Source: debian-policy Version: 4.1.1.1 I recently introduced support for nodoc for libgdamm5.0 in its packaging branch (not uploaded to unstable yet) [1]. Since there is only one arch-indep package, the -doc package, there are no packages built when an arch-indep build is attempted with the nodoc build profile.
This is technically a violation of Debian Policy 4.9.1 which has this wording "This option does not change the set of binary packages generated by the source package, but documentation-only binary packages may be nearly empty when built with this option." [2] I don't think there is any benefit to anyone from empty -doc packages. Therefore, I propose that that sentence be removed. (Maybe with a statement specifically saying that it's ok not to build certain binary packages that only contain documentation. Or we could be more aggressive and make it a recommendation to *not* create empty documentation packages.) History ===== The nodoc section of Debian Policy was requested in https://bugs.debian.org/759186 The original proposed wording did not have the sentence I disagree with. This wasn't added until comment 40 (but see also comment 35). See the concern expressed in comment 50 which in my opinion foresees the issue I present here. Other Info ======== Specifically, it is these lines in debian/control that lead to this -doc package not being built. Perhaps that possibility was not as clearly seen when the Debian Policy wording was added. Package: libgdamm5.0-doc Build-Profiles: <!nodoc> The wiki also would need to be updated. [3] [1] https://anonscm.debian.org/git/pkg-gnome/libgdamm5.0.git [2] https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/#debian-rules-and-deb-build-options [3] https://wiki.debian.org/BuildProfileSpec#Registered_profile_names Thanks, Jeremy Bicha
