Re: RFC/RFR: dh-exec -- Scripts to help with executable debhelper files

[Goswin von Brederlow <goswin-v-b@web.de>]

Gergely Nagy <algernon@madhouse-project.org> writes:

> Josselin Mouette <joss@debian.org> writes:
>> Well, thanks for making my point. Implementing these (useful) features
>> in debhelper would be less pain to write and less eyesore for looking at
>> the implementation.
>
> Perhaps. But the executable thing is what is in debhelper, not the
> variable expansion, nor the renaming at dh_install time. I'm offering a
> solution to make these cases simpler and standard.
>
> It's certainly a possiblity to persuade me that this is a stupid idea,
> and then we'll end up with no simple, standardish solution, and everyone
> will roll their own, like we used to do with patch systems in the days
> of yore.

It is not a stupid idea, just a stupid solution. :)

> And for the record, I'm seeking input on the dh-exec implementation
> here. Keep the anti-executable-debhelper-foo thing in the other thread,
> please.

But that is the actualy problem. The executable-debhelper-foo thing is
in many peoples optinion bad.

Your implementation and the difficulties to handle the various debhelper
options like --sourcedir correctly show that it might not have been a
good solution afterall. Or at least not yet quite thought out and
finished.

A general dh-exec that does tons of things could be nice. But if it can
only do variable susbtituion without breaking other debhelper options
then why not do the variable substitution in dh_install directly? All
the promised flexibility is of no use if it can't be used safely.

This doesn't mean it isn't possible to do more. Just so far no one has
succeeded to do e.g. rename on install without breaking stuff. And that
in itself is a big point against the feature.

MfG
        Goswin