Bug#1000771: missing Files-Excluded in packaging-manuals/copyright-format

Hi,

Key documents of interest to think about raised issue are:
https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-source.html#copyright-debian-copyright
https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-source.html#upstream-source-location-debian-watch
https://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/copyright-format/1.0/

On Sun, 2021-11-28 at 21:39 +0100, Holger Wansing wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Am 28. November 2021 20:43:01 MEZ schrieb Geert Stappers <[email protected]>:
> > Package: www.debian.org
> > 
> > Hello www.debian.org care takers,
> > 
> > 
> > While searching for information about
> > field 'Files-Excluded: ' in debian/copyright
> > did I came across https://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/copyright-format/1.0/
> > That document is not yet aware of the field.
> > 

I see.

> > Since https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=685506#197
> > is there a patch for it.
> > 

Yes, policy is the place, if we ever make this as policy required method.

FYI: I do mention on this field in my tutorial:
https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debmake-doc/ch05.en.html#copyright

> > Please advice how to add information
> > to https://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/copyright-format/1.0
> 
> The website just shows the content the debian-policy package 
> (from unstable).
> 
> So, the new content simply needs to be added the the package.
> The patch could be a good step forward for that...

TOH, dpkg, debhelper, uscan, and tools in devscripts ... are the default tool sets to
be used for Debian packaging.  uscan calls mk-origtargz to take care creating
orig.tar.xz file these days.  I can see mention of Files-Excluded in:

   https://manpages.debian.org/testing/devscripts/uscan.1.en.html

To me, this is a popular data field for popular tool but may not be as important to
be defined in details as policy required field.

Speaking of uscan, I don't think we had much policy discussion on some packaging
reference data, debian/watch, when I updated debian/watch file format details by
updating uscan code.  Debian policy only defines existence of file but not much on
how it is organized.
https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-source.html#upstream-source-location-debian-watch

Files-Excluded is just like watch file format details and it looks more of an
optional feature to me.

If we ever add something to policy on Files-Excluded, just mentioning as much as we
did for watch file is appropriate. Don't go too much in details.

Osamu