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Re: Intended MBF: maintainer scripts not using strict mode



On Tue, Jun 27, 2017 at 01:21:01PM +0800, Paul Wise wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 27, 2017 at 4:23 AM, Ralf Treinen wrote:
> 
> > we currently have in sid 84 maintainer scripts not using strict mode.
> > That is, they neither start on "#!/bin/[ba]sh -e", nor do a "set -e".
> > The list is attached. This list includes the 12 remaining scripts not
> > starting on #! (bugs are already filed for these).
> 
> Looks like you were talking about these bugs:
> 
> https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/pkgreport.cgi?tag=colis-shparser;users=treinen@debian.org

Until now we have been putting our bugs under a generic colis-shparser usertag.
Maybe we should start using more specific usertags in addition.

> > What is your opinion? Policy says "should", not "must". If you agree
> > with the MBF, what do you think would be the appropriate severity?
> 
> I note that naively adding "set -e" can make shell scripts more
> brittle, especially when using diff or other commands that can return
> failure in unforeseen circumstances. When doing the MBF, please remind
> people to read their scripts, note the range of exit codes for each
> command and add "|| true" for commands that return failure exit codes
> that do not indicate failures or indicate conditions that should not
> terminate the maintainer script.

Yes, that is a good idea. I have seen indeed quite some scripts in the
corpus (not the ones against which I intend to file bugs) which do a
selective "set +e"/"set -e" around commands that require careful
error handling.

> PS: will you be packaging the software produced by the CoLiS project?

yes, of course :-)

> PPS: the lintshell link on the CoLiS website requires a login.

lintshell isn't ready for publication yet (the link on our project
website was premature). 

-Ralf.


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