4.12. Generated files list: debian/files

This file is not a permanent part of the source tree; it is used while building packages to record which files are being generated. dpkg-genchanges uses it when it generates a .changes file.

It should not exist in a shipped source package, and so it (and any backup files or temporary files such as files.new) 16 should be removed by the clean target. It may also be wise to ensure a fresh start by emptying or removing it at the start of the binary target.

When dpkg-gencontrol is run for a binary package, it adds an entry to debian/files for the .deb file that will be created when dpkg-deb --build is run for that binary package. So for most packages all that needs to be done with this file is to delete it in the clean target.

If a package upload includes files besides the source package and any binary packages whose control files were made with dpkg-gencontrol then they should be placed in the parent of the package’s top-level directory and dpkg-distaddfile should be called to add the file to the list in debian/files.