Is there a way to avoid source files being owned by the root user?

[brentr]

I think I'm finally managing to understand this Armbian build system.  It's an amazing piece of work!

However, after the build, many source files end up owned by the root user.

There's just a lot of activity going on "as root" that probably doesn't need to be run with that privilege.

Disaster seems just one build script error away.

 

Am I doing something wrong?  Is there a simple way to avoid this (without resorting to virtualization of the build environment).

Has this not bothered anyone else?

 

[Werner]

1 hour ago, brentr said:

  Is there a simple way to avoid this

In short: no.

 

While processes like the compiling do not need root privileges other parts like mounting the to be assembled image to a loop device or installing mandatory packages needs those. There is no easy way to differentiate this without interrupting the building process like asking for a sudo password. Since fully automated build train operates on the very same build script that you find on GitHub building hundreds of images in parallel would be impossible without hacks like modified sudoers file.

 

Usage of virtualization is recommended by documentation. Building errors are often the result of a modified or compromised building environment, the users operating system to say. Solution for this is to start over with a clean build environment which makes usage of either physical or virtual isolation the logical conclusion in that matter.

 

Of course adjustments could be made to shrink the needs of privileges down to a absolute minimum but that would need lots of time and effort to develop and test those. Armbian is unfortunately running on very low resources and therefore need to choose wisely where to spend these.

 

  

1 hour ago, brentr said:

I think I'm finally managing to understand this Armbian build system.  It's an amazing piece of work!

Thank you!