Debian Bug report logs - #580286
pam: blanks /etc/motd when update-notifier-common is installed

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Message #5 received at submit@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Jean-Christophe Dubacq <jcdubacq1@free.fr>

To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>

Subject: pam: blanks /etc/motd when update-notifier-common is installed

Date: Wed, 05 May 2010 02:23:16 +0200

Package: pam
Severity: normal
Tags: patch

This one was a bit hard to track down. After a while, my /etc/motd
would be reduced to one empty line or info about packages updates.

It happens that pam_motd executes /etc/update-motd.d if it exists (with
run-parts) but nothing in this directory rebuilds the standard motd.

This could be a bug in update-notifier-common, or in pam (not providing
a small file such as:
ebene:~$ cat /etc/update-motd.d/00-header 
#!/bin/sh
uname -snrvm
[ -f /etc/motd.tail ] && cat /etc/motd.tail



-- System Information:
Debian Release: squeeze/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-4-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=fr_FR.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Message #12 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Steve Langasek <vorlon@debian.org>

To: Jean-Christophe Dubacq <jcdubacq1@free.fr>, 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: pam: blanks /etc/motd when update-notifier-common is installed

Date: Wed, 5 May 2010 17:04:40 +0100

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

reassign 580286 update-notifier-common
thanks

On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 02:23:16AM +0200, Jean-Christophe Dubacq wrote:
> This one was a bit hard to track down. After a while, my /etc/motd
> would be reduced to one empty line or info about packages updates.

> It happens that pam_motd executes /etc/update-motd.d if it exists (with
> run-parts) but nothing in this directory rebuilds the standard motd.

> This could be a bug in update-notifier-common, or in pam (not providing
> a small file such as:
> ebene:~$ cat /etc/update-motd.d/00-header 
> #!/bin/sh
> uname -snrvm
> [ -f /etc/motd.tail ] && cat /etc/motd.tail

Yes, I think this is a bug in update-notifier-common for shipping this file
in Debian without having an appropriate versioned dep on something that
builds the main part of the motd.  Reassigning.

-- 
Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer                   to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer                                    http://www.debian.org/
slangasek@ubuntu.com                                     vorlon@debian.org

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Message #17 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>

To: Steve Langasek <vorlon@debian.org>, 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: pam: blanks /etc/motd when update-notifier-common is installed

Date: Wed, 5 May 2010 18:38:49 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 05:04:40PM +0100, Steve Langasek wrote:
> reassign 580286 update-notifier-common
> thanks
> 
> On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 02:23:16AM +0200, Jean-Christophe Dubacq wrote:
> > This one was a bit hard to track down. After a while, my /etc/motd
> > would be reduced to one empty line or info about packages updates.
> 
> > It happens that pam_motd executes /etc/update-motd.d if it exists (with
> > run-parts) but nothing in this directory rebuilds the standard motd.
I did not know this.

> 
> > This could be a bug in update-notifier-common, or in pam (not providing
> > a small file such as:
> > ebene:~$ cat /etc/update-motd.d/00-header 
> > #!/bin/sh
> > uname -snrvm
> > [ -f /etc/motd.tail ] && cat /etc/motd.tail
> 
> Yes, I think this is a bug in update-notifier-common for shipping this file
> in Debian without having an appropriate versioned dep on something that
> builds the main part of the motd.  Reassigning.
Is there something that builds it?

-- 
Julian Andres Klode  - Debian Developer, Ubuntu Member

See http://wiki.debian.org/JulianAndresKlode and http://jak-linux.org/.

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Message #22 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Steve Langasek <vorlon@debian.org>

To: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>, 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: pam: blanks /etc/motd when update-notifier-common is installed

Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 12:09:05 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 06:38:49PM +0200, Julian Andres Klode wrote:
> > On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 02:23:16AM +0200, Jean-Christophe Dubacq wrote:
> > > This one was a bit hard to track down. After a while, my /etc/motd
> > > would be reduced to one empty line or info about packages updates.

