Debian Bug report logs - #14655
FIXED in NMU [was: Conflicting documentation for dpkg-gencontrol]

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Message #5 received at submit@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: "Oliver Elphick" <olly@linda.lfix.co.uk>

To: submit@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Conflicting documentation for dpkg-gencontrol

Date: Sat, 08 Nov 1997 00:13:54 +0000

Package: dpkg-dev
Version: 1.4.0.19

The man page for dpkg-gencontrol (and others) says (I think) exactly the opposite
of what it should say for the -ppackage option:

	  -ppackage
		    Generate information for the binary  package  pack-
		    age.   If  the  source  control  file lists several
		    binary packages then this option  may  be  omitted;
		    otherwise  it  is  essential to select which binary
		    package's information to generate.

whereas the packaging manual (section 3.1.3) says:

	For a package which generates only one binary package, and which builds
	it in debian/tmp relative to the top of the source package, it is
	usually sufficient to call: 

		dpkg-gencontrol

	Sources which build several binaries will typically need something like: 

		dpkg-gencontrol -Pdebian/tmp-pkg -ppackage

This is extremely confusing.  I assume that the packaging manual is correct
in this instance.  Therefore the manpage should read:

          -ppackage
                    Generate information for the binary  package  pack-
                    age.   If  the  source  control  file lists only one
                    binary package, this option  may  be  omitted;
                    otherwise  it  is  essential to select which binary
                    package's information to generate.

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