Re: RFC: DEP-14: Recommended layout for Git packaging repositories

[Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Raphael Hertzog writes ("RFC: DEP-14: Recommended layout for Git packaging repositories"):
> following the initial discussion we had in August
> (https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2014/08/thrd2.html#00499), I have
> written a first draft of the Debian Enhancement Proposal that I suggested.
> It's now online at http://dep.debian.net/deps/dep14 and also attached
> below so that you can easily reply and comment.

Thanks.  This is useful work.

> What to store in the Git repository
> -----------------------------------

This should be clearer that it applies only to the packaging branch: I
would change the title to:

 What to store in the packaging branch in the Git repository
 -----------------------------------------------------------

> It is recommended that the packaging branches contain both the upstream
> sources and the Debian packaging. Users who have cloned the repository
> should be able to run `dpkg-buildpackage -b -us -uc` without doing
> anything else (assuming they have the required build dependencies).
> 
> It is also important so that contributors are able to use the tool of their
> choice to update the debian/patches quilt series: multiple helper tools
> need the upstream sources in Git to manage this patch series as a Git
> branch.

I think you need to be more explicit about the implications for `3.0
(quilt)' format packages.  Something like:

   If the git tree contains debian/format specifying `3.0 (quilt)',
   the git tree must also contain debian/patches/series and all the
   patch files contained within it.  Furthermore, the tree should be
   in the `patches applied' state.  (This means that every change to
   upstream files is represented twice: once in the contents of that
   very file in the git tree, and once as a hunk in one of the
   debian/patches.  These two representations must be in step.)

And you should add:

   The packaging branch should not contain a `.pc' directory.

> Managing debian/changelog
> -------------------------
...
> Helper tools should however configure the Git repository so that merges
> of the `debian/changelog` file are handled by `dpkg-mergechangelogs` as
> this will make it much easier to merge between different packaging
> branches.

I didn't even know that git-mergechangelog existed, although I knew it
was necessary...

Ian.