Hi! On Fri, 2026-01-16 at 12:20:40 -0800, Otto Kekäläinen wrote:
> > > I've come across several symbols files that use wildcards to match > > > basically any symbol. Doesn't this make the symbols file kind of moot, > > > as it will never detect any symbols that got removed and it will > > > always match any symbols added? > > > > No, this is intended to be used for well maintained libraries. See > > the symver documentation in deb-src-symbols(5). > > Yes I see in > https://manpages.debian.org/unstable/dpkg-dev/deb-src-symbols.5.en.html > that his can be used, but my point here is that if the entire file is > only wildcards and nothing else, tracking symbols is kind of moot, > right? The main purpose of the symbols file is to assist in accurate dependency generation. That it can also be used to check whether upstreams (that might not have solid processes to handle library changes), have not messed up the their symbol modifications, it's a plus. > Take a look at the file > https://sources.debian.org/src/openssl/3.5.4-1/debian/libssl3t64.symbols > - does such a file make sense? Except for the deprecated syntax, otherwise yes, it makes perfect sense (that is, assuming upstream has a good handle over symbol modifications). For example for some upstreams for which I maintain libraries, I'd be extremely comfortable using symver tags, for others (given past history) not so much. Thanks, Guillem
