+ <sect id="testing-scripts">
+ <heading>The testing scripts</heading>
+ <p>
+The testing scripts are run each day after the installation of the
+updated packages. They generate the <file>Packages</file> files for
+the <em>testing</em> distribution, but they do so in an intelligent manner
+trying to avoid any inconsistency and trying to use only
+non-buggy packages.
+ <p>The inclusion of a package from <em>unstable</em> is conditionned:
+<list>
+ <item>
+The package must have been available in <em>unstable</em> for several days;
+the precise number depends on the urgency field's value of the upload. It
+is 10 days for low urgency, 5 days for medium urgency and 2 days for high
+urgency. Those delays may be doubled during a freeze.
+ <item>
+It must have less release-critical bugs than the version available
+in <em>testing</em>;
+ <item>
+It must be available on all architectures on which it has been
+previously built;
+ <item>
+It must not break any dependency of a package that is already available
+in <em>testing</em>;
+ <item>
+The packages on which it depends must either be available in <em>testing</em>
+or they must be accepted into <em>testing</em> at the same time (and they will
+if they respect themselves all the criteria);
+</list>
+ <p>
+The scripts are generating some output files to explain why some packages
+are kept out of testing. They are available at <url
+id="&url-testing-maint;">. Alternatively, it is possible to use
+the <prgn>grep-excuses</prgn> program part of the
+<package>devscripts</package> package. It can be easily put in a crontab
+to keep someone informed of the progression of his packages in testing.
+ <p>
+The <tt>update_excuses</tt> file does not always give the precise reason
+why the package is refused, one may have to find it by himself by looking
+what would break with the inclusion of the package. The <url
+id="&url-testing-faq;" name="testing FAQ"> gives some more information
+about the usual problems which may be causing such troubles.
+ <p>
+Sometimes, some packages never enter testing because the set of
+inter-relationship is too complicated and can not be sorted out
+by the scripts. In that case, the release manager must be
+contacted, and he will force the inclusion of the packages.
+