[python-ldap] pyasn1 recent versions break ldap.syncrepl - What policy should be followed?

[Ilya Etingof]

Hi Karl,

I've proposed a (hopefully) easy fix to the syncrepl code to make it
compatible with all pyasn1 versions:

https://github.com/akkornel/syncrepl/issues/18

On 08/17/2017 09:22 AM, Karl Kornel wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> In testing my syncrepl code, I have discovered that pyasn1 version 0.3.1 and 0.3.2 have a change in their API, which causes ldap.syncrepl to silently fail.
> 
> When I say "silently fail", I mean the exceptions pyasn1 generates are mostly ignored, because most of the Syncrepl LDAP controls are not marked critical.
> 
> I have many more details, including a script to expose the pyasn1 issue, at this URL:
> 
> https://github.com/akkornel/syncrepl/issues/18
> 
> I need to open an issue with pyasn1, which I'll probably do tomorrow.  However, before I do that, I have a question: What is the policy regarding supported versions of pyasn1?
> 
> Here's what I mean: If the author of pyasn1 decides that the new version is not going to be backwards-compatible, then ldap.syncrepl will have to either use the old API, use the new API, or detect the pyasn1 version in real-time.
> 
> Which policy be preferred?
> 
> For reference, Debian jessie (the current oldstable) has pyasn1 version 0.1.7.  All other active Debian distributions have version 0.1.9.  CentOS 6 has version 0.0.12a; CentOS 7 has version 0.1.8.  Fedora 22 has version 0.1.7 (with patches).  MacPorts has version 0.2.2.
> 
> So, to maintain support with most packages, the policy would have to be "use the old API" or "detect the version".
> 
> One other possibility is, the pyasn1 author fixes the issue, so that ldap.syncrepl works again.
> 
> As for my opinion, I am not sure.  I want to wait to hear from the pyasn1 author, to see if this is something which is going to be a breaking change.
> 
> So, what should be the direction?
> 
>  -- 
>  ~  A. Karl Kornel, (650) 736-9327
>  Research  Computing
>  University  IT, Stanford University
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