For normal users we wouldn't. But currently, arch-testers need to make a
judgement call on what to test when a stable-req bug is filed. Tests run in
src_test are provided by upstream, and does not guarantee that a package
that has been merged will actually run on the system.
If the maintainer could add a couple small scripts to check basic functionality
of the merged package, it would make testing for arch testers much easier
and reliable.
Let me give an example. Let's say
app-misc/screenfetch-2.7.7 is the current stable package for screenfetch in
the portage tree.
However, on running, it produces an error on the top, along with the proper
output.
If screenfetch-3.0.0 happens to fix that error, maintainer can add a simple
script
if [ "$(screenfetch 2>&1 1>/dev/null)" != "" ] then
eerror "Still producing error"
fi
To make sure the build is properly updating the screenfetch version, and that
the bug has in fact been fixed. This is the only way I can see to reliabily
and automatically test packages that have been merged successfully.
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Regards,
Pallav