Review: pylibftdi 0.24.1-1

Package Information

Description	Minimal Pythonic interface to FTDI devices using libftdi pylibftdi is a minimal Pythonic interface to FTDI devices using libftdi. Features: * No dependencies beyond standard library and a `libftdi` install. * Supports parallel and serial devices * Support for multiple devices * File-like interface wherever appropriate * Cross-platform Usage: The primary interface is the `Device` class in the pylibftdi package; this gives serial access on relevant FTDI devices (e.g. the UM232R), providing a file-like interface (read, write). Baudrate is controlled with the `baudrate` property. If a Device instance is created with `mode='t'` (text mode) then read() and write() can use the given `encoding` (defaulting to latin-1). This allows easier integration with passing unicode strings between devices. Multiple devices are supported by passing the desired device serial number (as a string) in the `device_id` parameter - this is the first parameter in both Device() and BitBangDevice() constructors. Alternatively the device 'description' can be given, and an attempt will be made to match this if matching by serial number fails.
Maintainer	Debian Python Team <team+python@tracker.debian.org>
Changed By	Hans-Christoph Steiner <hans@eds.org>
Sponsor	hans@guardianproject.info
Distribution	unstable
Architecture	all
VCS	git: https://salsa.debian.org/python-team/packages/pylibftdi.git (browse)
Closes	#1150567
Tracker	https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/pylibftdi
Uploaded	27 days ago

New Package Report

.changes◂

Changed-By	Hans-Christoph Steiner <hans@eds.org>
Architecture	source all
Distribution	unstable
Date	Sun, 11 Oct 2026 16:13:01 +0200
Source	pylibftdi
Version	0.24.1-1

Changelog◂

pylibftdi (0.24.1-1) unstable; urgency=medium
 .
   * Initial release (Closes: #1150567)

.dsc◂

Section	python
Priority	optional
Component	main
Package-List	python3-pylibftdi deb python optional arch=all

debian/copyright◂

Format: https://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/copyright-format/1.0/
Upstream-Name: pylibftdi
Upstream-Contact: Ben Bass <benbass@codedstructure.net>
Source: https://github.com/codedstructure/pylibftdi.git

Files: *
Copyright:
  2010-2026, Ben Bass <benbass@codedstructure.net>
  2023, Sean Deaton <sean.deaton@me.com>
  2024, Marielle Russo
License: MIT

Files: debian/*
Copyright: 2026, Hans-Christoph Steiner <hans@eds.org>
License: MIT
Comment: Debian packaging is licensed under the same terms as upstream

License: MIT
 Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
 a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
 "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
 without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
 distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to
 permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to
 the following conditions:
 .
 The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
 included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

Review Information

accepted — allocated to awm 26 days ago, started 26 days ago, completed 26 days ago.

Final Comment

Hi,

Some issues found in the review that could be fixed...

[important] [packaging] Autopkgtest cannot run: python3-pytest is not installed

Files: debian/tests/control:1-4, debian/tests/unittests:6-10
Evidence: debian/tests/control has Depends: @builddeps@; debian/tests/unittests runs python${i} -m pytest -v tests; pyproject.toml lists pytest only under [dependency-groups] dev.
Problem: The only dependency of the declared Testsuite: autopkgtest (DSC Testsuite: autopkgtest) is @builddeps@, which expands to the Build-Depends of the source; none of them provides the pytest runner, and the Debian build never installs upstream's dev dependency group. The test therefore fails with ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pytest', so the salsa-ci pipeline and the autopkgtest suite advertised in the package are red. This is a genuine functional defect, not a lintian nit.
Fix: Declare the runner, e.g. Depends: @, @builddeps@, python3-pytest (or add python3-pytest to Build-Depends).

[minor] [packaging] Autopkgtest does not test the installed package

Files: debian/tests/control:2, pyproject.toml:113-115
Evidence: Depends: @builddeps@ only (no @), plus [tool.pytest.ini_options] pythonpath = ["src", "."].
Problem: Because the test Depends omit @ (the binary package(s) built by this source), python3-pylibftdi is not installed in the testbed; together with pythonpath = ["src", "."], pytest imports pylibftdi from the unpacked source tree, so the shipped bytes are never exercised. The tests could pass while a broken installed package goes unnoticed.
Fix: Use Depends: @, @builddeps@, python3-pytest so the tests run against the installed binary (this also fixes the missing pytest issue).

[minor] [packaging] debian/watch is in the old version 3 format

Files: debian/watch
Evidence: version=3
Problem: Version 5 is the current format of debian/watch.
Fix: Convert it to version 5; a mechanical conversion is suggested below:

==========================================================
Version: 5

Run the "uscan" command to check for upstream updates and more.

Template: Github
Dist: https://github.com/codedstructure/pylibftdi

Thanks!

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