backport of accumulated fixes from 7.5/7.6 for conditions tool and lib

[apfeiffer1]

This is a backport of accumulated fixes from 7.5/7.6 for conditions tool and lib (conddb and conddblib) to make the tools working correctly in the 7.4 series used in online.
This needs the cmsdist PR #1623 which is already merged, AFAICT.

[cmsbuild]

A new Pull Request was created by @apfeiffer1 (Andreas Pfeiffer) for CMSSW_7_4_X.

backport of accumulated fixes from 7.5/7.6 for conditions tool and lib

It involves the following packages:

CondCore/Utilities

@ggovi, @cmsbuild can you please review it and eventually sign? Thanks.
@ghellwig this is something you requested to watch as well.
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@Degano you are the release manager for this.
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[ggovi]

+1

[cmsbuild]

This pull request is fully signed and it will be integrated in one of the next CMSSW_7_4_X IBs once checked with relvals in the development release cycle of CMSSW or unless it breaks tests. This pull request requires discussion in the ORP meeting before it's merged. @davidlange6, @Degano, @smuzaffar

[cmsbuild]

+1
Tested at: 0867eff
https://cmssdt.cern.ch/SDT/jenkins-artifacts/pull-request-integration/PR-9907/5806/summary.html

[cmsbuild]

This pull request is fully signed and it will be integrated in one of the next CMSSW_7_4_X IBs once checked with relvals in the development release cycle of CMSSW (tests are also fine). This pull request requires discussion in the ORP meeting before it's merged. @davidlange6, @Degano, @smuzaffar

[cmsbuild]

Comparison is ready
https://cmssdt.cern.ch/SDT/jenkins-artifacts/pull-request-integration/PR-9907/5806/summary.html

[cmsbuild]

This pull request is fully signed and it will be integrated in one of the next CMSSW_7_4_X IBs once checked with relvals in the development release cycle of CMSSW (tests are also fine). This pull request requires discussion in the ORP meeting before it's merged. @davidlange6, @Degano, @smuzaffar

[davidlange6]

+1