scons fails to build simple LaTeX document with Russian text

[Vladimir Rutsky]

Binary package hint: scons

I'm trying to build this test document:
===== main.tex =====
\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{ucs}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T2A]{fontenc}
\usepackage[russian]{babel}

\begin{document}
Russian test: тест.
\end{document}
===== end =====

with this SCons script:
===== SConstruct =====
env = Environment()
env.PDF('main.tex')
===== end =====

Which fails with:
...
kpathsea: Running mktextfm larm1000
mkdir: cannot create directory `././.texmf-var': Permission denied
mktextfm: mktexdir /.texmf-var/fonts/tfm/lh/lh-t2a failed.
...
(complete output of running "scons" attached as "scons_run_output.txt").

Expected behavior: successful build.

Also this run of scons creates directory with name "$HOME" which lead to conjecture that $HOME environment variable is not defined during run of LaTeX.
Adding $HOME environment variable works as workaround:
===== SConstruct.workaround =====
import os
env = Environment()
env['ENV']['HOME'] = os.environ['HOME']
env.PDF('main.tex')
===== end =====

Bug emerged after upgrading from Ubuntu 9.10 to 10.04.
Using texlive from Ubuntu repositories (texlive 2009-07).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: scons 1.2.0.d20100117-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-24.41-generic 2.6.32.15+drm33.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-24-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Aug 31 07:02:56 2010
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: scons

[Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz)]

I can't reproduce it with 2.0.1. Could you please try with a newer version than 1.2.0.d20100117. Thank you!

[Vladimir Rutsky (rutsky)]

I tested this issue on Ubuntu 10.10 with scons 2.0.0-1 --- it is still reproducible (with exactly same main.tex and SConscript). Workaround also works as before.

I can try newer scons from custom ppa if you can suggest any.

[Vladimir Rutsky (rutsky)]

Changing status to New since bug is still reproducible for me.

[Vladimir Rutsky (rutsky)]

Tested on same system upgraded to Ubuntu 11.10 with scons 2.0.1-2 --- it is still reproducible.

[Vladimir Rutsky (rutsky)]

In clean Ubuntu 12.04 installation this bug is not reproducing. Closing.