Reproducible Build failed for v1.54

[IzzySoft]

Just wondering if the build process changed – or whether the APK was not built from a clean tree at the tagged commit? The APKs show differences:

  -rw-r--r--  0.0 unx      120 b-      117 defN 1981-01-01 01:01:02 fae9f93d META-INF/version-control-info.textproto
- -rw-r--r--  0.0 unx     3284 b-     3284 stor 1981-01-01 01:01:02 4644e542 assets/dexopt/baseline.prof
+ -rw-r--r--  0.0 unx     3284 b-     3284 stor 1981-01-01 01:01:02 df291a76 assets/dexopt/baseline.prof
  -rw-r--r--  0.0 unx      264 b-      264 stor 1981-01-01 01:01:02 516eacd2 assets/dexopt/baseline.profm
- -rw-r--r--  0.0 unx 10534888 b-  3651964 defN 1981-01-01 01:01:02 527d1f94 classes.dex
+ -rw-r--r--  0.0 unx 10534840 b-  3652041 defN 1981-01-01 01:01:02 55b390e9 classes.dex
  -rw-r--r--  0.0 unx 10773992 b-  9864941 defN 1981-01-01 01:01:02 51176c8e assets/NotoColorEmojiCompat.ttf

The culprit here seems to be in classes.dex. The most obvious one is:

   VISIBILITY_SYSTEM Ldalvik/annotation/MethodParameters; accessFlags={ 0 } names={ "instance" }
-  VISIBILITY_SYSTEM Ldalvik/annotation/MethodParameters; accessFlags={ 0 } names={ "timeTrackerApp" }
+  VISIBILITY_SYSTEM Ldalvik/annotation/MethodParameters; accessFlags={ 0 } names={ "arg0" }
   VISIBILITY_SYSTEM Ldalvik/annotation/MethodParameters; accessFlags={ 0 } names={ "arg0" }

As the APK claims to have been built from the tagged commit, that must either be an uncommitted change – or a change in the build process. Can you give me a hint what we might need to change to match that? Thanks in advance!

[Razeeman]

Hello! Seems like this happened again. I've rebuilt an apk from tag and add it to the release. Previous time it helped.

[IzzySoft]

That helps for F-Droid, yes, as there a failed RB means the APK won't be shipped – but the entire update being considered "failed" (so they'll get the right "combination" with the next run). At IzzyOnDroid, RB happens on a separate track – which means now our repo already has the previous APK, while our builder will now process the new APK, so this release will not show up as reproducible (so no "green shield"). Which is why we often say "do not replace what has already been distributed".

The next release will hopefully have it fixed then. And we also hope this issue won't repeat too often. Do you already have a clue why it happens? Maybe setting up (and using) Github actions for release builds would be a good idea? That would also be helpful to cross-check against if things fail, to align our recipes with yours should they change.

[Razeeman]

Unfortunately don't know why it happens. Will be checking future releases manually, maybe will spot some pattern. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[IzzySoft]

Thanks! If it is an option for you, as outlined, using a Github action to build the release APK might help. That would use a "clean slate" (i.e. a fresh image with no residues from previous states), same as our builds do.