path: root/scripts/debdiff.1

.TH DEBDIFF 1 "Debian Utilities" "DEBIAN" \" -*- nroff -*-
.SH NAME
debdiff \- compare file lists in two Debian packages
.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBdebdiff\fR [\fIoptions\fR] \fR
.br
\fBdebdiff\fR [\fIoptions\fR] ... \fIdeb1 deb2\fR
.br
\fBdebdiff\fR [\fIoptions\fR] ... \fIchanges1 changes2\fR
.br
\fBdebdiff\fR [\fIoptions\fR] ... \fB\-\-from \fIdeb1a deb1b ...
\fB\-\-to \fIdeb2a deb2b ...\fR
.br
\fBdebdiff\fR [\fIoptions\fR] ... \fIdsc1 dsc2\fR
.SH DESCRIPTION
\fBdebdiff\fR takes the names of two Debian package files (\fI.deb\fRs
or \fI.udeb\fRs) on the command line and compares their contents
(considering only the files in the main package, not the maintenance
scripts).  It shows which files have been introduced and which removed
between the two package files, and is therefore useful for spotting
files which may have been inadvertently lost between revisions of the
package.  It also checks the file owners and permissions, and compares
the control files of the two packages using the \fBwdiff\fR program.
If you want a deeper comparison of two Debian package files you can
use the \fBdiffoscope\fR tool.
.PP
If no arguments are given, \fBdebdiff\fR tries to compare the content
of the current source directory with the last version of the package.
.PP
\fBdebdiff\fR can also handle changes between groups of \fI.deb\fR
files in two ways.  The first is to specify two \fI.changes\fR files.
In this case, the \fI.deb\fR files listed in the \fI.changes\fR file
will be compared, by taking the contents of all of the
listed \fI.deb\fR files together.  (The \fI.deb\fR files listed are
assumed to be in the same directory as the \fI.changes\fR file.)  The
second way is to list the \fI.deb\fR files of interest specifically
using the \fB\-\-from\fR ... \fB\-\-to\fR syntax.  These both help if
a package is broken up into smaller packages and one wishes to ensure
that nothing is lost in the interim.
.PP
\fBdebdiff\fR examines the \fBdevscripts\fR configuration files as
described below.  Command line options override the configuration file
settings, though.
.PP
If \fBdebdiff\fR is passed two source packages (\fI.dsc\fR files) it
will compare the contents of the source packages.  If the source
packages differ only in Debian revision number (that is,
the \fI.orig.tar.gz\fR files are the same in the two \fI.dsc\fR
files), then \fBinterdiff\fR(1) will be used to compare the two patch
files if this program is available on the system, otherwise a
\fBdiff\fR will be performed between the two source trees.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.BR \-\-dirs ", " \-d
The default mode of operation is to ignore directory names which
appear in the file list, but they, too, will be considered if this
option is given.
.TP
.B \-\-nodirs
Ignore directory names which appear in the file list.  This is the
default and it can be used to override a configuration file setting.
.TP
.BI \-\-move " FROM TO" "\fR,\fP \-m" " FROM TO"
It sometimes occurs that various files or directories are moved around
between revisions.  This can be handled using this option.  There are
two arguments, the first giving the location of the directory or file
in the first package, and the second in the second.  Any files in the
first listing whose names begin with the first argument are treated as
having that substituted for the second argument when the file lists
are compared.  Any number of \fB\-\-move\fR arguments may be given;
they are processed in the order in which they appear. This only affects
comparing binary packages, not source packages.
.TP
.BI \-\-move\-regex " FROM TO"
This is the same as \fB\-\-move\fR, except that \fIFROM\fR is treated
as a regular expression and the \fBperl\fR substitution command
\fIs/^FROM/TO/\fR is applied to the files.  In particular, TO can make
use of backreferences such as $1.
.TP
.B \-\-nocontrol
\fBdebdiff\fR will usually compare the respective control files of the
packages using \fBwdiff\fR(1).  This option suppresses this part of
the processing.
.TP
.B \-\-control
Compare the respective control files; this is the default, and it can
be used to override a configuration file setting.
.TP
.BI \-\-controlfiles " FILE\fR[\fP", "FILE\fR ...]\fP"
Specify which control files to compare; by default this is just
\fIcontrol\fR, but could include \fIpostinst\fR, \fIconfig\fR and so
on.  Files will only be compared if they are present in both
\fI.debs\fR being compared.  The special value \fIALL\fR compares all
control files present in both packages, except for md5sums.  This
option can be used to override a configuration file setting.
.TP
.B \-\-wdiff\-source\-control
When processing source packages, compare control files using \fBwdiff\fR.
Equivalent to the \fB\-\-control\fR option for binary packages.
.TP
.B \-\-no\-wdiff\-source\-control
Do not compare control files in source packages using \fBwdiff\fR.  This
is the default.
.TP
.BR \-\-wp ", " \-\-wl ", " \-\-wt
Pass a \fB\-p\fR, \fB\-l\fR or \fB\-t\fR option to \fBwdiff\fR
respectively.  (This yields the whole \fBwdiff\fR output rather than
just the lines with any changes.)