> > > It happens that pam_motd executes /etc/update-motd.d if it exists (with
> > > run-parts) but nothing in this directory rebuilds the standard motd.
> I did not know this.

> > > This could be a bug in update-notifier-common, or in pam (not providing
> > > a small file such as:
> > > ebene:~$ cat /etc/update-motd.d/00-header 
> > > #!/bin/sh
> > > uname -snrvm
> > > [ -f /etc/motd.tail ] && cat /etc/motd.tail

> > Yes, I think this is a bug in update-notifier-common for shipping this file
> > in Debian without having an appropriate versioned dep on something that
> > builds the main part of the motd.  Reassigning.
> Is there something that builds it?

In Debian, I don't think there is yet (and if not, update-notifier-common
should avoid shipping this code in Debian).  In Ubuntu,
/etc/update-motd.d/00-header is provided as part of base-files, since that's
the package which owns /etc/motd historically.

-- 
Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer                   to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer                                    http://www.debian.org/
slangasek@ubuntu.com                                     vorlon@debian.org

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Message #27 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es>

To: Steve Langasek <vorlon@debian.org>

Cc: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>, 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: pam: blanks /etc/motd when update-notifier-common is installed

Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 11:27:35 +0200 (CEST)

On Sat, 8 May 2010, Steve Langasek wrote:

> On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 06:38:49PM +0200, Julian Andres Klode wrote:
> > > On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 02:23:16AM +0200, Jean-Christophe Dubacq wrote:
> > > > This one was a bit hard to track down. After a while, my /etc/motd
> > > > would be reduced to one empty line or info about packages updates.
> 
> > > > It happens that pam_motd executes /etc/update-motd.d if it exists (with
> > > > run-parts) but nothing in this directory rebuilds the standard motd.
> > I did not know this.
> 
> > > > This could be a bug in update-notifier-common, or in pam (not providing
> > > > a small file such as:
> > > > ebene:~$ cat /etc/update-motd.d/00-header 
> > > > #!/bin/sh
> > > > uname -snrvm
> > > > [ -f /etc/motd.tail ] && cat /etc/motd.tail
> 
> > > Yes, I think this is a bug in update-notifier-common for shipping this file
> > > in Debian without having an appropriate versioned dep on something that
> > > builds the main part of the motd.  Reassigning.
> > Is there something that builds it?
> 
> In Debian, I don't think there is yet (and if not, update-notifier-common
> should avoid shipping this code in Debian).  In Ubuntu,
> /etc/update-motd.d/00-header is provided as part of base-files, since that's
> the package which owns /etc/motd historically.

In Debian, the file /etc/motd is created the very first time
base-files is installed (by debootstrap) in this way:

if [ "$1" = "configure" ] && [ "$2" = "" ]; then
  [...]
  install_from_default /usr/share/base-files/motd          /etc/motd

Also, on upgrades, base-files tries to upgrade the file in this way:

if [ "$1" = "configure" ] && [ "$2" != "" ]; then
  if [ -f /etc/motd ]; then
    oldmd=`awk 'NR > 2' /etc/motd | md5sum | awk '{print $1}'`
    newmd=`awk 'NR > 2' /usr/share/base-files/motd | md5sum | awk '{print $1}'`
    if [ "$oldmd" != "$newmd" ]; then
      if grep -q "$oldmd" /usr/share/base-files/motd.md5sums; then
        awk 'NR <= 2' /etc/motd > /etc/motd.new
        awk 'NR > 2' /usr/share/base-files/motd >> /etc/motd.new
        mv /etc/motd /etc/motd.old
        mv /etc/motd.new /etc/motd
      fi
    fi
  fi
fi


If anybody is going to break this I will appreciate that it could be
discussed first, at least.


(I was warned about this bug by a neutral observer).

