X-Git-Url: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~ianmdlvl/git?p=developers-reference.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=developers-reference.sgml;h=ea0d883fe903f319eab9ed2a89aed08477b49e46;hp=55daee1b4fb1e84155c4a4100d2ad11cb5cb9b79;hb=491b29a243ffc0be9f99bb12ac22c65ada8f96c4;hpb=625c26ccb67948f8a0ee5177797f7d50aea41bcc diff --git a/developers-reference.sgml b/developers-reference.sgml index 55daee1..ea0d883 100644 --- a/developers-reference.sgml +++ b/developers-reference.sgml @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ %commondata; - + + + + Best practices for maintainer scripts

Maintainer scripts include the files debian/postinst, @@ -3115,76 +3542,11 @@ not on the root partition. That is, it's in /usr/bin rather than /bin, so one can't use it in scripts which are run before the /usr partition is mounted. Most scripts won't have this problem, though. - - - - Best practices for debian/control -

-The following practices supplement the .

- - - Writing useful descriptions -

-The description of the package (as defined by the corresponding field -in the control file) is the primary information available -to the user about a package before they install it. It should provide -all the required information to let the user decide whether to install -the package. -

-For consistency and aesthetics, you should capitalize the first letter -of the Synopsis. Don't put a full stop (period) at the end. The -description itself should consist of full sentences. -

-Since the first user impression is based on the description, be -careful to avoid spelling and grammar mistakes. Ensure that you -spell-check it. ispell has a special -g option -for debian/control files: - -ispell -d american -g debian/control - -If you want someone to proofread the description that you -intend to use you may ask on &email-debian-l10n-english;. - - - - Upstream home page -

-We recommend that you add the URL for the package's home page to the -package description in debian/control. This information -should be added at the -end of description, using the following format: - - . - Homepage: http://some-project.some-place.org/ - -Note the spaces prepending the line, which serves to break the lines -correctly. To see an example of how this displays, see . -

-If there is no home page for the software, this should naturally be -left empty. -

-Note that we expect this field will eventually be replaced by a proper -debian/control field understood by dpkg and -&packages-host;. If you don't want to bother migrating the -home page from the description to this field, you should probably wait -until that is available.

- - - Configuration management with debconf -

Debconf is a configuration management system which can be used by all the various packaging scripts @@ -3368,154 +3730,28 @@ Lisp packages should register themselves with sympa may be an example package --> - Architecture-independent data -

- It is not uncommon to have a large amount of architecture-independent - data packaged with a program. For example, collection of icons, - wallpapers or other graphic files, or audio files. If the size of - this data is negligible compared to the size of the remainder of the - package, you can keep it all in the same package. - -

- However, if the size of the data is considerable, consider splitting - it out into a separate, architecture-independent package - ("_all.deb"). By doing this, you avoid needless duplication of the - same data into eleven or more .debs per each architecture. While - this adds some extra overhead into the Packages files, it can save a - lot of disk space on Debian mirrors, and it also reduces processing - time of Lintian or Linda when run over the entire Debian archive. - - + + Architecture-independent data +

+It is not uncommon to have a large amount of architecture-independent +data packaged with a program. For example, audio files, a collection +of icons, wallpaper patterns, or other graphic files. If the size of +this data is negligible compared to the size of the rest of the +package, it's probably best to keep it all in a single package. +

+However, if the size of the data is considerable, consider splitting +it out into a separate, architecture-independent package ("_all.deb"). +By doing this, you avoid needless duplication of the same data into +eleven or more .debs, one per each architecture. While this +adds some extra overhead into the Packages files, it +saves a lot of disk space on Debian mirrors. Separating out +architecture-independent data also reduces processing time of +lintian or linda (see ) +when run over the entire Debian archive. + - - Best practices for debian/changelog -

-The following practices supplement the .

