#1087362 how-can-i-help: /usr/bin/how-can-i-help script returns a "no implicit conversion" error

Package:
how-can-i-help
Source:
how-can-i-help
Submitter:
Jean-Marc
Date:
2024-12-10 00:51:02 UTC
Severity:
normal
Tags:
#1087362#5
Date:
2024-11-12 06:32:42 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer,

Running /usr/bin/how-can-i-help script at the end of upgrade returns a "no implicit
conversion" error.

/usr/bin/how-can-i-help:238:in `&': no implicit conversion of nil into Array (TypeError)
	from /usr/bin/how-can-i-help:238:in `block in <main>'
	from /usr/bin/how-can-i-help:215:in `each'
	from /usr/bin/how-can-i-help:215:in `<main>'

Regards,

Jean-Marc
#1087362#10
Date:
2024-11-12 06:59:32 UTC
From:
To:
Control: severity -1 serious
Control: tags -1 + confirmed

Can confirm, just running how-can-i-help standalone on trixie
produces this backtrace:

Raising severity, as it seems probably too buggy to ship as is.

Chris
#1087362#19
Date:
2024-11-12 11:58:05 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

It seems that given helpitem's package data is empty.

{"type"=>"testing-autorm",
 "hash"=>"0eb6b1e5e7f22c5d6211adb3e29791d6",
 "source"=>"dhcpcanon",
 "packages"=>nil,
 "removal_time"=>1732643103,
 "bugs"=>["1084132"]}

So the following condition raises an error:

  if packages & hi['packages'] != []
     ...
  end

dhcpcanon was already removed from unstable and testing, and
also stable. It seems irregular case.

Regards,
#1087362#24
Date:
2024-11-12 12:06:18 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

Something like this kind of patch will solve this issue:

diff -u /usr/bin/how-can-i-help how-can-i-help
--- /usr/bin/how-can-i-help	2024-05-13 04:10:39.000000000 +0900
+++ how-can-i-help	2024-11-12 21:04:29.011485104 +0900
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@
       helpitems_filtered << hi
     end
   elsif hi['type'] == 'testing-autorm'
+    next unless hi['packages']
     if packages & hi['packages'] != []
       helpitems_filtered << hi
     end

Regards,
#1087362#29
Date:
2024-11-12 12:07:20 UTC
From:
To:
Control: found -1 17

Ditto. And in bookworm too.
#1087362#36
Date:
2024-11-12 12:07:21 UTC
From:
To:

I have same issue on bookworm
#1087362#41
Date:
2024-11-12 11:54:13 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer, I have the same issue on 17 version on stable

Running /usr/bin/how-can-i-help (17) script at the end of upgrade returns a "no implicit
conversion" error.

/usr/bin/how-can-i-help:238:in `&': no implicit conversion of nil into Array (TypeError)
	from /usr/bin/how-can-i-help:238:in `block in <main>'
	from /usr/bin/how-can-i-help:215:in `each'
	from /usr/bin/how-can-i-help:215:in `<main>'

Regards, mittwerk
#1087362#46
Date:
2024-11-12 12:04:10 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer,

have the same issue on bookworm
#1087362#51
Date:
2024-11-14 10:52:17 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

I've created merge request.

https://salsa.debian.org/debian/how-can-i-help/-/merge_requests/2

Regards,
#1087362#56
Date:
2024-12-10 00:48:57 UTC
From:
To:
We believe that the bug you reported is fixed in the latest version of
how-can-i-help, which is due to be installed in the Debian FTP archive.

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 1087362@bugs.debian.org,
and the maintainer will reopen the bug report if appropriate.

Debian distribution maintenance software
pp.
Tomasz Nitecki <tnnn@tnnn.pl> (supplier of updated how-can-i-help 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@ftp-master.debian.org)
Format: 1.8
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:01:47 +0100
Source: how-can-i-help
Architecture: source
Version: 20
Distribution: unstable
Urgency: medium
Maintainer: Tomasz Nitecki <tnnn@tnnn.pl>
Changed-By: Tomasz Nitecki <tnnn@tnnn.pl>
Closes: 1087362
Changes:
 how-can-i-help (20) unstable; urgency=medium
 .
   [ Kentaro Hayashi ]
   * Fix no implicit conversion error. Closes: #1087362
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