parsechangelog.

parsechangelog [options] [changelog_file]

--help
    Display help message and exit.

--version
    Show version information and exit.

--file changelog_file
    Specify the changelog file to parse. Default is debian/changelog.

--format format_string
    Specify the output format. Uses Python's string formatting.

--output output_file
    Write the output to a file instead of stdout.

--no-sort
    Do not sort the changelog entries.

--count N
    Only output the last N changelog entries.

--all
    Output all changelog entries.

--from version
    Only output entries from this version onwards.

--to version
    Only output entries up to this version.

The `parsechangelog` command, typically part of the `devscripts` package on Debian-based systems, is used to extract information from Debian changelog files (`debian/changelog`). These changelog files adhere to a specific format and contain details about changes, bug fixes, and new features introduced in each release of a Debian package.

`parsechangelog` allows scripts and other tools to automatically extract information like version numbers, distribution targets (e.g., unstable, testing, stable), urgency levels, and the descriptions of changes. This information can be used for various automation tasks, such as generating release notes, verifying package updates, or building customized reports about package history.

The command can be configured using various options to specify the changelog file to parse, the output format, and the specific information to extract. It's a valuable tool for developers and system administrators managing Debian packages and their associated changelogs.

By default `parsechangelog` will try to locate the changelog in debian/changelog

The command relies on the correct formatting of the debian/changelog file. Errors in the changelog's syntax can lead to parsing failures or incorrect output.

The `--format` option allows fine-grained control over the output. Common specifiers include:

• %(version)s: Package version
• %(distribution)s: Target distribution
• %(urgency)s: Urgency level
• %(changes)s: Change descriptions
• %(author)s: Author of the change

The `parsechangelog` command is part of the `devscripts` package, which provides a collection of scripts helpful for Debian package development. It has been developed and maintained as part of the Debian project to facilitate automated processing of changelog data. Its development is closely tied to the evolution of the Debian package format and its conventions.

dpkg-parsechangelog(1), debchange(1)