execution bit spurious changes in working tree files on a ntfs partition under linux

[SegundoBob]

Running under Ubuntu 11.10, with the current working directory in an NTFS partition, I ran bzr to create a branch:

17:37:04 /media/sda1/bzrWork/trunk$ bzr branch lp:leo-editor
Enter passphrase for key '/home/bob/.ssh/launchpad.bhossley':
Branched 4928 revision(s).
17:47:57 /media/sda1/bzrWork/trunk$

This worked, but all the files this put on my disk differ in date and time from all the files in the repository. All the files on my disk have the current date and time.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: bzr 2.4.1-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-14.23-generic 3.0.9
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-14-generic i686
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: i386
Date: Sat Jan 14 10:47:50 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Studio 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100427.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: bzr
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-20 (86 days ago)

[Martin Pool (mbp)]

What did you want to have happen?

[SegundoBob (bhossley)]

On 01/16/2012 10:39 PM, Martin Pool wrote:
> What did you want to have happen?
>

The problem is, that "bzr explorer" says that every single work file on
the ntfs partition differs from the repository---the only difference
being the date and time for the file.

When I do this on a Linux type partition such as ext4, the work files
have the date and time noted in the repository for each file, and "bzr
explorer" says my work tree matches the repository tip revision.

--
Segundo Bob
<email address hidden>

[Martin Pool (mbp)]

OK, thanks for that. I'm a bit surprised it's reporting the files are
different just because their mtime has changed, because normally that
is not something bzr thinks is significant.

Are you sure it's not actually something about the x bit?

--
Martin

[SegundoBob (bhossley)]

On 01/17/2012 02:13 PM, Martin Pool wrote:
> OK, thanks for that. I'm a bit surprised it's reporting the files are
> different just because their mtime has changed, because normally that
> is not something bzr thinks is significant.
>
> Are you sure it's not actually something about the x bit?
>

Looks like you are correct. I overlooked the x bit. Execution bit?

From a unidiff by "bzr explorer" of my ntfs resident repository:

=== modified file .bzrignore (properties changed: -x to +x)
--- .bzrignore 2011-11-08 17:10:29 +0000
+++ .bzrignore 2012-01-14 19:09:49 +0000

=== modified file INSTALL.TXT (properties changed: -x to +x)
--- INSTALL.TXT 2011-06-21 10:08:06 +0000
+++ INSTALL.TXT 2012-01-14 19:09:49 +0000

=== modified file LICENSE.TXT (properties changed: -x to +x)
--- LICENSE.TXT 2011-06-03 16:40:19 +0000
+++ LICENSE.TXT 2012-01-14 19:09:49 +0000

=== modified file Makefile (properties changed: -x to +x)
--- Makefile 2010-07-15 19:27:26 +0000
+++ Makefile 2012-01-14 19:09:49 +0000

... Same for all the more than 1,000 files in the repository.
--
Segundo Bob
<email address hidden>

[SegundoBob (bhossley)]

Thanks, Martin. Your comments prompted me to look for "bzr x-bit" and I found a superseding bug:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/bzr/+bug/248333

Jelmer Vernooij (jelmer) wrote on 2011-12-16 (comment 3 on bug 248333) proposing what sounds like a good solution to me.

I also found the x-bit plugin for Bazaar Windows only. From the documentation, I can't deduce what it does or whether or not it would help me.

I'll probably just wait for the fix even though it probably has very, very low priority.

--
Segundo Bob
<email address hidden>

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.