Bug#979080: libhtml-template-pro-perl FTCBFS: dependency issues

[Helmut Grohne]

Hi gregor,

On Sat, Jan 02, 2021 at 05:14:45PM +0100, gregor herrmann wrote:
> BTW, your debdiffs never apply, as the packages evolve in git. E.g.
> the perl-xs-dev dependency is already added, and we make also other
> mass changes, and then the Debian janitor also comes along.

That's useful info and it wasn't obvious to me. Thank you for telling.

> That's no big deal, I just look at your debdiffs and fix what
> remains, but it would also be enough to just say "please add
> <!nocheck> and perl-xs-dev" (or start from the package's git repo).

Reducing the friction here obviously is a good idea, but at this point,
I'm unsure how to converge.

I strongly prefer working from unstable as that tends to work or has a
ftbfs bug filed. What is in git tends to not work as well (at least
outside the perl team).

Filing a bug has a dual purpose on my side: For one thing, I transmit
the message and the proposed fixed. However, it also gives me an
automatic handle of when to retry the package. udd knows when a bug is
fixed in unstable.

Before filing a patch, I want to see that it actually works. So I end up
writing the patch anyway. Not attaching it (even if it doesn't apply to
git), seems less useful to me.

I guess the best course of action atm is skipping perl issues. Given
more time, the <!nocheck>, perl-xs-dev and multiarch hints will trickle
into more packages solving a big chunk of the problem with less
friction.

Please let me know if you reach a different conclusion.

Helmut