- - - Writing useful changelog entries -

-The changelog entry for a package revision documents changes in that -revision, and only them. Concentrate on describing changes you did since -the last version that are worth mentioning. -

-Focus on what was changed; who, how and when are usually less -important. Having said that, remember to politely attribute people who have -provided notable help in making the package (e.g. those who have sent in -patches). -

-There's no need to elaborate the trivial and obvious changes. You can also -aggregate several such changes in one entry. However, don't be overly terse -if you have undertaken a major change. Be especially clear if there are -changes that affect the behaviour of the program -- and for further -explanations, use the README.Debian file. -

-Use common English language, one which the majority of viewers can -understand. Avoid abbreviations, "tech-speak" and jargon when explaining -changes that close bugs, especially if the said bugs were filed by users -that did not strike you as particularly techically savvy. Also, be polite, -don't swear. -

-It is customary to prefix changelog entries with the names of the files that -were changed. There's no need to explicitely list each and every last one of -the changed files, especially if the change was small or repetitive -- use -wildcard characters wisely. -

-When referring to bugs, don't assume anything -- say what the problem was, -how it was fixed, and append the "closes: #nnnnn" string. -See for more information. - - - Common misconceptions about changelog entries -

-The changelog entries should not document generic packaging -issues ("Hey, if you're looking for foo.conf, it's in /etc/blah/."), since -administrators and users are supposed to be at least remotely acquainted -with how such things are generally arranged on Debian systems. Do, however, -mention if you change the location of a configuration file. -

-The only bugs closed with a changelog entry should be those that are -actually fixed in the same package revision. Closing bugs unrelated bugs in -the changelog is considered very bad practice. See . -

-The changelog entries should not be used for random -discussion with bug reporters ("I don't see segfaults when starting foo -with option bar; send in more info.") or pleas for help ("The bug list -on this package is huge, please lend me a hand."). Such things usually -won't be noticed by their target audience, but will on the other hand -annoy people who wish to read information about actual changes in the -package. Please see for more information on -how to use the bug tracking system. -

-It is an old tradition to acknowledge bugs fixed in non-maintainer uploads -in the first changelog entry of the real maintainer. You don't have to -follow it, though: if you are certain that you will include the changes from -the NMU in your next release, you can simply close the bugs the normal way. -It's usually polite to note that the bugs were fixed by another developer. -

-Changelogs shouldn't include general statements on life, the universe and -everything ("Sorry this upload took me so long, but I caught the flu."). -Exceptions can be made if the comment is funny ;-) Obviously, this is -subjective, so it's likely best if it's kept out of technical documentation -such as changelogs. - - - Common errors in changelog entries -

- - * Fixed all outstanding bugs. - -

-This doesn't tell readers anything too useful, obviously. Don't do that(TM). - - - * Applied patch from Jane Random. - -

-What was the patch about? - - - * Late night install target overhaul. - -

-Overhaul which accomplished...? Is the mention of late night supposed to -remind us that we shouldn't trust that code? - - - * Fix vsync FU w/ ancient CRTs. - -

-Too many acronyms, and it's not overly clear what the fuckup (oops, -a curse word!) was actually about, or how it was fixed. - - - * This is not a bug. Closes: #nnnnnn - -

-First of all, there's absolutely no need to upload the package to convey -this information. Use the bug tracking system! Secondly, there's no -explanation as to why the report is not a bug. - - - * Has been fixed for ages, but I forgot to close. Closes: #54321 - -

-If for some reason you didn't mention the bug number in a previous changelog -entry, there's no problem, just close the bug normally in the BTS. There's -no need to touch the changelog file, presuming the description of the fix is -already in (this applies to the fixes by the upstream authors/maintainers as -well, you don't have to track bugs that they fixed ages ago in your -changelog). - - - * Closes: #12345, #12346, #15432 - -

-Where's the description?! If you can't think of a descriptive message, start -by inserting the title of each different bug. - + @@ -3531,21 +3767,39 @@ members in choosing what they want to work on and in choosing the most critical thing to spend their time on. - Bug reporting + Bug reporting

We encourage you to file bugs as you find them in Debian packages. In fact, Debian developers are often the first line testers. Finding and -reporting bugs in other developer's packages improves the quality of +reporting bugs in other developers' packages improves the quality of Debian.

