Package: devscripts
Version: 2.9.20
Hello,
the manual page bts(1) states that --cache is on by default, so one
would expect for some cache files to be created right after the first
time one runs e.g. `bts show $whatever`. However, this does not happen,
and --cache only does its job after running e.g. `bts cache $foo` in
advance. As I learnt later, it's not specifically about running `bts
cache` before, but about ~/.devscripts_cache/bts existing, which `bts
cache` creates.
As I discovered latter, in fact the manual page itself mentions this
fact, but only as a side comment in brackets:
If caching has been enabled (that is, there exists a cache direc‐
tory ~/.devscripts_cache/bts/), then any page requested by "bts
show" will automatically be cached, and therefore available offline
thereafter. Pages which are automatically cached in this way will
be deleted on subsequent "bts show|bugs|cache" invocations if they
have not been accessed in 30 days.
Whereas the documentation for --cache itself does not mention anything
about it.
I see three possible solutions:
1. Making --cache work even if ~/.devscripts_cache/bts does not exist,
and keep --cache on by default.
This seems the most consistent and useful solution to me, although
users of `bts show|bugs` who don't have a ~/.devscripts_cache/bts
directory will observe things start getting cached and will have to
set BTS_CACHE to off in ~/.devscripts.
2. Same as above, but changing --cache to off by default.
Sorry for the long report.
FWIW, I don't fancy this one much, but well. Users who make use of
the auto-cache feature will have to set BTS_CACHE in ~/.devscripts.
3. Keep current behavior, but document under "--cache" in the manual
page the fact that should `mkdir ~/.devscripts_cache/bts` for the
auto-cacheing mechanism to be activated.
This solution does not affect the behavior of `bts show|bugs` for
existing users, and will make it less confusing for new users as
well. Please, choose it only if you really believe that keeping the
quirk of ~/.devscripts_cache/bts having to exist in advance is the
best way to go.
Thanks,
--
Adeodato Simó dato at net.com.org.es
Debian Developer adeodato at debian.org
Listening to: Ellos - Diferentes
