[Pkg-sql-ledger-discussion] About SQL-Ledger packaging

[Raphael Hertzog]

Hello folks,

I've been a user of SQL Ledger for quite some time now and since it looks
like the packaging effort needs some help, I decided to join (BTW, I
already added myself to the alioth project but I won't commit anything
before having your approval).

I just compiled/checked the branch for 2.6.3. (This should be moved into
the main trunk BTW, 2.6.3 is the new stable version)

Here are my first comments/remarks:

1/ Lintian warnings/errors should be fixed :

E: sql-ledger source: package-lacks-versioned-build-depends-on-debhelper 4
W: sql-ledger source: out-of-date-standards-version 3.6.1

Those are easy to fix (edit debian/control, fix build-depends and
standard-version).

W: sql-ledger source: changelog-should-mention-nmu
W: sql-ledger source: source-nmu-has-incorrect-version-number 2.6.3-1

Easy also (edit debian/control and add everyone in the Uploaders field).

2/ I don't like dpatch. What about using something else so that we can
have an .orig.tar.gz which matches the upstream tarball ?

3/ We need to review README.Debian to provide "good secure instructions"
and not give bad advice where any CGI script can access sql-ledger DB.
We need to automatically do whatever is needed to make SQL Ledger work out
of the box. I think this includes creating a sql-ledger user in
PostgreSQL (with password) and modifying pg_hba.conf accordingly.

4/ What about locking SQL-Ledger automatically each time we upgrade to a
new upstream version (it is recommended by upgrade instructions in
doc/README) ? We need to make sure that upgrades between version
are painless (and thus we should automatize as much as possible from the
various UPGRADE-* files).

Example of something to do: copy new template "Timecard" into user
directories where the file do not exist yet.


I'm waiting on your feedback.

Cheers,
-- 
Raphaël Hertzog

Premier livre français sur Debian GNU/Linux :
http://www.ouaza.com/livre/admin-debian/