---
name: "dchanges"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "dchanges"
version: "3.3"
release: "Debian 1.1 (Buzz)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dchanges/5"
---

# dchanges(5)

debian package changes file

## NAME

dchanges - debian package changes file

## DESCRIPTION

In order to place a package into the debian distribution, a changes file must be supplied.

Changes files are ordinary text files, consisting of a series of fields. Each field is comprised of one or more lines of text which supply a single **field summary** line, followed by zero or more **field extension** lines.

Each **field summary** line begins at the left margin with the field name followed by a colon. The remaindier of the line may be blank, or may contain one or more space characters followed by information pertinent to the field.

Each of line of a **field extension** begins at the left margin with a space character, which is followed by one or more printable characters. Completely blank lines are not allowed in a changes file. A blank **field extension** line is represented by a space character followed by a period character (" .").

An example changes file for a simple package might look something like the following:

-

  ```
   Date: 01 May 96 22:06 UT
   Format: 1.5
   Distribution: unstable
   Source: ed
   Binary: ed
   Architecture: source i386
   Version: 0.2-8
   Maintainer: Bill Mitchell <mitchell@mdd.comm.mot.com>
   Description:
    ed: The classic unix line editor
   Priority: Routine
   Changes: Added texinfo file and Makefile in usr/doc/ed
   Files:
    5c80c97a52b55bf5375774a593f65911 192588 editors - ed-0.2-8.tar.gz
    891b7e111f727cb9e0ab7595ac0182c4 7572 editors - ed-0.2-8.diff.gz
    fe9c3b597097aa5e56b1f2ee54e1f9d7 98572 editors important ed-0.2-8.i386.deb
  ```

An example changes file for a more complex package supplying two binary package files for two architectures might look something like the following:

-

  ```
   Date: 01 May 96 22:06 UT
   Format: 1.5
   Distribution: unstable
   Source: bc
   Architecture: source sparc
   Binary: bc dc
   Version: 1.03-8
   Maintainer: Bill Mitchell <mitchell@mdd.comm.mot.com>
   Description:
    bc: An arbitrary precision calculator language.
    dc: An arbitrary precision reverse-polish calculator.
   Priority: Routine
   Changes:
    This is a Changes field extension.
    Each line is indented by a single space character.
    .
    The line above indicates a blank line.
   Files:
    293bb2e6033eeeaf685c03c30baef822 12345 math - bc-1.03-8.diff.gz
    bcf4ce45101d5fb4a2db0aed3d57df86 6789 math - bc-1.03-8.tar.gz
    a784e82d6a6c684618fd11bb6a4de300 12345 math important bc-1.03-8.sparc.deb
    1ac1ed1dff4cfb69a699f5c69fcff179 13579 math important dc-1.03-8.sparc.deb
  ```

### CHANGES FILE FIELDS

As illustrated in the examples above, changes files contain the fields described below. Each field must appear exactly once. Additional fields may be added without violating syntax rules. This provision is intended to accommodate extensions to the changes file which may be introduced by the debian development team, and should not be used to add fields introduced by the package maintainer. If fields are added, each added field must appear no more than once.

- *Date*

  The date of the package change, in Universal Time (GMT), expressed RFC-0822 format. This line is supplied by **dchanges**.

- *Format*

  The format designator for the changes file itself. This line is supplied by **dchanges**.

- *Source*

  The name of the source package taken from either a Package: or Source: field taken from the .deb files.

- *Binary*

  A space-delimited list of binary package names, obtained from the .deb files.

- *Architecture*

  A blank-delimited list of architectures supported by the binary packages associated with this changes file.  The **source** architecture should be used when uploading the source package and for registering as source package maintainer.  A missing Architecture field implies  **Architecture: source**.

- *Version*

  The version number of the source package from which the files are being uploaded, note this includes the debian revision.  It is either taken from the Version: or Source: field from the .deb files.

- *Distribution*

  The distribution in which the files should be placed.  Currently one of stable, unstable, non-free, contrib.

- *Priority*

  This field states the package maintainer's assessment of the priority with which this package should be moved into the distribution, and installed by users once available in the distribution. The field summary must contain a single word chosen from the list:  Low, Routine, High, Urgent. The Priority field extension may contain further information.

- *Maintainer*

  The maintainer of the package, normally taken from the **.deb** files.

- *Description*

  The binary package names and description summaries taken from the .deb files.  This information is placed on Description field extension lines, one binary package per line.

- *Changes*

  This field contains a description of the changes made.

- *Files*

  This field summary line introduces a section of the changes file which contains information about the individual package files. This information is collected and supplied by **dchanges(**1**)**. Each line is of the format:

   **\<md5sum\> \<size\> \<section\> \<priority\> \<name\>**

\<priority\> is a debian priority level (required, standard, important, optional, extra).

## SEE ALSO

**dchanges(**1**)**