Package: autodep8
Severity: normal
X-Debbugs-Cc: ni...@thykier.net
Hi,
I noted a regression in `autodep8` for `debhelper` where it would stop
finding autopkgtests for perl tests. The original automatic detection
logic inside autodep8 does not work for `debhelper` but it has tests
that work, so `debian/control` has an explicit `Testsuite:
autopkgtest-pkg-perl`.
While working with some formatting code, that line got rewritten to:
```
Testsuite:
autopkgtest-pkg-perl
```
I thought nothing of it because this should be equally valid since
comma-separated fields are generally folded (whitespace / newlines are
not significant). However, `autodep8` does not match the test anymore.
Restoring the original formatting works around the problem.
The underlying problem seems to be `autodep8` assuming there is only one
token in `debian/control` and no surrounding spaces given the regexes
are always anchored with `^` and `$`.
This behavior contradicts Debian Policy manual (if that is a bug in
Policy, please file or forward the bug there), where the field is a
`comma-separated list` strongly implying multiple values may be present.
Other comma-separated lists such as `Depends` and `Uploaders` are
generally folded (meaning newlines and whitespace are not considered
significant and largely removed by parsers). However, Policy is not
explicit here and maybe it should be. I will leave you to file a bug
against Policy if the field should be `simple` (no newlines allowed) or
`multiline` (newlines are allowed and whitespace is significant).
Again, if the conclusion is that the field should be simple, then please:
1) clone and reassign to debian-policy to have that clarified
2) reassign this bug back to debhelper to have it fix its
`debian/control`
Otherwise, consider reassigning a clone to debian-policy if the wording
in Policy should be clarified in addition to the relevant fixing of
`autodep8`.
Best regards,
Niels
