Bug#879049: debian-policy: 4.9.1: Allow nodoc to be used to not create empty -doc packages
Source: debian-policy
Version: 4.1.1.1
I recently introduced support for nodoc for libgdamm5.0 in its
packaging branch (not uploaded to unstable yet) [1]. Since there is
only one arch-indep package, the -doc package, there are no packages
built when an arch-indep build is attempted with the nodoc build
profile.
This is technically a violation of Debian Policy 4.9.1 which has this wording
"This option does not change the set of binary packages generated by
the source package, but documentation-only binary packages may be
nearly empty when built with this option." [2]
I don't think there is any benefit to anyone from empty -doc packages.
Therefore, I propose that that sentence be removed. (Maybe with a
statement specifically saying that it's ok not to build certain binary
packages that only contain documentation. Or we could be more
aggressive and make it a recommendation to *not* create empty
documentation packages.)
History
=====
The nodoc section of Debian Policy was requested in
https://bugs.debian.org/759186
The original proposed wording did not have the sentence I disagree
with. This wasn't added until comment 40 (but see also comment 35).
See the concern expressed in comment 50 which in my opinion foresees
the issue I present here.
Other Info
========
Specifically, it is these lines in debian/control that lead to this
-doc package not being built. Perhaps that possibility was not as
clearly seen when the Debian Policy wording was added.
Package: libgdamm5.0-doc
Build-Profiles: <!nodoc>
The wiki also would need to be updated. [3]
[1] https://anonscm.debian.org/git/pkg-gnome/libgdamm5.0.git
[2] https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/#debian-rules-and-deb-build-options
[3] https://wiki.debian.org/BuildProfileSpec#Registered_profile_names
Thanks,
Jeremy Bicha
Reply to: