Currently, dgit can clone packages from a specific suite (e.g. sid).

It would be useful if dgit could clone a specific version of a package, too.

The use-case is to obtain a git working directory in a ready-to-build state for
the specific package version which is currently installed on a
not-necessarily-up-to-date machine.

In other words: if I’d like to fix a bug or debug something in a package, I
don’t want to be forced to update my entire machine beforehand.

Of course I could just use “apt source”, but then I don’t get the git history,
vcs-git branches, etc.

Simon Tatham writes ("Bug#1123834: dgit clone: placeholder suite name for local machine?"):
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Thanks.  This kind of use case has been discussed before, in eg
#848193 and #877969.  The hard part is deciding on the details of what
the UI and behaviour shouold be.

And, you have some interesting UI suggestions.  So, thanks!

Ian.

Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

Yes. I see in the other tickets that there's at least a distinction
between

 (a) the most up-to-date version from the combination of package suites
     that my apt is currently configured to talk to

 (b) the specific version that is installed right this instant on my
     machine, even if a later version is available via an 'apt update' I
     haven't got round to running.

(I believe 'apt source' does (a).)

For my purposes I don't especially care about the difference, because I
apt update frequently in general, and moreover, if anything on my system
is actively confusing me, I'll probably do a precautionary update before
I put any real effort into figuring it out, in case it's been recently
fixed. So if (a) and (b) don't agree with each other, then my own
opinion is that that's on me, and I don't mind which dgit does.

But I can certainly see that other people might care!

Cheers,
Simon