+Read the in the Debian . +

Try to submit the bug from a normal user account at which you are -likely to receive mail. Do not submit bugs as root. +likely to receive mail, so that people can reach you if they need +further information about the bug. Do not submit bugs as root. +

+You can use a tool like to +submit bugs. It can automate and generally ease the process. +

+Make sure the bug is not already filed against a package. +Each package has a bug list easily reachable at +http://&bugs-host;/packagename +Utilities like can also +provide you with this information (and reportbug +will usually invoke querybts before sending, too). +

+Try to direct your bugs to the proper location. When for example +your bug is about a package that overwrites files from another package, +check the bug lists for both of those packages in order to +avoid filing duplicate bug reports.

-Make sure the bug is not already filed against a package. Try to do a -good job reporting a bug and redirecting it to the proper location. For extra credit, you can go through other packages, merging bugs -which are reported more than once, or setting bug severities to -`fixed' when they have already been fixed. Note that when you are +which are reported more than once, or tagging bugs `fixed' +when they have already been fixed. Note that when you are neither the bug submitter nor the package maintainer, you should not actually close the bug (unless you secure permission from the maintainer). @@ -3554,7 +3808,7 @@ From time to time you may want to check what has been going on with the bug reports that you submitted. Take this opportunity to close those that you can't reproduce anymore. To find out all the bugs you submitted, you just have to visit -http://&bugs-host;/from:<your-email-addr>. +http://&bugs-host;/from:<your-email-addr>. Reporting lots of bugs at once

@@ -3573,7 +3827,7 @@ will help prevent a situation in which several maintainers start filing the same bug report simultaneously.

Note that when sending lots of bugs on the same subject, you should -send the bug report to maintonly@bugs.debian.org so +send the bug report to maintonly@&bugs-host; so that the bug report is not forwarded to the bug distribution mailing list. @@ -3772,7 +4026,7 @@ with debsign -m"FULLNAME email-addr" changes before uploading it to the incoming directory.

The Maintainer field of the control file and the -changelog should list the person who did the packaging, i.e. the +changelog should list the person who did the packaging, i.e., the sponsoree. The sponsoree will therefore get all the BTS mail about the package.

@@ -3881,7 +4135,7 @@ You should periodically get the newest lintian from option provides detailed explanations of what each error or warning means, what is its basis in Policy, and commonly how you can fix the problem.

-Refer to for more information on how and when +Refer to for more information on how and when to use Lintian.

You can also see a summary of all problems reported by Lintian on your @@ -3897,8 +4151,33 @@ packages at . Those reports contain the latest lintian but has a different set of checks. Its written in Python rather than Perl.

 + + + debdiff +

+debdiff (from the devscripts package, ) +compares file lists and control files of two packages. It is a simple +regression test, as it will help you notice if the number of binary +packages has changed since the last upload, or if something's changed +in the control file. Of course, some of the changes it reports will be +all right, but it can help you prevent various accidents. +

+You can run it over a pair of binary packages: + +debdiff package_1-1_arch.deb package_2-1_arch.deb + +

+Or even a pair of changes files: + +debdiff package_1-1_arch.changes package_2-1_arch.changes + +

+For more information please see . + + + Helpers for debian/rules

@@ -4147,6 +4426,30 @@ directory of your package. For instance, when editing debian/changelog, there are handy functions for finalizing a version and listing the package's current bugs.

 + + + dpkg-depcheck +

+dpkg-depcheck (from the devscripts +package, ) +runs a command under strace to determine all the packages that +were used by the said command. +

+For Debian packages, this is useful when you have to compose a +Build-Depends line for your new package: running the build +process through dpkg-depcheck will provide you with a +good first approximation of the build-dependencies. For example: + +dpkg-depcheck -b debian/rules build + +

+dpkg-depcheck can also be used to check for run-time +dependencies, especially if your package uses exec(2) to run other +programs. +

+For more information please see . + + @@ -4213,6 +4516,9 @@ it.