= How Emdebian makes a release, using reprepro =

reprepro now has a [[Bug:515030|"read-only" mode]] for a genuinely frozen distribution - used by adding {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} in {{{conf/distributions}}}. The previous advice here had problems with trying to overlay the frozen {{{pool/}}} directory and has been superceded by {{{ReadOnly:yes}}}.

If {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} is not set, stable is created within the existing repository, every action to include new or updated packages in the repository or modify repository data, causes the Release files for the '''stable''' distribution to be touched. This should not happen and it breaks the security signatures on the Release files. Once {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} is set, the read-only distribution is ignored by general repository updates and {{{reprepro}}} gives an error if you attempt to alter the read-only distribution explicitly.

Whilst checking your repository prior to the release, ensure that your configuration has '''suite''' and '''codename''' the right way around. '''suites can change, codenames must be pulled''' - i.e. reprepro can change a suite (unstable, testing, stable, oldstable) during a normal export but changing a codename (etch, lenny, squeeze, sid) can only be done by creating the codename you need and pulling packages from the old codename to the new.

Do '''NOT''' get [[Bug:515114|suites and codenames]] confused!

Your {{{dists}}} directory should contain something like:

{{{
lenny
lenny-proposed-updates
sid
squeeze
stable -> lenny
stable-proposed-updates -> lenny-proposed-updates
testing -> squeeze
unstable -> sid
}}}

This arises from having a {{{conf/distributions}}} file containing:

{{{
Suite: unstable
Codename: sid
}}}

The '''Codename''' exists as a real directory, the '''Suite''' is the '''s'''ymlink. (This is because when a release is made, the symlink is moved, not the release. {{{stable}}} changes from pointing at {{{etch}}} to pointing at {{{lenny}}} etc.)

Making a full release is then a case of modifying the {{{conf/distributions}}} file, pulling testing into stable and reinstating the {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} flag in {{{conf/distributions}}}. Remember to make all alterations to the {{{stable}}} stanza of {{{conf/distributions}}} '''only''' after unsetting the {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} flag to {{{no}}} or commenting out the entire line. If you've used {{{testing-proposed-updates}}}, you will also need to pull from there after pulling from {{{testing}}}. Once the release is complete, reinstate the {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} protection before making the release announcement.

Making a point release involves a similar process but pulling from {{{stable-proposed-updates}}}.

== First Edits for conf/distributions ==

 * Increment the {{{Version}}} for each stanza in {{{conf/distributions}}}
 * Add the relevant {{{Pull:}}} option to the {{{stable}}} stanza to update {{{stable}}} from {{{testing}}}
 * Add the relevant {{{Pull:}}} option to the {{{oldstable}}} stanza to update {{{oldstable}}} from {{{stable}}}
 * Remove the oldstable stanza and copy the {{{stable}}} stanza to {{{oldstable}}}
 * Toggle the {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} flag for {{{stable}}} to {{{no}}} or comment out that line
 * Toggle the {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} flag for {{{oldstable}}} to {{{no}}} or comment out that line

== pull stable into oldstable ==

(Make sure you do this '''before''' pulling testing into stable. :-)

{{{
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v export
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v checkpull oldstable
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v pull oldstable
}}}

This stage can be done some time before the release - in Debian it may be done as much as a week before the actual change to stable. Therefore, for a short period, {{{oldstable}}} and {{{stable}}} are the same. '''If you do''' update oldstable some time before doing the stable release, reinstate the {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} flag on oldstable and stable once the first pull is complete and disable {{{ReadOnly:yes}}} on {{{stable}}} again just before the actual stable release.

== pull testing into stable ==

Do all the checks you can before getting to this point.

{{{
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v export
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v checkpull stable
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v pull stable
}}}

The release is now live but the new testing distribution does not yet exist.

== Second Edits for conf/distributions ==

 * Change the {{{testing}}} stanza to describe {{{stable}}}
 * Add the new {{{Codename}}} for the new {{{testing}}} stanza
 * Toggle the {{{ReadOnly:no}}} flag for {{{stable}}} to {{{yes}}} or uncomment that line
 * Toggle the {{{ReadOnly:no}}} flag for {{{oldstable}}} to {{{yes}}} or uncomment that line

== update the repository structure ==

{{{
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v export
$ reprepro -b /path/ -v createsymlinks
}}}

Sample local test for apt
{{{
deb file:///opt/reprepro/grip/ lenny main
}}}

Sample apt-cache policy output:
{{{
$ apt-cache policyPackage files:
 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     release a=now
 500 file: lenny/main Packages
     release v=0.1,o=Debian,a=stable,l=EmdebianGrip,c=main
 500 http://www.emdebian.org unstable/main Packages
     release v=0.1,o=Debian,a=unstable,l=Emdebian-tools-unstable,c=main
     origin www.emdebian.org
 500 ftp://ftp.fr.debian.org unstable/main Packages
     release o=Debian,a=unstable,l=Debian,c=main
     origin ftp.fr.debian.org
Pinned packages:
}}}

For a specific test package:
{{{
$ apt-cache policy zlib1g
zlib1g:
  Installed: 1:1.2.3.3.dfsg-12
  Candidate: 1:1.2.3.3.dfsg-12em1
  Version table:
     1:1.2.3.3.dfsg-12em1 0
        500 file: lenny/main Packages
 *** 1:1.2.3.3.dfsg-12 0
        500 ftp://ftp.fr.debian.org unstable/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
}}}

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CategoryEmdebian