[Bug 730622] Re: no way to specify all architectures

[Niels Thykier]

Hi,

Can you give a case where it would be useful to ask debhelper to build a
package for an architecture, where it is not supported (as declared by
the maintainer)?  The only case I can come up with is that the
Architecture field is wrong/out of date.  Though in this case, the
proper solution would be to update the Architecture field.


** Changed in: debhelper (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Incomplete

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Title:
  no way to specify all architectures

Status in debhelper package in Ubuntu:
  Incomplete

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: debhelper

  It used to be that by default all packages are selected. However,
  getpackages('both') is called from init(), which does not select
  packages for architectures other than the build architecture. The old
  behaviour of calling getpackages() should be used (no parameter, to
  get all of them). This is line 79 in Dh_Lib.pm. There was a recent
  change claiming that the new behaviour was more desirable to reduce
  the size of debian/rules. However, it seems that the -s option already
  covers the situation of smartly detecting compatibility.

  Furthermore, I would also debate whether the new design of -a not
  allowing architectures that don't match the current one is correct.
  Wanting architecture-dependent packages says nothing about whether you
  want them to match. Again, there is already a -s option. Now there is
  a different default too. Making a third change to -a behaviour means
  there is no way to specify building all architectures.

  Perhaps it should also be an error rather than warning to ask for
  packages that do not exist, or if there are no packages found?

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