make postinstall requires DB root password

[Kai Bojens]

‌

Please enter mysql root password []
A non-blank answer is required

Actually, there is no password required nowadays. Recent versions of MySQL and MariaDB authenticate the root user through the socket. So, any value can be entered here as it does not matter for socket connections. This may confuse new and unexperienced users.

[Janos SUTO]

I think it may be true only for local mysql servers. Also what if it’s not a recent version of mysql?

[Kai Bojens]

I would assume that most new users are using LTS distributions like Ubuntu 18.04 or CentOS 8. At least on Ubuntu 18.04 MariaDB works without authentication through the socket. But your point is of course valid. I think that “make postinstall” could either…

• test the connection without password in the background, or
• inform the user that, given that there is a recent MariaDB/MySQL installation, enter whatever he wants for a password

‌

[Janos SUTO]

How about this one?

Please enter mysql root password. If its a recent version of mysql and uses socket authentication, then any string would do here"

[Kai Bojens]

Yes, that’s a good solution.

[Janos SUTO]

Commit #b1dabfe fixes the issue.