#1091985 developers-reference: Suggest architecture-properties for 5.10.4

#1091985#5
Date:
2025-01-03 04:44:28 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

The section 5.10.4 is about packages that are not portable to all
architectures. Here it talks about changing the `Architecture` line and
`Packages-arch-specific` as possible ways.

I think we should add a mention of `architecture-properties` next to
`Architecture`. Maybe something like:

"""
Additionally, if you believe the list of supported architectures is
pretty constant, you should change any to a list of supported
architectures in debian/control or add a Build-Depends on one of the
`architecture-properties` provided names such as
`architecture-is-64-bit`. This way, the build will not be performed on
the relevant architectures, and indicate this to a human reader.
"""

This also changes the note about the build "will fail". In my
understanding, the buildds will **not** try these builds (anymore?). At
least, the buildds now say `$ARCH is not present in the architecture
list set by the maintainer` rather than showing a build log. For the
newly added snippet about `architecture-properties`, they instead goes
into a "permanent" `Dep-Wait` state.
   Either way, saying "the build will fail also" feels like a stretch to
me given it stops "before" the build ever happens.

Best regards,
Niels

#1091985#10
Date:
2025-01-03 10:44:38 UTC
From:
To:
Hi Niels,

thanks for the bug report.

sounds good to me.

the build s#will fail#will not be attempted# sounds like a straightwarforward
change to me.

patches or commits most welcome!