.TP
.B \-\-show-moved
If multiple \fI.deb\fR files are specified on the command line, either
using \fI.changes\fR files or the \fB\-\-from\fR/\fB\-\-to\fR syntax,
then this option will also show which files (if any) have moved
between packages.  (The package names are simply determined from the
names of the \fI.deb\fR files.)
.TP
.B \-\-noshow-moved
The default behaviour; can be used to override a configuration file
setting.
.TP
.BI \-\-renamed " FROM TO"
If \fB\-\-show-moved\fR is being used and a package has been renamed
in the process, this command instructs \fBdebdiff\fR to treat the
package in the first list called \fIFROM\fR as if it were called
\fITO\fR.  Multiple uses of this option are permitted.
.TP
.BI \-\-exclude " PATTERN"
Exclude files that match \fIPATTERN\fR.  Multiple uses of this option
are permitted.
.TP
.B \-\-diffstat
Include the result of \fBdiffstat\fR before the generated diff.
.TP
.B \-\-no\-diffstat
The default behaviour; can be used to override a configuration file
setting.
.TP
.B \-\-auto\-ver\-sort
When comparing source packages, do so in version order.
.TP
.B \-\-no\-auto\-ver\-sort
Compare source packages in the order they were passed on the
command-line, even if that means comparing a package with a higher
version against one with a lower version.  This is the default
behaviour.
.TP
.B \-\-unpack\-tarballs
When comparing source packages, also unpack tarballs found in the top level
source directory to compare their contents along with the other files.
This is the default behaviour.
.TP
.B \-\-no\-unpack\-tarballs
Do not unpack tarballs inside source packages.
.TP
\fB\-\-no-conf\fR, \fB\-\-noconf\fR
Do not read any configuration files.  This can only be used as the
first option given on the command-line.
.TP
\fB\-\-debs\-dir\fR \fIdirectory\fR
Look for the \fI.dsc\fR files in \fIdirectory\fR
instead of the parent of the source directory.  This should
either be an absolute path or relative to the top of the source
directory.
.TP
.BR \-\-help ", " \-h
Show a summary of options.
.TP
.BR \-\-version ", " \-v
Show version and copyright information.
.TP
.BR \-\-quiet ", " \-q
Be quiet if no differences were found.
.TP
.BR \-\-ignore\-space ", " \-w
Ignore whitespace in diffs.
.SH "CONFIGURATION VARIABLES"
The two configuration files \fI/etc/devscripts.conf\fR and
\fI~/.devscripts\fR are sourced by a shell in that order to set
configuration variables.  Command line options can be used to override
configuration file settings.  Environment variable settings are
ignored for this purpose.  The currently recognised variables are:
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_DIRS
If this is set to \fIyes\fR, then it is the same as the
\fB\-\-dirs\fR command line parameter being used.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_CONTROL
If this is set to \fIno\fR, then it is the same as the
\fB\-\-nocontrol\fR command line parameter being used.  The default is
\fIyes\fR.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_CONTROLFILES
Which control files to compare, corresponding to the
\fB\-\-controlfiles\fR command line option.  The default is
\fIcontrol\fR.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_SHOW_MOVED
If this is set to \fIyes\fR, then it is the same as the
\fB\-\-show\-moved\fR command line parameter being used.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_WDIFF_OPT
This option will be passed to \fBwdiff\fR; it should be one of
\fB\-p\fR, \fB\-l\fR or \fB\-t\fR.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_SHOW_DIFFSTAT
If this is set to \fIyes\fR, then it is the same as the
\fB\-\-diffstat\fR command line parameter being used.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_WDIFF_SOURCE_CONTROL
If this is set to \fIyes\fR, then it is the same as the
\fB\-\-wdiff\-source\-control\fR command line parameter being used.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_AUTO_VER_SORT
If this is set to \fIyes\fR, then it is the same as the
\fB\-\-auto\-ver\-sort\fR command line parameter being used.
.TP
.B DEBDIFF_UNPACK_TARBALLS
If this is set to \fIno\fR, then it is the same as the
\fB\-\-no\-unpack\-tarballs\fR command line parameter being used.
.TP
.B DEBRELEASE_DEBS_DIR
This specifies the directory in which to look for the \fI.dsc\fR
and files, and is either an absolute path or relative to
the top of the source tree.  This corresponds to the
\fB\-\-debs\-dir\fR command line option.  This directive could be
used, for example, if you always use \fBpbuilder\fR or
\fBsvn-buildpackage\fR to build your packages.  Note that it also
affects \fBdebrelease\fR(1) in the same way, hence the strange name of
the option.
.SH "EXIT VALUES"
Normally the exit value will be 0 if no differences are reported and 1
if any are reported.  If there is some fatal error, the exit code will
be 255.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR debdiff-apply (1),
.BR diffstat (1),
.BR dpkg-deb (1),
.BR interdiff (1),
.BR wdiff (1),
.BR devscripts.conf (5),
.BR diffoscope (1)
.SH AUTHOR
\fBdebdiff\fR was originally written as a shell script by Yann Dirson
<dirson@debian.org> and rewritten in Perl with many more features by
Julian Gilbey <jdg@debian.org>.  The software may be freely
redistributed under the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public
License, version 2.