/games' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/opt/bin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Path `/opt/sbin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/fsstnd'.
Global mandir `/usr/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/oldlocal'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/local'.
Global mandir `/usr/X11R6/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/X11R6'.
Global mandir `/opt/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/opt'.
Added sections: `1', `n', `l', `8', `3', `0', `2', `5', `4', `9', `6', `7'.
From the config file
/gnu/store/l9j6dsfs2i4spfkia492wnighplvhb1c-man-db-2.9.0/etc/man_db.conf:
Mandatory mandir `/usr/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/X11R6/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/bin/X11' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/games' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/opt/bin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Path `/opt/sbin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/fsstnd'.
Global mandir `/usr/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/oldlocal'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/local'.
Global mandir `/usr/X11R6/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/X11R6'.
Global mandir `/opt/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/opt'.
Added sections: `1', `n', `l', `8', `3', `0', `2', `5', `4', `9', `6', `7'.
add_nls_manpaths(): processing
/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
checking for locale C
adding /gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
to manpathlist
final search path =
/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
path=/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
memcpy: nothing appropriate.

Toggle snippet (83 lines)
# apropos
man -d -k memcpy
From the config file
/gnu/store/l9j6dsfs2i4spfkia492wnighplvhb1c-man-db-2.9.0/etc/man_db.conf:
Mandatory mandir `/usr/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/X11R6/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/bin/X11' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/games' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/opt/bin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Path `/opt/sbin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/fsstnd'.
Global mandir `/usr/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/oldlocal'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/local'.
Global mandir `/usr/X11R6/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/X11R6'.
Global mandir `/opt/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/opt'.
Added sections: `1', `n', `l', `8', `3', `0', `2', `5', `4', `9', `6', `7'.
From the config file
/gnu/store/l9j6dsfs2i4spfkia492wnighplvhb1c-man-db-2.9.0/etc/man_db.conf:
Mandatory mandir `/usr/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Mandatory mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/man'.
Path `/usr/local/sbin' mapped to mandir `/usr/local/share/man'.
Path `/usr/X11R6/bin' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/bin/X11' mapped to mandir `/usr/X11R6/man'.
Path `/usr/games' mapped to mandir `/usr/share/man'.
Path `/opt/bin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Path `/opt/sbin' mapped to mandir `/opt/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/fsstnd'.
Global mandir `/usr/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/oldlocal'.
Global mandir `/usr/local/share/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/local'.
Global mandir `/usr/X11R6/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/X11R6'.
Global mandir `/opt/man', catdir `/var/cache/man/opt'.
Added sections: `1', `n', `l', `8', `3', `0', `2', `5', `4', `9', `6', `7'.
add_nls_manpaths(): processing
/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
checking for locale C
adding /gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
to manpathlist
final search path =
/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
path=/gnu/store/hg02c2i5ycd4g0498xwgsbxyikz1bvf1-profile/share/man
name: memcpy
sec. ext: 3
section: 3
comp. ext: gz
id: A
mtime: 0.000000000
pointer: -
filter: -
whatis: copy memory area

memcpy (3) - copy memory area
name: wmemcpy
sec. ext: 3
section: 3
comp. ext: gz
id: A
mtime: 0.000000000
pointer: -
filter: -
whatis: copy an array of wide-characters

wmemcpy (3) - copy an array of wide-characters
M
M
Maxim Cournoyer wrote on 2 Mar 2022 06:26
(name . zimoun)(address . zimon.toutoune@gmail.com)
87tuchj56y.fsf@gmail.com
Hello,

zimoun <zimon.toutoune@gmail.com> writes:

Toggle quote (11 lines)
> Dear,
>
> I confirm that something appears unexpected with the command 'whatis'.
>
> Below, using Guix 3a695c01d7ee18f30f22df53f3c44dfac04017f1, and running
> `guix environment --ad-hoc man-db man-pages --pure` then let output the
> internal debugging information (option '-d'). See below.
>
> Everything seems pointing to the correct path, so maybe it should come
> from the 'index.db' file.

[...]

Toggle quote (2 lines)
> I do not know if this report helps and if the index is the culprit.

You were on the right path; the database file was indeed the culprit.
This is the database, in hex, generated by man-db for a single cat.1.gz
man page:

Toggle snippet (10 lines)
2476 6572 7369 6f6e 2400 322e 352e 3000 $version$.2.5.0.
00003010: 6361 7400 2d09 3109 3109 3136 3436 3138 cat.-.1.1.164618
00003020: 3834 3934 0939 3333 3430 3030 3430 0941 8494.933400040.A
00003030: 092d 092d 0967 7a09 636f 6e63 6174 656e .-.-.gz.concaten
00003040: 6174 6520 6669 6c65 7320 616e 6420 7072 ate files and pr
00003050: 696e 7420 6f6e 2074 6865 2073 7461 6e64 int on the stand
00003060: 6172 6420 6f75 7470 7574 0000 0000 0000 ard output......
00003070:

while this is what Guix was generating:

Toggle snippet (10 lines)
00000600: 2476 6572 7369 6f6e 2400 322e 352e 3000 $version$.2.5.0.
00000610: 2f74 6d70 2f67 7569 782f 6d61 6e2f 6d61 /tmp/guix/man/ma
00000620: 6e31 2f63 6174 2e31 2e67 7a00 6361 7409 n1/cat.1.gz.cat.
00000630: 3109 3109 3009 3009 4109 2d09 2d09 677a 1.1.0.0.A.-.-.gz
00000640: 0963 6f6e 6361 7465 6e61 7465 2066 696c .concatenate fil
00000650: 6573 2061 6e64 2070 7269 6e74 206f 6e20 es and print on
00000660: 7468 6520 7374 616e 6461 7264 206f 7574 the standard out
00000670: 7075 7400 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 put.............

The entry that comes right after the 2.5.0 version is the key. Guix was
using the file name, while man-db uses the name of the man page, such as
'cat'.

With the following change:

Toggle snippet (16 lines)
modified guix/man-db.scm
@@ -110,7 +110,12 @@ (define (write-mandb-database file entries)
;; Write ENTRIES in sorted order so we get deterministic output.
(for-each (lambda (entry)
(gdbm-set! db
- (string-append (mandb-entry-file-name entry)
+ ;; For the 'whatis' tool to find anything, the key
+ ;; should match the name of the software,
+ ;; e.g. 'cat'. Derive it from the file name, as
+ ;; the name could technically be #f.
+ (string-append (abbreviate-file-name
+ (mandb-entry-file-name entry))
"\x00")
(entry->string entry)))
(sort entries mandb-entry<?))
I now get:

Toggle snippet (7 lines)
$ ./pre-inst-env guix shell --pure man-db coreutils -- whatis cat
[...]
building database for manual pages...
building profile with 2 packages...
cat (1) - concatenate files and print on the standard output

and apropos, man seem to continue working as expected.

Pushed as deaa322963.

Closing.

Thanks for the report!

Maxim
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