new_git_repository fails if repo already contains a BUILD directory entry

[gjasny]

Hello,

While running the fetch common in a checkout of bazel-boost I get the same error as described here: new_git_repository. This is because my macOS home directory is case-insensitive by default and the modular boost repos all contain a build directory in their root. Therefore placing a BUILD symlink in the repository root fails.

How could I work-around that problem? Imagine a 3rd party repository contains a broken or unsuitable BUILD file that needs to be replaced.

Thanks,
Gregor

[abergmeier-dsfishlabs]

We have the same problem and mostly only purge the build directory before. IMO best option would be to have a way to disable usage of BUILD and enforce BUILD.bazel only.

[katre]

@gjasny Can you please comment back with a clearer way to reproduce the issue, possibly via a repository I can clone and try to build? It'll really simplify figuring out what the issue is and how to address it.

Thanks!

[gjasny]

Use macOS and make sure the current file system is not case-insensitive:

$ diskutil info $(df $PWD | tail -n1 | cut -f1 -d' ') |grep Journaled
   File System Personality:  Journaled HFS+
   Name (User Visible):      Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

Use bazel 0.4.2

$ bazel version
Build label: 0.4.2-homebrew
Build target: bazel-out/local-opt/bin/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/bazel/BazelServer_deploy.jar
Build time: Thu Dec 8 03:17:26 2016 (1481167046)
Build timestamp: 1481167046
Build timestamp as int: 1481167046

Clone bazel-boost

git clone https://github.com/bowlofstew/bazel-boost.git && cd bazel-boost

Fetch modular boost

$ bazel fetch @com_github_boost_program_options//...:all
ERROR: Error creating symbolic link from /private/var/tmp/_bazel_gjasny/7922797243248e6f5ce6f6b07e28bff9/external/com_github_boost_program_options/BUILD to /Users/gjasny/tmp/bazel-boost/third_party/boost.BUILD: /private/var/tmp/_bazel_gjasny/7922797243248e6f5ce6f6b07e28bff9/external/com_github_boost_program_options/BUILD (Directory not empty).

If you look into .../external/com_github_boost_program_optionsyou see the presence of a build directory:

$ ls -l /private/var/tmp/_bazel_gjasny/7922797243248e6f5ce6f6b07e28bff9/external/com_github_boost_program_options
total 16
-rw-r--r--   1 gjasny  wheel  135 Dec 12 17:03 WORKSPACE
drwxr-xr-x   3 gjasny  wheel  102 Dec 12 17:03 build
drwxr-xr-x  24 gjasny  wheel  816 Dec 12 17:03 doc
drwxr-xr-x  13 gjasny  wheel  442 Dec 12 17:03 example
drwxr-xr-x   3 gjasny  wheel  102 Dec 12 17:03 include
-rw-r--r--   1 gjasny  wheel  539 Dec 12 17:03 index.html
drwxr-xr-x   3 gjasny  wheel  102 Dec 12 17:03 meta
drwxr-xr-x  13 gjasny  wheel  442 Dec 12 17:03 src
drwxr-xr-x  23 gjasny  wheel  782 Dec 12 17:03 test

Hope that help and thanks for looking into it!

-Gregor

[katre]

Awesome, thanks, I'll look into it.

[katre]

Sent https://bazel-review.googlesource.com/7850 to address this.

[katre]

Re-opening until I can fix rules_go, release that, update rules_webtesting and buildifier, and then re-submit this.