Looks like creating the Source Package for a meta-package fails

Asked by Karel Zimmer

Hi,

i've created an meta-package for myself to install the most common-used git components in one go (git-common.deb).
BTW This package i created just works fine.

I wanted to put my git-common.deb in in "my" PPA, but debuild -S keeps failing with:
~/mypackages/git-common$ debuild -S
debuild: fatal error at line 630:
cannot find readable debian/changelog anywhere!
Are you in the source code tree?

What am i doing wrong?

I thought i easily could add my package to PPA.

Thanks & regards
Karel

PS.

I've created my .deb via:
-------------------------------
$ cd
$ cd mypackages
$ mkdir git-common
$ mkdir git-common/DEBIAN
$ touch git-common/DEBIAN/control
$ gedit git-common/DEBIAN/control
$ rm git-common/DEBIAN/control~
---------------------------------------
$ mkdir git-common/usr \
        git-common/usr/share \
        git-common/usr/share/doc \
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common \
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus \
$ touch git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/license
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/readme
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog.Debian
$ gedit git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/license \
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/readme \
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog \
        git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog.Debian
$ rm git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/license~ \
     git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/readme~ \
     git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog~ \
     git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog.Debian~
$ gzip --best git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog
$ gzip --best git-common/usr/share/doc/git-common/linuxstatus/changelog.Debian

Create package
--------------------
$ fakeroot dpkg --build git-common

Check package
--------------------
$ lintian git-common.deb

===========================================================

Example control (ref man 5 deb-control)
-----------------------------------------
Package: git-common
Version: 1.0.1
Architecture: all
Maintainer: Karel Zimmer <email address hidden>
Installed-Size: N/A
Section: metapackages
Priority: optional
Origin: Ubuntu
Homepage: <http://karelzimmer.nl>
Depends: git-core, git-doc, gitweb, git-gui, gitk
Description: Een metapakket voor Git
 Dit metapakket installeert de meest gebruikte Git-onderdelen.
 .
 Na installatie van dit pakket is het volgende beschikbaar:
 - Git version control system (VCS)
 - Git documentatie
 - Git graphical user interfaces (GUIs)
 .
 Zie ook: usr/share/doc/git-common/readme (na installatie)

Example copyright
-------------------
Copyright (C) 2009 Karel Zimmer.
Dit pakket is vrije software: je mag het herdistribueren en/of
wijzigen onder de voorwaarden van de GNU Algemene Publieke Licentie
zoals gepubliceerd door de Free Software Foundation, onder versie 3 van
de Licentie of (naar jouw keuze) elke latere versie.

Dit pakket is gedistribueerd in de hoop dat het nuttig zal zijn maar
ZONDER ENIGE GARANTIE; zelfs zonder de impliciete garanties die
GEBRUIKELIJK ZIJN IN DE HANDEL of voor BRUIKBAARHEID VOOR EEN SPECIFIEK
DOEL. Zie de GNU Algemene Publieke Licentie voor meer details.

Je hoort een kopie van de GNU Algemene Publieke Licentie te hebben
ontvangen samen met dit programma. Als dat niet het geval is, zie
<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

Example readme
----------------
Matapakket git-common installeert de volgende paketten:

git-core - Basispakket
git-doc - Doumentatie
gitweb - Toon Git repository in de browser ($ gitweb)
git-gui - Graphical User Interface (GUI) voor Git ($ git-gui)
gitk - Visualiseer project historie ($ gitk)

Zie verder <http://git-scm.com/>, <http://git-scm.com/documentation>, en
<http://www.spheredev.org/wiki/Git_for_the_lazy>.

Example changelog
------------------
git-common (1.0.0)

  * Made Debian package git-common.

 -- Karel Zimmer <email address hidden> 2009-07-31

git-common (1.0.1)

  * Added changelog and changelog.Debian after check with lintian.

 -- Karel Zimmer <email address hidden> 2009-09-26

Example changelog.Debian
--------------------------
git-common Debian maintainer and upstream author are identical.
Therefore see also normal changelog file for Debian changes.

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Launchpad itself Edit question
Assignee:
Registry Administrators Edit question
Solved by:
Julian Edwards
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Julian Edwards (julian-edwards) said :
#1

This is the wrong forum to ask about packaging issues, which is for Launchpad-specific questions. I suggest you visit #ubuntu-motu on Freenode IRC or file a question on Ubuntu instead.

Revision history for this message
Karel Zimmer (karelz) said :
#2

Hi Julian,

thanks for your suggestion.
The point is that the package i've created (git-common.deb), for wich i've included everything i did to create, just works perfect.
I thought i could add this package easy as PPA.

Thansk & regrads,
Karel

Revision history for this message
Karel Zimmer (karelz) said :
#3

Hi all,

i just figured that it may has to do with the fact i am trying to upload a meta-package to my PPA.
Since it is a meta-package, there's no real source code involved.

Only the definition inside the meta-package is my "source", which is essentially the "Depends: git-core, git-doc, gitweb, git-gui, gitk".

I can live with fact that you can't have a meta-package in your PPA; but it would be nice...

Thanks
Karel

Revision history for this message
Best Julian Edwards (julian-edwards) said :
#4

Hi

You're failing at a packaging step before you're getting anywhere near uploading it to a PPA. "debuild" is a tool to create a package. You'll get a much more helpful answer if you ask in the right place :)

Revision history for this message
Karel Zimmer (karelz) said :
#5

Thanks Julian Edwards, that solved my question.