Bug#698687: autopkgtest [spec]: Clarify what to use as a "scratch" area for "large data"

[Niels Thykier]

Package: autopkgtest
Version: 2.2.3
Severity: wishlist

Hi,

Reading through the autopkgtest spec, I did not see any (endorsed) way
for tests to request a temporary storage area for "large data" sets.

My (hypotechical) use-case would be anything using very large datasets
that you don't want to stuff into /tmp (particularly with /tmp
defaulting to tmpfs these days)[1].

Should such tests request for the source directory to be "rw" or use
/var/tmp (or <third option>)?

~Niels

[1] Example being Britney.  If she is ever packaged as a deb package,
her test suite would currently have tests for about a GB (based on
live-data).