It is perfectly legal to clear /var/run across reboots. Below is a bug from a user that ran into some trouble because an init script assumes that /var/run/package/ exists for its PID file:
http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=332397 A quick grep through the tree shows 73 packages that keepdirs /var/run/package/. Perhaps not all of them are bugs but they are certainly redundant. A mass bug-filing is probably not the correct thing to do but perhaps we should document somewhere (devmanual?) that keepdir'ing a temp location should be avoided. Suggestion: --- a/ebuild-writing/common-mistakes/text.xml +++ b/ebuild-writing/common-mistakes/text.xml @@ -41,6 +41,18 @@ elog "They are listed in the INSTALL file in /usr/share/doc/${PF}" </body> </section> +<section> +<title>Invalid use of <c>keepdir</c>in src_install</title> +<body> +The <c>keepdir</c> function should only be used to prevent directory removal +during uninstallation. In particular, using <c>keepdir</c> for a temporary +location - such as /var/run/package/ for a PID file - should be avoided. In +such a case, init script either should make sure that /var/run/package/ exists +or the package should use /var/run directly. Please note that /var/run can and +will be cleaned across reboots. +</body> +</section> + </chapter> </guide> -- Eray