Message #32 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>

To: Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es>

Cc: Steve Langasek <vorlon@debian.org>, 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: pam: blanks /etc/motd when update-notifier-common is installed

Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 12:02:08 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 11:27:35AM +0200, Santiago Vila wrote:
> On Sat, 8 May 2010, Steve Langasek wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 06:38:49PM +0200, Julian Andres Klode wrote:
> > > > On Wed, May 05, 2010 at 02:23:16AM +0200, Jean-Christophe Dubacq wrote:
> > > > > This one was a bit hard to track down. After a while, my /etc/motd
> > > > > would be reduced to one empty line or info about packages updates.
> > 
> > > > > It happens that pam_motd executes /etc/update-motd.d if it exists (with
> > > > > run-parts) but nothing in this directory rebuilds the standard motd.
> > > I did not know this.
> > 
> > > > > This could be a bug in update-notifier-common, or in pam (not providing
> > > > > a small file such as:
> > > > > ebene:~$ cat /etc/update-motd.d/00-header 
> > > > > #!/bin/sh
> > > > > uname -snrvm
> > > > > [ -f /etc/motd.tail ] && cat /etc/motd.tail
> > 
> > > > Yes, I think this is a bug in update-notifier-common for shipping this file
> > > > in Debian without having an appropriate versioned dep on something that
> > > > builds the main part of the motd.  Reassigning.
> > > Is there something that builds it?
> > 
> > In Debian, I don't think there is yet (and if not, update-notifier-common
> > should avoid shipping this code in Debian).  In Ubuntu,
> > /etc/update-motd.d/00-header is provided as part of base-files, since that's
> > the package which owns /etc/motd historically.
> 
> In Debian, the file /etc/motd is created the very first time
> base-files is installed (by debootstrap) in this way:
> 
> if [ "$1" = "configure" ] && [ "$2" = "" ]; then
>   [...]
>   install_from_default /usr/share/base-files/motd          /etc/motd
> 
> Also, on upgrades, base-files tries to upgrade the file in this way:
> 
> if [ "$1" = "configure" ] && [ "$2" != "" ]; then
>   if [ -f /etc/motd ]; then
>     oldmd=`awk 'NR > 2' /etc/motd | md5sum | awk '{print $1}'`
>     newmd=`awk 'NR > 2' /usr/share/base-files/motd | md5sum | awk '{print $1}'`
>     if [ "$oldmd" != "$newmd" ]; then
>       if grep -q "$oldmd" /usr/share/base-files/motd.md5sums; then
>         awk 'NR <= 2' /etc/motd > /etc/motd.new
>         awk 'NR > 2' /usr/share/base-files/motd >> /etc/motd.new
>         mv /etc/motd /etc/motd.old
>         mv /etc/motd.new /etc/motd
>       fi
>     fi
>   fi
> fi
> 
> 
> If anybody is going to break this I will appreciate that it could be
> discussed first, at least.

Thing is, I did not expect those files to do anything at all on
a Debian system, that's why I kept them. It would be really nice
if pam could start using update-motd.d, so the motd can be updated
when package updates are available.

Otherwise, I would have to disable this feature in
update-notifier-common.
-- 
Julian Andres Klode  - Debian Developer, Ubuntu Member

See http://wiki.debian.org/JulianAndresKlode and http://jak-linux.org/.

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Message #37 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Dominique Brazziel <dbrazziel@snet.net>

To: 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: 'pam_motd' in package libpam-modules updates motd

Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 18:27:32 -0400

	This bit here in libpam-modules 
'debian/patches-applied/update-motd' builds the 
motd:

+    /* Run the update-motd dynamic motd scripts, outputting
to /var/run/motd.
+       If /etc/motd -> /var/run/motd, the displayed MOTD will be
dynamic.
+       Otherwise, the admin can force a static MOTD by breaking that
symlink
+       and publishing into an /etc/motd text file. */
+    if ((stat("/etc/update-motd.d", &st) == 0) && S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
{
+       if (!system("run-parts --lsbsysinit /etc/update-motd.d
> /var/run/motd.new"))
+           rename("/var/run/motd.new", "/var/run/motd");

libpam-modules needs to update the doc ('man pam_motd') to reflect
the new handling of the motd.

