Contents: 1. Little "Howto Use it" 2. Explanation of how it works 1. Little "Howto Use it" ------------------------ The input file is in YAML format. Do bnot bother with comments, they will be removed. The format: Dont use tabs for indentation, use spaces. Strings should be within "", but normally work without. Exception: Version-numbers with an epoch really do want to be in "". YES, THEY WANT TO (or they get interpreted in a way you dont expect it). Keys (The order of them does not matter, only the indentation): short_tag: A short tag for the transition, like apt_update reason: One-line reason what is intended with it source: Source package that needs to transition new: New version of the target package rm: Name of the Release Team member responsible for this transition packages: Array of package names that are affected by this transition The following example wants to a.) update apt to version 0.7.12, the responsible Release Team member is Andreas Barth, and it affects some apt related packages and b.) wants to do something similar for lintian. apt_update: packages: - apt - synaptic - cron-apt - debtags - feta - apticron - aptitude reason: "Apt needs to transition to testing to get foo and bar done" source: apt new: 0.7.12 rm: Andreas Barth lintian_breakage: reason: "Testing a new feature" source: lintian new: 1.23.45~bpo40+1 rm: Ganneff packages: - lintian - python-syck ######################################################################## ######################################################################## 2. Explanation of how it works ------------------------------ Assume the following transition is defined: lintian_funtest: reason: "Testing a new feature" source: lintian new: 1.23.45~bpo40+1 rm: Ganneff packages: - lintian - python-syck Also assume the lintian situation on this archive looks like this: lintian | 1.23.28~bpo.1 | sarge-backports | source, all lintian | 1.23.45~bpo40+1 | etch-backports | source, all ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Now, I try to upload a (NEW, but that makes no difference) version of python-syck: $ dak process-unchecked -n python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1_i386.changes python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1_i386.changes REJECT Rejected: python-syck: part of the lintian_funtest transition. Your package is part of a testing transition designed to get lintian migrated (it currently is at version 1.23.28~bpo.1, we need version 1.23.45~bpo40+1) Transition description: Testing a new feature This transition is managed by the Release Team, and Ganneff is the Release-Team member responsible for it. Please contact Ganneff or debian-release@lists.debian.org if you need further assistance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lets change the definition of the transition, assume it is now: lintian_funtest: reason: "Testing a new feature" source: lintian new: 1.22.28~bpo.1 rm: Ganneff packages: - lintian - python-syck Which checks for a version older than the version actually available. Result: dak process-unchecked -n python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1_i386.changes python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1_i386.changes NEW for etch-backports (new) python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1.diff.gz extra python (new) python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1.dsc extra python (new) python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1_i386.deb extra python PySyck python bindings to the Syck YAML parser kit Syck is a simple YAML parser kit. . [...] the whole stuff about a new package. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For completness, change the transition to (exact existing version): lintian_funtest: reason: "Testing a new feature" source: lintian new: 1.23.28~bpo.1 rm: Ganneff packages: - lintian and the result is: dak process-unchecked -n python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1_i386.changes python-syck_0.61.2-1~bpo40+1_i386.changes NEW for etch-backports [... we know this ...] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The second part is the check_transitions script. For that we take the following transitions as example: apt_update: reason: "Apt needs to transition to testing to get foo and bar done" source: apt new: 0.2.12-1+b1.3 rm: Andreas Barth packages: - apt - synaptic - cron-apt - debtags - feta - apticron - aptitude lintian_funtest: reason: "Testing a new feature" source: lintian new: 1.23.45~bpo40+1 rm: Ganneff packages: - lintian - python-syck bar_breaks_it: reason: We dont want bar to break it source: bar new: "9:99" rm: Ganneff packages: - kdelibs - qt4-x11 - libqt-perl Running check-transitions ends up with the following output: Looking at transition: lintian_funtest Source: lintian New Version: 1.23.45~bpo40+1 Responsible: Ganneff Description: Testing a new feature Blocked Packages (total: 2): lintian, python-syck Apt compare says: -2 This transition is still ongoing, we currently have version 1.23.28~bpo.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking at transition: apt_update Source: apt New Version: 0.2.12-1+b1.3 Responsible: Andreas Barth Description: Apt needs to transition to testing to get foo and bar done Blocked Packages (total: 7): apt, synaptic, cron-apt, debtags, feta, apticron, aptitude Apt compare says: 4 This transition is over, the target package reached testing, removing apt wanted version: 0.2.12-1+b1.3, has 0.6.46.4-0.1~bpo.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking at transition: bar_breaks_it Source: bar New Version: 9:99 Responsible: Ganneff Description: We dont want bar to break it Blocked Packages (total: 3): kdelibs, qt4-x11, libqt-perl Transition source bar not in testing, transition still ongoing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I: I would remove the apt_update transition Changing our transition definitions for lintian (keeping the rest as above) to lintian_funtest: reason: "Testing a new feature" source: lintian new: 1.22.28~bpo.1 rm: Ganneff packages: - lintian - python-syck now we get Looking at transition: lintian_funtest Source: lintian New Version: 1.22.28~bpo.1 Responsible: Ganneff Description: Testing a new feature Blocked Packages (total: 2): lintian, python-syck Apt compare says: 1 This transition is over, the target package reached testing, removing lintian wanted version: 1.22.28~bpo.1, has 1.23.28~bpo.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking at transition: apt_update Source: apt New Version: 0.2.12-1+b1.3 Responsible: Andreas Barth Description: Apt needs to transition to testing to get foo and bar done Blocked Packages (total: 7): apt, synaptic, cron-apt, debtags, feta, apticron, aptitude Apt compare says: 4 This transition is over, the target package reached testing, removing apt wanted version: 0.2.12-1+b1.3, has 0.6.46.4-0.1~bpo.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking at transition: bar_breaks_it Source: bar New Version: 9:99 Responsible: Ganneff Description: We dont want bar to break it Blocked Packages (total: 3): kdelibs, qt4-x11, libqt-perl Transition source bar not in testing, transition still ongoing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I: I would remove the lintian_funtest transition I: I would remove the apt_update transition Not using the -n switch would turn the I: in actual removals :) The check-transition command is meant for the release team to always run it when they change a transition definition. It checks if the yaml is valid and can be loaded (but if not the archive simply does no reject) and also shows a nice overview.