[apt-build-devel] Bug#851913: apt-build: Perl code should be modernised and made less error-prone

[apt-build development list]

Package: apt-build
Version: 0.12.46
Severity: wishlist

apt-build's Perl code contains several patterns which are considered bad
(and error-prone) style. For example:

* Two-parameter open() calls should be replaced with three-parameter
  open() calls.

* Most open() calls are not being checked for their return value (which
  might indicate failures).

* Instead of '$\ = "\n";', "say" should be used instead of "print" where
  this feature is wanted. (Had to add some "chomp()" calls to cope with
  the additional newlines upon "print".)

* Many system() calls could be replaced with pure-perl solutions, e.g.
  calling mkdir, rm, cat, ln, cp, etc. (Seems to be no speed issue so
  far, though.)

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 9.0
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (990, 'unstable'), (600, 'testing'), (500, 'unstable-debug'), (500, 'buildd-unstable'), (110, 'experimental'), (1, 'experimental-debug'), (1, 'buildd-experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 4.9.0-1-amd64 (SMP w/8 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=C.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=C.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: sysvinit (via /sbin/init)

Versions of packages apt-build depends on:
ii  apt                     1.4~beta4
ii  apt-utils               1.4~beta4
ii  cdebconf [debconf-2.0]  0.220
ii  debconf [debconf-2.0]   1.5.59
ii  devscripts              2.17.0
ii  dpkg                    1.18.18
ii  dpkg-dev                1.18.18
ii  g++                     4:6.3.0-1
ii  gcc                     4:6.3.0-1
ii  libappconfig-perl       1.66-2
ii  libapt-pkg-perl         0.1.30
ii  libc6                   2.24-9
pn  perl:any                <none>

Versions of packages apt-build recommends:
ii  build-essential  12.2
ii  fakeroot         1.21-3.1

Versions of packages apt-build suggests:
ii  gfortran  4:6.3.0-1

-- debconf information:
* apt-build/add_to_sourceslist: true
  apt-build/repository_dir: /var/cache/apt-build/repository
  apt-build/arch_alpha: native
  apt-build/arch_sparc: native
  apt-build/options:
  apt-build/archtype: native
  apt-build/arch_arm: native
* apt-build/make_options: -j8
* apt-build/olevel: Medium
  apt-build/build_dir: /var/cache/apt-build/build
* apt-build/arch_amd64: native
  apt-build/arch_intel: native
  apt-build/arch_amd: native