Re: Advice on use of patch system while hacking
Ross Boylan <ross@biostat.ucsf.edu> writes:
> Short version:
>
> What's the best way to work with a dpatch-based package developing code
> that will likely take many smallish iterations to get right?
As the other reply said: the best way is not to.
The long version of the same answer: dpatch is not a VCS, was never
meant to be. The best way to work with it, is to ignore it until you
really can't ignore it anymore.
Which, in this case, probably means running debian/rules build over and
over again, until you have something that works. I wouldn't bother
building a package, just the binaries (assuming it has a sane build
system, where, if you modify a file, it will rebuild it correctly), and
either run the thing from the build tree if that is supported, or copy
them to the appropriate place by hand. Or, as you considered below, even
edit the installed file, if that's more convenient.
> My patches also edit debian/changelog; I think that is an error and I
> should simply edit the changelog without making a patch for it, or for
> anything under debian. Is the rule "no patches for changes under
> debian/" correct?
Yep, that is correct.
> At least for awhile my changes will likely be focussed in one python
> file; I am considering simply editing it in place (where it's installed
> in the system) as a way of getting it right. Would that be
> reasonable?
I do that fairly often.
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