Re: Latest upstream versions of files
Ben Finney <ben@benfinney.id.au> writes:
> I'm the current maintainer for 'lojban-common', a very simple
> package of some data files for the Lojban language.
>
> The latest version of the files hasn't changed in many years. It
> would be easy for me to simply assume that they'll never change
> during my maintainership of the package. However, I don't consider
> that attitude good enough; I'd want a good package maintainer to
> stay on top of even slow-moving packages, and use automation as much
> as feasible.
Since this original message, I've had 'lojban-common' sponsored into
Debian. (Thanks, Anibal!) However, I'm still looking for a good
approach to this situation.
The files in this package are located at individual URLs, with no
attempt made by upstream at putting them together into an archive. The
packaging currently
<URL:http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/l/lojban-common/lojban-common_1.4-1.dsc>
has a 'get-orig-source' target, but that results in fetching the
original source files every time the package is built, ignoring any
existing tarball.
The Best Practices chapter of the Developer's Reference suggests
<URL:http://www.debian.org/doc/developers-reference/ch-best-pkging-practices.en.html#s-repackagedorigtargz>:
6.7.8.2 Repackaged upstream source
You should upload packages with a pristine source tarball if
possible, but there are various reasons why it might not be
possible. This is the case if upstream does not distribute the
source as gzipped tar at all […]
In these cases the developer must construct a suitable
.orig.tar.gz file himself.
There is no suggestion for the best way to make this happen, though.
Ideally I'd like it to be a simple process for someone else to
generate the upstream-source tarball automatically from the online
files, and get the same result as when I do it.
What can I do to meet this aim?
--
\ "If you do not trust the source do not use this program." |
`\ —Microsoft Vista security dialogue |
_o__) |
Ben Finney
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