MySQL Bugs: #101230: Please, specify required Protobuf version in docs and release notes

Bug #101230	Please, specify required Protobuf version in docs and release notes
Submitted:	19 Oct 2020 16:41	Modified:	19 Nov 2020 10:26
Reporter:	Georgi Sotirov	Email Updates:
Status:	Can't repeat	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server: Compiling	Severity:	S3 (Non-critical)
Version:	8.0.22	OS:	Linux (Slackware)
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	x86

Description:
Apparently, the minimum required Protobuf version to build the server from source has changed, because until 8.0.21 I was able to build with Protobuf 3.2.x, but now as it seams at least version 3.11.4 (that's bundled) is necessary. Unfortunately, I do not find any note in the release notes [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/8.0/en/news-8-0-22.html] or in the documentation [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/search/?d=201&p=1&q=protobuf]. This information is important for packaging where system libraries are used.

How to repeat:
Try to build MySQL Server 8.0.22 from source with option -DWITH_PROTOBUF=system and older Protobuf (e.g. 3.2.x).

Suggested fix:
Specify the required minimum version of Protobuf library in Release notes (e.g. in section "Compilation notes" or any other relevant section).

Hello Georgi Sotirov,

Thank you for the report!

Thanks,
Umesh

re: "Try to build MySQL Server 8.0.22 from source with option -DWITH_PROTOBUF=system and older Protobuf (e.g. 3.2.x)."

When you tried this, what was the protobuf version, and what error(s) did you get?

Reason I ask is that the minimum Protobuf version was changed from 2.5 to 3.0 in MySQL 8.0.18 (Bug#96429), but even with that change, it seems like 3.2.x should work.

I was building with Protobuf 3.2.x since MySQL 8.0.4 (i.e. January 2018) and I had no problems up until now. Please, check also bug 101230 - the exact compilation errors I received when trying to build with 3.2.x are given there. And I tried also with Protobuf 3.11.4, which is bundled in the distribution, and it worked just fine.

Arrrgh, that was "Please, check also bug 101231..." actually. The other bug I registered for the compilation errors, but unfortunately I cannot edit my comments :-(

Posted by developer:
 
* Minimum protobuf version now is 3.0. This is noted at https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/8.0/en/news-8-0-18.html.
* If you try using < 3.0, CMake will emit a message saying you need at least 3.0.

We cannot repeat the problem, and in our tests, compilation works as expected.
One of our developers has investigated, with this conclusion:

In my opinion, the problem lies on the reporter side.
The library files may exist, but the files may be corrupted.
I tested the mysql build process with protobuf v3.2.1 and I do not have 
the situation as shown in the error log. Besides, I also tested an incomplete 
installation of protobuf and an attempt to build mysql. Deficiencies in 
the configuration are correctly reported, and the build process is aborted
with a suitable error message.

Corrupted!? How? It's the same version I used to build MySQL since 8.0.4...

And please, check also bug 101231, which was "verified".

This could be closed as well (see 101231).