Bug#676561: debian-policy: Please clarify important restriction on use of /run

[Jonathan Nieder <jrnieder@gmail.com>]

Hi Roger,

Roger Leigh wrote:

> It's come to my attention that some developers are using /run
> without a versioned initscripts dependency, which will break
> upgrades from squeeze.

Thanks.  This requirement does seem worth documenting.

[...]
> --- a/policy.sgml
> +++ b/policy.sgml
> @@ -6281,6 +6281,16 @@ install -m644 debian/shlibs.<var>package</var> debian/<var>package</var>/DEBIAN/
>  		  in <file>/run</file> should be stored on a temporary
>  		  file system.
>  		</p>
> +		<p>
> +		  Note that for the wheezy release, <file>/run</file>
> +		  may not be used without a depends on <tt>initscripts
> +		  (>= 2.88dsf-13.3)</tt>.  Without this
> +		  dependency, <file>/run</file> is not guaranteed to
> +		  exist or to be writable.  Please refer to the
> +		  detailed guidance on
> +		  the <url id="http://wiki.debian.org/ReleaseGoals/RunDirectory";
> +		  name="Debian wiki">.

Might be clearer to make it a simple, self-contained normative
requirement --- e.g., imitating 2361862a ("New Breaks dependency
field"):

		  Packages must not assume the <file>/run</file> directory
		  exists or is usable without a dependency on <tt>initscripts
		  (>= 2.88dsf-13.3)</tt> until the stable release of Debian
		  supports <file>/run</file>.

[...]
> --- a/upgrading-checklist.sgml
> +++ b/upgrading-checklist.sgml
> @@ -74,7 +74,13 @@ Released February, 2012.
>    directories apply to these directories as well.  Backward compatibility
>    links will be maintained and packages need not switch to
>    referencing <file>/run</file> directly yet.  Files in <file>/run</file>
> -  should be stored in a temporary file system.
> +  should be stored in a temporary file system. Note that for the wheezy
> +  release, <file>/run</file> may not be used without a depends on
> +  <tt>initscripts (>= 2.88dsf-13.3)</tt>.  Without this dependency,
> +  <file>/run</file> is not guaranteed to exist or to be writable.
> +  Please refer to the detailed guidance on the
> +  <url id="http://wiki.debian.org/ReleaseGoals/RunDirectory";
> +  name="Debian wiki">.

I think a new upgrading-checklist item attached to the next policy
version would work even better, since packagers that already made a
mistake would notice while looking over the new entries.

Hope that helps,
Jonathan