Tests fail in the PackageDistribution CI when trying to install HomalgToCAS

[fingolfin]

(Replacing the somewhat convoluted issue #91)

In the PackageDistribution, now almost all packages pass their tests. There are just two exception: polycyclic, where the tests run into an endless loop, so they are disabled for now (and require a bug fix update of that package). And PackageManager :-(.

The failure for package manager can be seen e.g. in this log:

testing: /home/runner/gap/pkg/PackageManager-1.3/tst/PackageManager.tst
########> Diff in /home/runner/gap/pkg/PackageManager-1.3/tst/PackageManager.tst:410
# Input is:
InstallPackage("HomalgToCAS");
# Expected output:
true
# But found:
#I  Compilation failed (package may still be usable)
#I  Package availability test failed
#I  Dependencies not satisfied for HomalgToCAS-2022.09-01
false
########
########> Diff in /home/runner/gap/pkg/PackageManager-1.3/tst/PackageManager.tst:412
# Input is:
ForAll(["HomalgToCAS", "MatricesForHomalg", "GAPDoc", "IO"],
          name -> Length(PackageInfo(name)) = 1 or
                  IsPackageLoaded(LowercaseString(name)));
# Expected output:
true
# But found:
false
########

Note that this is actually the second time the PackageManager test suite is being run in that CI job: the first time is in section "Run tests", where it passes. There GAP is loaded as normal (with a default set of packages), the PackageManager is loaded and its tests are run.

The second (failing) pass is in section "Run tests with OnlyNeeded"). There, GAP is started with the -A option (so a minimal set of packages is loaded at first), and then we do LoadPackage("PackageManager" : OnlyNeeded) to only load the required / needed dependencies of PackageManager -- which means curlInterface is not loaded.

At first I thought it was this last bit that caused the problems. But actually by now I inserted code to LoadPackage("curlInterface") afterwards, and it still fails. Two other ideas what might be involved:

1. perhaps the -A option causes problems somehow?
2. perhaps the fact that we are running the test suite a second time causes problems? I.e. if remnants of packages are sitting around...

Alas, I don't see how either could result in the problem. Things would be a lot easier if it was clear which package "Compilation failed (package may still be usable)" refers to in the error message. This was the motivation for PR #101, by the way

[mtorpey]

Now that #101 is merged, this may be a bit easier to debug! I'll make a release shortly and we can see.

[mtorpey]

@fingolfin: is this still happening? 2 years later, I'm not sure whether it's still relevant! :)