# mass-bug(1) - man - phpMan

[MASS-BUG(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MASS-BUG/1/markdown)                                                                              [MASS-BUG(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MASS-BUG/1/markdown)



## NAME
       mass-bug - mass-file a bug report against a list of packages

## SYNOPSIS
       **mass-bug** [_options_] **--subject="**_bug_ _subject_**"** _template_ _package-list_

## DESCRIPTION
       mass-bug assists in filing a mass bug report in the Debian BTS on a set of packages. For each
       package in the package-list file (which should list one package per line together with an
       optional version number separated from the package name by an underscore), it fills out the
       template, adds BTS pseudo-headers, and either displays or sends the bug report.

       Warning: Some care has been taken to avoid unpleasant and common mistakes, but this is still
       a power tool that can generate massive amounts of bug report mails. Use it with care, and
       read the documentation in the Developer's Reference about mass filing of bug reports first.

## TEMPLATE
       The template file is the body of the message that will be sent for each bug report, excluding
       the BTS pseudo-headers. In the template, #PACKAGE# is replaced with the name of the package.
       If a version was specified for the package, #VERSION# will be replaced by that version.

       The components of the version number may be specified using #EPOCH#, #UPSTREAM_VERSION# and
       #REVISION#. #EPOCH# includes the trailing colon and #REVISION# the leading dash so that
       #EPOCH#UPSTREAM_VERSION##REVISION# is always the same as #VERSION#.

       Note that text in the template will be automatically word-wrapped to 70 columns, up to the
       start of a signature (indicated by '-- ' at the start of a line on its own). This is another
       reason to avoid including BTS pseudo-headers in your template.

## OPTIONS
       **mass-bug** examines the **devscripts** configuration files as described below.  Command line
       options override the configuration file settings, though.

       **--severity=**(**wishlist**|**minor**|**normal**|**important**|**serious**|**grave**|**critical**)
           Specify the severity with which bugs should be filed. Default is **normal**.

### --display
           Fill out the templates for each package and display them all for verification. This is
           the default behavior.

### --send
           Actually send the bug reports.

       **--subject="**_bug_ _subject_**"**
           Specify the subject of the bug report. The subject will be automatically prefixed with
           the name of the package that the bug is filed against.

### --tags
           Set the BTS pseudo-header for tags.

### --user
           Set the BTS pseudo-header for a usertags' user.

### --usertags
           Set the BTS pseudo-header for usertags.

       **--control=**_COMMAND_
           Add a BTS control command. This option may be repeated to add multiple control commands.
           For example, if you are mass-bug-filing "please stop depending on this deprecated
           package", and bug 123456 represents removal of the deprecated package, you could use:

               mass-bug --control='block 123456 by -1' ...

### --source
           Specify that package names refer to source packages rather than binary packages.

       **--sendmail=**_SENDMAILCMD_
           Specify the **sendmail** command.  The command will be split on white space and will not be
           passed to a shell.  Default is _/usr/sbin/sendmail_.

### --no-wrap
           Do not wrap the template to lines of 70 characters.

       **--no-conf**, **--noconf**
           Do not read any configuration files.  This can only be used as the first option given on
           the command-line.

### --help
           Provide a usage message.

### --version
           Display version information.

## ENVIRONMENT
       **DEBEMAIL** and **EMAIL** can be set in the environment to control the email address that the bugs
       are sent from.

## CONFIGURATION VARIABLES
       The two configuration files _/etc/devscripts.conf_ and _~/.devscripts_ are sourced by a shell in
       that order to set configuration variables.  Command line options can be used to override
       configuration file settings.  Environment variable settings are ignored for this purpose.
       The currently recognised variables are:

       **BTS**___**SENDMAIL**___**COMMAND**
           If this is set, specifies a **sendmail** command to use instead of _/usr/sbin/sendmail_.  Same
           as the **--sendmail** command line option.

## COPYRIGHT
       This program is Copyright (C) 2006 by Joey Hess <<joeyh@debian.org>>.

       It is licensed under the terms of the GPL, either version 2 of the License, or (at your
       option) any later version.

## AUTHOR
       Joey Hess <<joeyh@debian.org>>



Debian Utilities                             2026-03-04                                  [MASS-BUG(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MASS-BUG/1/markdown)