debian.org porterboxes

The Debian project runs machines with unusual architectures that can be used for porting and validating fixes.

Start a terminal multiplexer in case you want to run a long running compile job:


    $ tmux
    # or
    $ screen

Using sbuild+unshare

You may use sbuild (in unshare mode) to build a package, but also to get a "chroot"-environment to work on your package.

To start an sbuild session for a distribution <distro> and the package <pkg>, run the following. sbuild, for <pkg> takes the name of a .dsc file, or if you pass a package name it will try to download it from the archive.

The Build-Depends will be installed automatically and dpkg-buildpackage will be started.


  $ sbuild --chroot-mode=unshare --dist=<distro> --anything-failed-commands=%SBUILD_SHELL <pkg>
  # optionally add --arch=<arch> for a different architecture (for example armel on armhf).

Alternatively pass --starting-build-commands=%SBUILD_SHELL to get a shell before dpkg-buildpackage, or pass any other hooks (see man sbuild).

Note that the chroot is cleaned when the shell is closed.

Inside the sbuild shell: Once you have the sbuild session open, you may want to install and run screen, disable network access, and probably retry building the package.


  $ apt install screen # to get multiple shells.
  $ unshare --net
  $ su - sbuild
  $ cd /build/reproducible-path/<pkg>_<version>/
  $ dpkg-buildpackage -b

You can also edit files from the outside in /tmp/tmp.sbuild.*. You can find the tmp path in the build log as: I: Unpacking tarball from STDIN to /tmp/tmp.sbuild.XXXXXX. Then in a new shell/login:


  $ unshare --map-root-user --map-auto
  $ cd /tmp/tmp.sbuild.*

In the case of backports (or experimental), you can use:


  $ sbuild --extra-repository='deb http://deb.debian.org/debian experimental main'

Getting a shell without a package. You may use the hello-traditional package as a stand-in - it is a very small package. You can exit 1 the last shell so the package is not built.


  $ sbuild --chroot-mode=unshare --dist=<distro> --starting-build-commands=%SBUILD_SHELL hello-traditional

You should be done by now. If you find any issue, please report to debian-admin@lists.debian.org.

Using schroot

List available chroots:


    $ schroot -l

Begin a persistent schroot session on Debian unstable (or in the case of backports replace sid with, for example, jessie-backports):


    # Pick your own session name:
    $ echo -n "Session ID: " && read sessionid && schroot -b -c sid -n $sessionid
    # or use a random one:
    $ sessionid=$(schroot -b -c sid)

Update and upgrade Debian unstable chroot:


    $ dd-schroot-cmd -c $sessionid apt-get update
    $ dd-schroot-cmd -c $sessionid apt-get dist-upgrade
    [..]
    Do it for real [Y/n]: 
    [..]

Install your build dependencies:


    $ dd-schroot-cmd -c $sessionid apt-get build-dep hello
    [..]
    Do it for real [Y/n]: 
    [..]

In the case of backports (or experimental), you can install a given package. You could use, for example:


    $ dd-schroot-cmd -c $sessionid apt-get install debhelper/jessie-backports
    [..]

Change root to Debian unstable chroot:


    $ schroot -r -c $sessionid

Download your source:


    (sid_arch-dchroot)user@porterbox:~$ apt-get source hello

You should be able to reproduce your issue, hack on the package, fix the bug. Once you are done with your work, please, finish your schroot session:


    (sid_arch-dchroot)user@porterbox:~$ exit
    $ schroot -e -c $sessionid
    $ exit

List your currently open sessions:


    $ schroot-list-sessions

List all currently open sessions:


    $ schroot --list --all-sessions

You should be done by now. If you find any issue, please report to debian-admin@lists.debian.org.