x/tools: tag and delete refactor/rename, refactor/importgraph, go/buildutil, cmd/gomvpkg

[adonovan]

While implementing this proposal:

• x/tools/cmd/gorename: tag and delete it #69360

I immediately realized that most of the logic is not in the cmd package but in the refactor/rename package, which has never worked with Go modules. Similarly, refactor/importgraph and go/buildutil have the same limitation. And cmd/gomvpkg is in a similar state to the (now deleted) cmd/gorename.

I propose to tag and delete all of them following a similar process.

(FWIW, the only seemingly valuable part of go/buildutil is TagsFlag, which doesn't actually work in conjunction with go/packages; one must use the syntax gopackages -buildflag=-tags=... patterns....)

[gabyhelp]

Related Issues and Documentation

• x/tools/cmd/{gomvpkg, gorename}: change scope is too large #10917 (closed)

_{(Emoji vote if this was helpful or unhelpful; more detailed feedback welcome in this discussion.)}

[gopherbot]

Change https://go.dev/cl/614895 mentions this issue: cmd/{callgraph,ssadump}, gopackages: make -tags flags work

[rsc]

This proposal has been added to the active column of the proposals project
and will now be reviewed at the weekly proposal review meetings.
— rsc for the proposal review group

[aclements]

The proposal is to tag and delete x/tools/refactor/rename, x/tools/refactor/importgraph, x/tools/go/buildutil, and x/tools/cmd/gomvpkg. They'll continue to work as well as they do now, but we won't be updating them.

These tools don't work with modules (importgraph and buildutil deeply assume GOPATH mode) and some are obsoleted by more modern functionality (rename and gomvpkg have equivalents in gopls).

I see the three packages have a significant number of importers, especially buildutil. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these importers are in GOPATH mode. Given that these importers won't have version information, what exactly happens to them if we tag and delete these packages? (I'm not saying this should hold up the proposal, but I want to make sure we're transparent here.)

@alandonovan plans to email golang-nuts@ just in case people are using these.

[rsc]

It sounds like @alandonovan still needs to mail golang-nuts.

[adonovan]

It sounds like @alandonovan still needs to mail golang-nuts.

This is now done.

[aclements]

Based on the discussion above, this proposal seems like a likely accept.
— aclements for the proposal review group

The proposal is to tag and delete x/tools/refactor/rename, x/tools/refactor/importgraph, x/tools/go/buildutil, and x/tools/cmd/gomvpkg. They'll continue to work as well as they do now, but we won't be updating them.

[aclements]

No change in consensus, so accepted. 🎉
This issue now tracks the work of implementing the proposal.
— aclements for the proposal review group

The proposal is to tag and delete x/tools/refactor/rename, x/tools/refactor/importgraph, x/tools/go/buildutil, and x/tools/cmd/gomvpkg. They'll continue to work as well as they do now, but we won't be updating them.