While it is working dpkg prints messages like these:

    Setting up foo (1.0) ...

Policy 9.4 gives the following advice for the writing of initscripts.

    If you want to express that the computer is working on
    something (that is, performing a specific task, not starting
    or stopping a program), we use an "ellipsis" (three dots:
    "..."). Note that we don't insert spaces before or after the
    dots. If the task has been completed we write "done." and a
    line feed.

Thus initscripts print messages like these:

    Initialising bar...done.

When packages are being installed initscripts sometimes get run;
thus one sees a mixture of dpkg-style "working" messages and
initscripts-style "working" messages.  Consistency of style would
be better aesthetically so I suggest that dpkg's messages be
changed to follow the policy for initscripts' messages.

reassign 254998 policy
thanks
Given "dpkg-style" predates policy by quite some time, I suggest that it
is Policy that should change, if anything.

Scott

So you are taking the position that it is better to modify policy and
scores of initscripts than it is to modify dpkg such that its output is
harmonized with theirs?

Is this purely because dpkg is the more senior program, or is there some
other hindrance to deleting the space before "..." in dpkg's output?

Hi,

        The fact that dpkg does not follow what the policy recommends
 is by no means a policy bug. It also is not clear that section 9.4
 applies to dpkg in the first place (dpkg is not an initscript). I
 understand the aesthetic motivation, but thefact that packages are
 sometimnes restarted during upgrades/installs and the dpkg output
 does not jell with initscript output does not imply that initscript
 output policy is somehow buggy. If you really think this is a bug,
 propose an alternative, along with a  transition plan.

	manoj

reopen 254998
severity 254998 wishlist
thanks

I agree that this is not a policy bug; that is why I filed it against
dpkg.  I don't think that dpkg is violating policy either; if I did, I
would have set the severity higher.

I think that the dpkg maintainer wrongly reassigned this report to
policy.  Not wanting to play BTS tennis, I refrained from reassigning it
back to dpkg until this report could gather more comments.

The motivation for this report is that the user sees sometimes "blah..."
and sometimes "blah ..." when installing packages.  This looks untidy.
If this aesthetic consideration is of no importance at all (not even
warranting minor or wishlist severity) then I agree with the closing of
the bug.  Otherwise the "transition plan" is simple: edit the strings in
dpkg with s/ \.\.\./\.\.\./g.  I don't see what is so difficult about
that, and no one has yet said what obstacles there are to doing it.

severity 254998 wishlist
retitle 254998 "[DPKG] place space before ellipsis to match initscript style"
thanks
Actually my position is that if harmonisation of output during
install/upgrade is to occur, it should be mandated by policy.  Not only
dpkg output is affected, but APT output and the output of any maintainer
script also.

Manoj has confirmed this section of policy does not apply to dpkg, or
indeed any other output produced through maintainer scripts.

Either policy should mandate an output format, or you'll have to file
bugs on every maintainer script that outputs messages with an ellipsis
and risk them being closed because the maintainer (correctly) doesn't
believe this is mandated by policy.
I think the time is better spent working on ways for front-ends to
suppress dpkg's output entirely, so neither message is seen.

Scott