Message #42 received at 580286-close@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>

To: 580286-close@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Bug#580286: fixed in update-notifier 0.99.3debian5

Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:17:15 +0000

Source: update-notifier
Source-Version: 0.99.3debian5

We believe that the bug you reported is fixed in the latest version of
update-notifier, which is due to be installed in the Debian FTP archive:

update-notifier-common_0.99.3debian5_all.deb
  to main/u/update-notifier/update-notifier-common_0.99.3debian5_all.deb
update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.dsc
  to main/u/update-notifier/update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.dsc
update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.tar.gz
  to main/u/update-notifier/update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.tar.gz
update-notifier_0.99.3debian5_amd64.deb
  to main/u/update-notifier/update-notifier_0.99.3debian5_amd64.deb



A summary of the changes between this version and the previous one is
attached.

Thank you for reporting the bug, which will now be closed.  If you
have further comments please address them to 580286@bugs.debian.org,
and the maintainer will reopen the bug report if appropriate.

Debian distribution maintenance software
pp.
Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org> (supplier of updated update-notifier package)

(This message was generated automatically at their request; if you
believe that there is a problem with it please contact the archive
administrators by mailing ftpmaster@debian.org)


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: RIPEMD160

Format: 1.8
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:13:46 +0200
Source: update-notifier
Binary: update-notifier update-notifier-common
Architecture: source amd64 all
Version: 0.99.3debian5
Distribution: unstable
Urgency: low
Maintainer: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>
Changed-By: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>
Description: 
 update-notifier - Daemon which notifies about package updates
 update-notifier-common - Files shared between update-notifier and adept
Closes: 580286
Changes: 
 update-notifier (0.99.3debian5) unstable; urgency=low
 .
   * Do not install update-mot.d stuff (Closes: #580286).
Checksums-Sha1: 
 3bdffa6c60efd660faf1542de82d8c88a069f40c 1154 update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.dsc
 71f78b53970787f1bb9be9e49897a1299b52de85 333875 update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.tar.gz
 8674476419b0744493016740281f9c8ab969db4c 106132 update-notifier_0.99.3debian5_amd64.deb
 34b672fb6a856e7d42183918c6139e2d5dd27a7a 164622 update-notifier-common_0.99.3debian5_all.deb
Checksums-Sha256: 
 18b5bcd1e800331192ceafa9067a610d868694eef2e8478e0d09f5da799a34cd 1154 update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.dsc
 709da0347eddfd10c8609489ef83f1bb1e96f9abb9c18d0b34131e5189bcec5b 333875 update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.tar.gz
 fdd697ad00ef22bcee42584d2a8d11b48185ade3c7828f712e0d535978a33e30 106132 update-notifier_0.99.3debian5_amd64.deb
 9b75a082cfc22aa8f48ae5bc65eea9f7c582d96ca30eee176c50657d0d1e1389 164622 update-notifier-common_0.99.3debian5_all.deb
Files: 
 9e490de583d8e47f3ffba28a87c8bae1 1154 gnome optional update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.dsc
 1c0f7f170f246e31cb58f08e993ee1d5 333875 gnome optional update-notifier_0.99.3debian5.tar.gz
 ca92dc565b05cfd0e9082089c13fb992 106132 gnome optional update-notifier_0.99.3debian5_amd64.deb
 3c5f1be5f2ac2d596d424f936d4eed4f 164622 gnome optional update-notifier-common_0.99.3debian5_all.deb

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Message #49 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: FEJES Jozsef <fejes@joco.name>

To: 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: re: Do not install update-mot.d stuff

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:18:56 +0200

Hi!
How can I still display update-notifier stuff in my motd?

