-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- On Mon, 2 Feb 1998, Christian Schwarz wrote:
> Is the following solution correct? > > 1. The `conffile' is _not_ tagged as conffile and _not_ included in the > package tree, > > 2. it's created in the postinst script if that file does not already > exist, > > 3. it's removed in the postrm script when a `purge' is selected. Looks ok. > But then, how should we handle the cases where the `configuration file' > exists already, before the package was installed? Should we leave this > file as is Yes, because this allows a package to be "pre-configured" by another package or by hand before actually installing it. I have a package called `papersize-a4' which hopefully will help me a lot when I had to install Debian in a 21-computer lab. This package just creates a suitable /etc/paperconfig having "a4" inside, and then libpaper does not ask anything when it is installed. > and should the postrm really remove that file when a `purge' > was selected? Yes, because in some way, the file "belongs" to the package, even if it is not inside the .deb. > In addition, I think the corresponding section of the Policy Manual also > needs to be corrected. Currently, section 3.3.7 Configuration files reads > > ``[...] It is almost certain that any file in /etc that is in your > package's filesystem archive should be listed in dpkg's conffiles control > area file. (See the Debian Packaging Manual). It is almost certain that any file in /etc is a configuration file. It should not have to be as "certain" that the file has to be managed by dpkg (i.e. conffiles). Example: /etc/papersize. > [ ... ] > Wouldn't it be good to list such `configuration files' (that need to be > changed by scripts) in a new control field? Perhaps. BTW: I love this type of configuration files, they reduce the amount of prompting dpkg does when upgrading the package. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3ia Charset: latin1 iQCVAgUBNNYcvyqK7IlOjMLFAQGD1wP/UtAwXbtOrloKUkNmqPPkVp4UFxKFIoYR AbZyt3Fqu1lhATNT2a8eK2VPnsh9UYBQSAHDpLRdagl1AFl/180lJ/H+8JjkBiGo 3cD8QPps060vjxq/3TdtIe5pV6LB/tTYkAlQHWG7nAHS4+a9eTHVjiY16c4N+nyo amipCldqXuY= =n2oW -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
