options(covr.gcov="") does not disable coverage of compiled code

[MLopez-Ibanez]

The documentation says:

If the appropriate gcov version is not on your path you can set the appropriate location with the covr.gcov options. If you set this path to “” it will turn off coverage of compiled code.

but I get this error:

options(covr.gcov="")
covr::codecov(type="all", quiet=FALSE)

Error in run_gcov(pkg$path, quiet = quiet, clean = clean) : 
  gcov not found

I'm trying to debug why covr::codecov fails with exit code 137: https://github.com/MLopez-Ibanez/irace/actions/runs/3229015515/jobs/5286000948

Run covr::codecov(type="all", quiet=FALSE)
* installing *source* package ‘irace’ ...
** using non-staged installation
** libs
gcc -I"/opt/R/4.2.1/lib/R/include" -DNDEBUG   -I/usr/local/include   -fpic  -g -O2  -O0 --coverage -c iracebin/irace.c -o iracebin/irace.o
gcc  -g -O2  -O0 --coverage iracebin/irace.o -o iracebin/irace
gcc -I"/opt/R/4.2.1/lib/R/include" -DNDEBUG   -I/usr/local/include   -fpic  -g -O2  -O0 --coverage -c iracebin/ablation.c -o iracebin/ablation.o
gcc  -g -O2  -O0 --coverage iracebin/ablation.o -o iracebin/ablation
installing via 'install.libs.R' to /tmp/RtmpvPUkrl/R_LIBS4d7f6845358a/irace
** R
** inst
** tests
** byte-compile and prepare package for lazy loading
** help
*** installing help indices
  converting help for package ‘irace’
    ablation                                example
    ablation_cmdline                        example
    buildCommandLine                        example
    getFinalElites                          example
    irace-package                           example
    irace                                   example
    irace.cmdline                           example
    path_rel2abs                            example
    plotAblation                            example
    printParameters                         example
    psRace                                  example
    readParameters                          example
    read_pcs_file                           example
    scenario_update_paths                   example
** building package indices
** installing vignettes
** testing if installed package can be loaded
* DONE (irace)
Testing examples for package ‘irace’
Running specific tests for package ‘irace’
  Running ‘testthat.R’
Error: Process completed with exit code 137.

Locally, it says:

> covr::codecov(type="all", quiet=FALSE)
* installing *source* package ‘irace’ ...
** using non-staged installation
** libs
gcc -std=gnu99 -I"/usr/share/R/include" -DNDEBUG     -fpic  -g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/build/r-base-jbaK_j/r-base-3.6.3=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wdate-time -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -g  -O0 --coverage -c iracebin/irace.c -o iracebin/irace.o
gcc -std=gnu99  -g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/build/r-base-jbaK_j/r-base-3.6.3=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wdate-time -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -g  -O0 --coverage iracebin/irace.o -o iracebin/irace
gcc -std=gnu99 -I"/usr/share/R/include" -DNDEBUG     -fpic  -g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/build/r-base-jbaK_j/r-base-3.6.3=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wdate-time -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -g  -O0 --coverage -c iracebin/ablation.c -o iracebin/ablation.o
gcc -std=gnu99  -g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/build/r-base-jbaK_j/r-base-3.6.3=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wdate-time -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -g  -O0 --coverage iracebin/ablation.o -o iracebin/ablation
installing via 'install.libs.R' to /tmp/RtmpiSf2tF/R_LIBS13f3a65ddf9a2/irace
** R
** inst
** tests
** byte-compile and prepare package for lazy loading
** help
*** installing help indices
  converting help for package ‘irace’
    ablation                                example
    ablation_cmdline                        example
    buildCommandLine                        example
    getFinalElites                          example
    irace-package                           example
    irace                                   example
    irace.cmdline                           example
    path_rel2abs                            example
    plotAblation                            example
    printParameters                         example
    psRace                                  example
    readParameters                          example
    read_pcs_file                           example
    scenario_update_paths                   example
** building package indices
** installing vignettes
** testing if installed package can be loaded
* DONE (irace)
Testing examples for package ‘irace’
Running specific tests for package ‘irace’
  Running ‘testthat.R’
'/usr/bin/gcov' '/home/manu/work/irace/git/src/iracebin/ablation.gcno' '-p'  \
  '-o' '/home/manu/work/irace/git/src/iracebin' 

/home/manu/work/irace/git/src/iracebin/ablation.gcda:cannot open data file, assuming not executed
File 'iracebin/irace.h'
Lines executed:0.00% of 36
Creating 'iracebin#irace.h.gcov'

'/usr/bin/gcov' '/home/manu/work/irace/git/src/iracebin/irace.gcno' '-p' '-o'  \
  '/home/manu/work/irace/git/src/iracebin' 

/home/manu/work/irace/git/src/iracebin/irace.gcda:cannot open data file, assuming not executed
File 'iracebin/irace.h'
Lines executed:0.00% of 36
Creating 'iracebin#irace.h.gcov'

irace Coverage: 61.78%
R/cluster.R: 0.00%
R/parameterExploration.R: 0.00%
R/zzz.R: 0.00%
R/ablation.R: 16.91%
R/race-wrapper.R: 27.30%
R/main.R: 41.04%
R/parameterAnalysis.R: 44.74%
R/readConfiguration.R: 47.75%
R/utils.R: 48.34%
R/argparser.R: 72.73%
R/testing.R: 72.97%
R/irace.R: 80.50%
R/readParameters.R: 80.53%
R/tnorm.R: 80.60%
R/race.R: 81.16%
R/generation.R: 82.99%
R/model.R: 94.25%
R/path_rel2abs.R: 96.72%
R/timer.R: 100.00%

and it takes no time.