Message #54 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>

To: FEJES Jozsef <fejes@joco.name>, 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: Do not install update-mot.d stuff

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:33:22 +0200

On So, 2010-08-15 at 19:18 +0200, FEJES Jozsef wrote:
> Hi!
> How can I still display update-notifier stuff in my motd?
You should not, but you can copy the following files from the source
package to /etc/update-motd.d:
      * debian/20-cpu-checker
      * debian/90-updates-available
      * debian/98-reboot-required

But they will be removed again on each upgrade of
update-notifier-common.
-- 
Julian Andres Klode  - Debian Developer, Ubuntu Member

See http://wiki.debian.org/JulianAndresKlode and http://jak-linux.org/.

Message #59 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: FEJES Jozsef <fejes@joco.name>

To: 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: Do not install update-mot.d stuff

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:12:03 +0200

On 2010.08.15. 19:33, Julian Andres Klode wrote:
> On So, 2010-08-15 at 19:18 +0200, FEJES Jozsef wrote:
>> Hi!
>> How can I still display update-notifier stuff in my motd?
> You should not, but you can copy the following files from the source
> package to /etc/update-motd.d:
>        * debian/20-cpu-checker
>        * debian/90-updates-available
>        * debian/98-reboot-required
>
> But they will be removed again on each upgrade of
> update-notifier-common.

Ok, I'll find another way then. Or maybe you're right, it doesn't 
generally belong to a motd but it was pretty handy on a single-user 
server. It just made me sad to see how the fixing of a bug could lead to 
the loss of a useful feature. It works in Ubuntu and someone mentioned 
above how they did it, I know copying ideas is not always the best way 
but it seems better than just deleting stuff.

Message #64 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>

To: FEJES Jozsef <fejes@joco.name>, 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#580286: Do not install update-mot.d stuff

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:16:18 +0200

On So, 2010-08-15 at 22:12 +0200, FEJES Jozsef wrote:
> On 2010.08.15. 19:33, Julian Andres Klode wrote:
> > On So, 2010-08-15 at 19:18 +0200, FEJES Jozsef wrote:
> >> Hi!
> >> How can I still display update-notifier stuff in my motd?
> > You should not, but you can copy the following files from the source
> > package to /etc/update-motd.d:
> >        * debian/20-cpu-checker
> >        * debian/90-updates-available
> >        * debian/98-reboot-required
> >
> > But they will be removed again on each upgrade of
> > update-notifier-common.
> 
> Ok, I'll find another way then. Or maybe you're right, it doesn't 
> generally belong to a motd but it was pretty handy on a single-user 
> server. It just made me sad to see how the fixing of a bug could lead to 
> the loss of a useful feature. It works in Ubuntu and someone mentioned 
> above how they did it, I know copying ideas is not always the best way 
> but it seems better than just deleting stuff.

It's missing support in other packages to work correctly, as I already
wrote in previous emails.

-- 
Julian Andres Klode  - Debian Developer, Ubuntu Member

See http://wiki.debian.org/JulianAndresKlode and http://jak-linux.org/.

Message #69 received at 580286@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Dominique Brazziel <dbrazziel@snet.net>

To: 580286@bugs.debian.org

Subject: This is a mess

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:20:54 -0400

	As noted in Message 59, the 'updates available' feature
was useful, I could see at login (via ssh w/UsePAM yes) time 
if I had system updates available.  Now that feature is gone and
not only are the individual scripts gone from where they were, the
entire directory ('/etc/update-motd.d') is gone with no explanation.

	Adding to the confusion is the fact that the original 
update-motd mechanism for Debian was never properly explained in 
the documentation for either update-notifier (-common) or
libpam-modules, and the scripts still live in 
'/usr/lib/update-notifier' but are not invoked 
anywhere from within update-notifier that I can see.

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