Only dpkg-gencontrol supports variable substitution

dpkg-genchanges and dpkg-source don't use substvars, so stop claiming
that they do.  Wording from Charles Plessy.

diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 383b6076f0d57ed9b9e846c4657ca7c58abc29c2..2f854adee0a0d292f57215e521f0f2c576304343 100644 (file)
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ debian-policy (3.9.1.0) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     Seconded: Raphaël Hertzog <hertzog@debian.org>
     Seconded: Emilio Pozuelo Monfort <pochu27@gmail.com>
     Closes: #509933
+  * Policy: Only dpkg-gencontrol supports variable substitutions
+    Wording: Charles Plessy <plessy@debian.org>
+    Seconded: Emilio Pozuelo Monfort <pochu@debian.org>
+    Seconded: Guillem Jover <guillem@debian.org>
+    Closes: #589609
   * Set the version of the Perl Policy to match the version of the Policy
     package.
   * Explain the Perl module package naming policy more explicitly and

diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml
index 4ea42e8afa2bdddc404eb02f4616b79e4ebb27d9..847f7162236468751baa8a42f4de33f60ce8fb8b 100644 (file)
--- a/policy.sgml
+++ b/policy.sgml
@@ -2218,16 +2218,16 @@ endif
        <heading>Variable substitutions: <file>debian/substvars</file></heading>
 
        <p>
-         When <prgn>dpkg-gencontrol</prgn>,
-         <prgn>dpkg-genchanges</prgn> and <prgn>dpkg-source</prgn>
-         generate control files, they perform variable substitutions
-         on their output just before writing it.  Variable
+         When <prgn>dpkg-gencontrol</prgn>
+         generates <qref id="binarycontrolfiles">binary package control
+         files</qref> (<file>DEBIAN/control</file>), it performs variable
+         substitutions on its output just before writing it.  Variable
          substitutions have the form <tt>${<var>variable</var>}</tt>.
          The optional file <file>debian/substvars</file> contains
          variable substitutions to be used; variables can also be set
          directly from <file>debian/rules</file> using the <tt>-V</tt>
-         option to the source packaging commands, and certain
-         predefined variables are also available.
+         option to the source packaging commands, and certain predefined
+         variables are also available.
        </p>
 
        <p>

diff --git a/upgrading-checklist.sgml b/upgrading-checklist.sgml
index 3dc378c102aef1bd31259dd41476a9675f8877a7..a147fca096c81a940b2a997b109b56d9d7ad2e73 100644 (file)
--- a/upgrading-checklist.sgml
+++ b/upgrading-checklist.sgml
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ Not yet released.
   to <prgn>dpkg-divert</prgn> when creating or removing diversions and
   must not use <tt>--local</tt>.
   </item>
+<tag>4.10</tag>
+  <item>Only <prgn>dpkg-gencontrol</prgn> supports variable substitution.
+  <prgn>dpkg-genchanges</prgn> (for <file>*.changes</file>)
+  and <prgn>dpkg-source</prgn> (for <file>*.dsc</file>) do not.
+  </item>
 <tag>7.1</tag>
   <item>Architecture restrictions and wildcards are also allowed in binary
   package relationships provided that the binary package is not