Re: Bug#494287: man-db: Supplies invalid -wmac option to nroff when run with --warnings
On 08/08 17:54:42, Colin Watson wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 08, 2008 at 06:06:32PM +0200, Frank Lichtenheld wrote:
> > On Fri, Aug 08, 2008 at 01:41:17PM +0100, Colin Watson wrote:
> > > I don't really want to make man-db depend on this version of
> > > groff, though, as man doesn't require it during normal
> > > operations.
I guess it depends on what you call "normal operations" - it appears
that the *only* way lintian uses man is for the --warnings flag. :)
Given that the --warnings part of man-db's functionality is just
flat-out broken with the older groff, it would seem that even a
policy of minimal-changes would still justify updating the
groff-version Depends for man-db.
> > > Could you just upgrade groff?
I could and I will. Whatever the resolution of this (admittedly
uncommon) bug, I can't be bothered waiting - and it annoys me seeing
lintian repeatedly throw up a warning on a manpage that I know is
perfectly okay (though if it wasn't okay then I wouldn't find out
<wry grin>).
> > > Perhaps lintian needs to check groff's version number too?
That seems... a little odd. Why should lintian need to care *how*
man-db implements the --warnings flag?
lintian should be able to assume that the documented command-line
interface for man(1) does the right thing. Whatever underlying
functionality man(1) uses to implement --warnings is really none of
lintian's business.
Or so I'd think. :-)
> > Hmm, how long was this broken? I can't recall ever running into
> > this bug...
>
> It was never broken in any given coherent release, but I have a
> feeling that Peter installed current man-db on stable or on a rather
> old incarnation of testing.
You're probably quite correct - it's a virtual machine that started
out as etch and then I started installing a few things from sid.
Apparently *something* pulled in a new version of man-db (2.5.2-2)
(and I would've installed the latest lintian (1.24.2)), but groff-base
stayed at 1.18.1.1-12.
The main reason I thought it qualified as a bug was because it led to
lintian complaining about a man page in my custom package - and
because this was the first time I'd *used* lintian, it took me far too
long (a couple of hours) to realise that it wasn't actually a bug in
the manpage, rather a glitch in the toolchain being used to *test* the
manpage.
> Colin Watson
Anyway, thanks for the clarification Colin. I've now upgraded groff
and the problem has gone away.
Pete.
--
Peter Wright <pete@cybersource.com.au> Phone: 03 9428 6922
Level 1, 130-132 Stawell St Richmond VIC Web: http://www.cyber.com.au
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