[update-maintainer] should adjust Vcs-foo fields too

Bug #567629 reported by Scott Kitterman
8
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
ubuntu-dev-tools (Ubuntu)
In Progress
Wishlist
Nish Aravamudan

Bug Description

Binary package hint: ubuntu-dev-tools

[21:08:43] <ScottK> Do we have any kind of policy that suggests one should replace Vcs-foo fields in debian/control with XS-Debian-Vcs-foo fields?
[21:09:24] <slangasek> I'm not aware of a policy
[21:09:41] <ScottK> I'm wondering because the topgit upload in the queue has such a change.
[21:10:04] <ScottK> It seems to me something we shouldn't just randomly do.
[21:10:15] <slangasek> I think it's good /practice/ to move the fields aside when they don't point at something corresponding to the package in question
[21:10:33] <ScottK> Corresponding exactly or generally?
[21:10:38] <slangasek> but since there's no policy on the name to change it to, and practice has varied, I always fail to do it myself
[21:10:50] <slangasek> ScottK: exactly, IMHO
[21:11:01] <ScottK> OK.
[21:11:11] <slangasek> if I can't find the current package revision in the referenced Vcs-*, the field shouldn't be there
[21:11:41] <ScottK> Perhaps then update-maintainer should also remove such fields.
[21:12:16] <ajmitch> it's something that's happened for awhile on some packages
[21:12:21] <slangasek> I think that would be good
[21:12:33] -*- ScottK makes a bug.
[21:12:56] <slangasek> it won't have the desired result for Vcs-Git if Debian and Ubuntu share a git repository, but the Vcs-Git fields are inappropriately underspecified anyway
[21:12:57] <ajmitch> I suspect it's done from a desire that 'apt-get source' not give the wrong information

Related branches

Benjamin Drung (bdrung)
Changed in ubuntu-dev-tools (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
summary: - update-maintainer should adjust Vcs-foo fields too
+ [update-maintainer] should adjust Vcs-foo fields too
Revision history for this message
Stefano Rivera (stefanor) wrote :

I'm pretty sure we decided not to do this?

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Drung (bdrung) wrote :

Maybe we should bring this topic to the ubuntu-devel mailing list?

Revision history for this message
Scott Kitterman (kitterman) wrote :

Implementation should follow policy in this case, not lead it. If we're going to change these fields, it should be documented in ubuntu-policy that we do it.

Revision history for this message
Evan Broder (broder) wrote :

There was discussion about this on ubuntu-devel several years ago: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2007-March/023332.html

I don't know that it was ever codified in policy, but the Vcs-* fields aren't codified in Debian Policy either (they're part of the Developer's Reference: http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/developers-reference/best-pkging-practices.html#bpp-vcs)

Mattia Rizzolo (mapreri)
Changed in ubuntu-dev-tools (Ubuntu):
status: New → In Progress
assignee: nobody → Nish Aravamudan (nacc)
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