Bug#949006: debian-policy: Stop recommending stamp files in debian/rules

[Niels Thykier <niels@thykier.net>]

Jonathan Nieder:
> Niels Thykier wrote:
> 
>> debhelper cannot see "inside" the upstream build system.  If you modify
>> a .c file, debhelper won't notice and will currently just skip the
>> entire build.  Alternatively, debhelper will have to invoke the build
>> system and rely on it to not be flawed.
> 
> Yes, I think that would be a good behavior (invoking the build system
> and if it's flawed, let the packager work with upstream on it).
> Especially because the effect is directly on the packagers --- buildds
> wouldn't be hurt by this, as you note.
> 
> Is that the proposed debhelper change?  Where can I sign up? :)
> 

You can get this behaviour today with:

    dh $@ --without build-stamp

(You probably want to implement "Rules-Requires-Root: no" first)

My idea would be to use Rules-Requires-Root as conditional to whether
the build-stamp should be enabled by default in a future compat level.
The rationale for that conditional being that we do not want to invoke
the build system as root by default.

>> AFAICT, the current practise recommended by policy have the same issue
>> (assuming you implement the stamp file or touch the "build" file).
> 
> Right, using "touch build" or build-stamp is a last resort, for
> dealing with irreperable upstream build systems.  Having a proper
> upstream build system is much better (and isn't all that rare).
> 
> Thanks,
> Jonathan
> 


Thanks,
~Niels