#1061450 /usr/bin/dpkg-buildpackage: dpkg-buildpackage does not have tab completion

Package:
dpkg-dev
Source:
dpkg-dev
Submitter:
Aidan Gallagher
Date:
2026-06-02 03:35:01 UTC
Severity:
normal
Tags:
#1061450#5
Date:
2024-01-24 19:18:15 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

I'm creating a wrapper around dpkg-buildpackage that allows package builds to run in a docker container (https://github.com/aidan-gallagher/debpic).

My package has tab completion for everything however when I added the option to specify dpkg-buildpackage options I realised dpkg-buildpackage doesn't have tab completion.

I assume this is an easy task that is free for picking up?

#1061450#10
Date:
2024-01-25 12:05:16 UTC
From:
To:
Hi!

I've been working on trying to first integrate the current bash
completion support from the bash-completion upstream, but there are
some compatibility issues that need to be fixed first:

https://github.com/scop/bash-completion/issues/694
https://github.com/guillemj/bash-completion/tree/pu/upstream-dpkg

and here's the integration in dpkg itself:

https://git.hadrons.org/cgit/debian/dpkg/dpkg.git/log/?h=pu/merge-bash-completions

But then I don't think that would affect dpkg-buildpackage. So if you
want to tackle that one, that would be great. I can probably split the
build system support and merge that and leave the tricky parts of the
hand over for later.

If you are talking about zsh, that also works though! :)

Thanks,
Guillem

#1061450#15
Date:
2024-02-02 06:41:20 UTC
From:
To:
Greetings.

I'm writing to you because I have a humanitarian request that I believe
could be incredibly impactful. I'm reaching out about the recent
devastating storm that tragically claimed many lives and affected numerous
individuals in Libya, including one of my clients. I would like to discuss
a proposal with you that could enable us to extend a helping hand to these
victims.

Looking forward to discussing this further with you.

Warm regards,
Mrs. Nathalie Herolds

#1061450#20
Date:
2026-05-19 10:21:32 UTC
From:
To:
Hi Guillem,

I'm new to Debian contribution and came across this bug via the
`newcomer` tag. Before I write anything, two quick questions so I
don't duplicate or conflict with the upstream bash-completion
integration you mentioned (pu/merge-bash-completions /
scop/bash-completion#694):

1. Is dpkg-buildpackage completion still open for an outside
   contribution, or has it been absorbed into your upstream work
   since then?

2. If still open, would you prefer the initial patch to add a zsh
   completion only (matching the existing `_dpkg-parsechangelog`
   style under `scripts/completion/zsh/`), or bash + zsh together?

No rush — I'll work on other newcomer-tagged bugs while waiting and
pick this up whenever you have a moment to reply.

#1061450#25
Date:
2026-06-02 03:32:10 UTC
From:
To:
Hi!

I've now submitted an MR to bash-completion upstream to be able to
unblock this and take over the completions in dpkg, which I'd be
planning on doing for 1.23.8, where I'm refreshing the
pu/merge-bash-completions branch, which I'll try to update tomorrow
or so.

Sure thing! For bash sure, for zsh I see that this is already
provided by zsh upstream (but I'm not sure how up-to-date it is).

I've not added anything new relative to bash-completion upstream,
but would consider starting to work on bash-completion improvements
and additions once the transfer has been coordinate. Let me know if
you'd like to start on any program and I'll hold off on those. I'm
unlikely to work on zsh as I don't use it, but I'm happy to merge
zsh completions.

Given what I mention above that zsh already ships completions for it,
I think bash-only would be easiest, as I'm not sure what's zsh stance
on where they prefer to maintain these. But if you or someone else
would like to check how an ownership transfer could be done from zsh
to dpkg, although that might imply rewriting the zsh completion from
scratch (clean room etc) to avoid having to use the Zsh license in
dpkg, then I'd be happy to merge such new completions.

So from my PoV, both would be ideal, but feel free to work on the ones
you are most interested in. In case you work on bash completions,
please make use of the new bash-completion 2.12 APIs (but not later).

Thanks,
Guillem