Debian packaging notes

notes.md

These are my personal notes on how to handle Debian packaging best locally. Naturally they aren't authoritative, and I may have "missed a memo" - if so, let me know!

• New package
  • git init
  • gbp import-orig ...
  • debmake
• Clean up and edit
  • cme edit dpkg
  • see https://github.com/dod38fr/config-model/wiki/Managing-Debian-packages-with-cme
• License scan
  • debmake -k - quick check after updated upstream
  • scan-copyrights
  • cme update dpkg-copyright - but be careful and see docs.
  • See https://github.com/dod38fr/config-model/wiki/Updating-debian-copyright-file-with-cme
  • See also https://manpages.debian.org/buster/libconfig-model-dpkg-perl/Config::Model::Dpkg::Copyright.3pm.en.html
• Changelog update for release (timestamp, UNRELEASED -> unstable)
  • gbp dch --release
  • dch --release --news for packages with a NEWS file.
• Building
  • gbp buildpackage -uc -us - build binary for sid in the cowbuilder
  • gbp buildpackage -uc -us --git-dist=buster - build binary for Buster in the cowbuilder
  • gbp buildpackage -uc -us --git-dist=buster --git-arch=i386 - build binary for Buster 32-bit in the cowbuilder
  • gbp buildpackage -uc -us --git-dist=buster-backports -vCURRENT_BUSTER_VERSION - build binary for buster-backports in the cowbuilder - be sure to look up the current version in buster and update the -v argument
  • against deps: put deps for YOURPACKAGE in ~/extra/pbuilder/deps/YOURPACKAGE and pass DEPS=YOURPACKAGE to the builder. (based on https://wiki.debian.org/PbuilderTricks#How_to_include_local_packages_in_the_build )
• Update cowbuilders
  • git-pbuilder update updates the sid cowbuilder (default)
  • env DIST=buster git-pbuilder update updates the buster cowbuilder
  • env DIST=buster ARCH=i386 git-pbuilder update updates the buster 32-bit cowbuilder
  • env DIST=buster-backports git-pbuilder update updates the buster-backports cowbuilder
  • equivalent command but with git-pbuilder create creates them, though you may want to export a variable to change where they live. e.g. in Fish, set -U COWBUILDER_BASE /extra/ryan/pbuilder
  • You can use ubuntu distro release names here too:
    • you might need sudo apt install -t experimental debootstrap, sudo apt install zstd, and installing https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-keyring first.
    • env DIST="impish" git-pbuilder create --mirror http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
• Whalebuilder
  • Install apt-cacher-ng locally
  • Apt-cacher-ng docker image: https://github.com/deployable/docker-apt-cacher-ng
  • Easiest usage: make sure that auto-apt-proxy is included in whatever image you use to build.
  • If using patched whalebuilder, it has that already, otherwise build whalebuilder image like whalebuilder create -d ubuntu -r impish --repository http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu --hook 'RUN apt-get install -y -qq auto-apt-proxy' cached/impish
  • whalebuilder create -r bullseye --hook 'RUN apt-get install -y -qq auto-apt-proxy' cached/bullseye
  • Build with something like whalebuilder build cached/bullseye --network bridge copybara_0.0.0.r2746.g2afcc641-1.dsc
• Signing
  • debsign in the directory works - key ID was set in config file. (~/.devscripts)
  • Have to manually specify debsign -k 1E642ED2F007FDF153B6688E9045010AE5C2B9ED (or F029455EAB70F520FF4A03BD7F534CD56F00321E for old ID) to sign with work key instead of personal.
• Testing
  • sadt -b -v will run the autopkgtests locally, verbosely, and assuming a built source tree (hence -b)
• Submitting
  • dput mentors package-name.changes for submitting to https://mentors.debian.net
  • dput ppa:ppanamehere package-name.changes for submitting to a ppa (only uses source packages)
  • osc dput package-name.dsc for submitting to OBS
• Other important links
  • Debian Policy Manual this one is normative!
    • Upgrading checklist for bumping out of date standards versions.
  • Debian Developer's Reference
  • Guide for Debian Maintainers (successor of deb new maintainer's guide)
  • git-buildpackage manual

gbp pseudo-headers/meta tags in git commit messages:

• Gbp-Dch: Ignore
• Gbp-Dch: Short (useful if using gbp dch --full)
• Gbp-Dch: Full (useful by default - when --full not given )
• Thanks: msg
• Closes: bugnumber

This file: 2020-2024 by Rylie Pavlik. CC0 public domain dedication.