Bug#211622: propose new virtual package: libxaw-dev
On Thu, Sep 18, 2003 at 09:11:19PM -0500, Craig P. Steffen wrote:
> I am prospective DD; as one of my opening packages, I intend to adopt the
> sound file editor xwave. One of the bugs against it, 170005, says that
> depending on the virtual package "libxaw-dev" is wrong.
>
> However, reading the debian policy manual sections 3.6 and 7.4, it seems to
> me to be a perfectly reasonable thing to do. The real packages libxaw6-dev
> and libxaw7-dev exist, and are listed as Providing libxaw-dev. The only
> other thing that the policy manuals suggest is that virtual packages be
> mentioned in the virtual-packages-name-list.txt.
The problem is that you must not Depend on a virtual package unless
you provide a real package as an alternative before the real one.
Depends; libxaw7-dev | libxaw-dev
is OK. See policy 7.4
The rationale were given by Matthias (Letting apt-get perform without
human intervention like on autobuilders).
That libxaw-dev is not official is irrelevant to #170005.
This is a generally agreed upon practice for a library to provide the
virtual package libxxx-dev. Such virtual packages don't need to be make
official. See Junichi library packaging guide.
Cheers,
--
Bill. <ballombe@debian.org>
Imagine a large red swirl here.
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