version numbers for distribution builds?

[Matthias Klose]

Hi,

I recently learned that I should configure an openjdk build with an empty
-with-version-pre string, and with any package information stuffed into the
--with-version-opt argument.

  --with-version-pre='' --with-version-opt='Debian-9.0.1+11-1'

9.0.1+11 is what I call the upstream version, directly derived from the tag in
the mercurial repository.  The part after the dash is the packaging release and
gets incremented when more than upload to the distribution is based on the same
upstream version.

However using that I get

configure: WARNING: --with-version-opt value has been sanitized from
'Debian-9.0.1+11-1' to 'Debian-9.0.111-1'

which makes the version string somehow cryptic.  Why is there a reason that the
version string is mangled?  Is there a recommendation how to form the version
for a source release?

Thanks, Matthias