Bug#786039: add debconf testing

[Wouter Verhelst]

Package: autopkgtest
Severity: wishlist

Hi,

It would be great if autopkgtest were to include a method to test
debconf scripts. This could be done by creating a custom debconf
frontend that takes answers to questions from autopkgtest rather than
from the user. The system could automatically permutate values over
various runs (e.g., install the package once while answering "yes" to a
boolean, and once while answering "no" to a boolean)

For templates which could have a potentially infinite number of answers,
either the maintainer could enter the possible range in the autopkgtest
configuration (or, better yet, in the template, though that would
require changes to the debconf spec), or the system could use a limited
number of random values. Also, for templates which have a limited but
large number of answers (e.g., the locales package), it might be good to
have a way to specify that the system doesn't need to try *all* possible
permutations.

Regards,

-- System Information:
Debian Release: stretch/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 4.0.0-1-amd64 (SMP w/8 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=nl_BE.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=nl_BE.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)

Versions of packages autopkgtest depends on:
ii  apt-utils       1.0.9.9
ii  libdpkg-perl    1.17.25
ii  procps          2:3.3.9-9
ii  python3         3.4.2-2
ii  python3-debian  0.1.27

Versions of packages autopkgtest recommends:
ii  autodep8  0.1

Versions of packages autopkgtest suggests:
pn  lxc          <none>
ii  qemu-system  1:2.3+dfsg-3
ii  qemu-utils   1:2.3+dfsg-3
pn  schroot      <none>

-- no debconf information