X-Git-Url: https://git.donarmstrong.com/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=policy.sgml;h=5801b9015450cb1a707f64d3b425dc6494b719a4;hb=4d448b710fcdc52be791692c2d9ffb579cfb7d8e;hp=1f622ef45f9a8564bfd9929756a2bd36a75d20f9;hpb=8e31cd6cf729ec89a96f9c35c74e579893730123;p=debian%2Fdebian-policy.git diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml index 1f622ef..5801b90 100644 --- a/policy.sgml +++ b/policy.sgml @@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ This manual describes the policy requirements for the Debian - GNU/Linux distribution. This includes the structure and - contents of the Debian archive and several design issues of the - operating system, as well as technical requirements that each - package must satisfy to be included in the distribution. The - policy package itself is maintained by a group of maintainers - that have no editorial powers. At the moment, the list of - maintainers is: + GNU/Linux distribution. This includes the structure and + contents of the Debian archive and several design issues of + the operating system, as well as technical requirements that + each package must satisfy to be included in the distribution. + The policy package itself is maintained by a group of + maintainers that have no editorial powers. The current list + of maintainers is:

Julian Gilbey jdg@debian.org

@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL in the Debian GNU/Linux distribution or on the World Wide Web at . You can also obtain it by writing to the - Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, - Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. + name="The GNU General Public Licence">. You can also + obtain it by writing to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., + 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.

@@ -115,12 +115,11 @@ packages, nor is it exhaustive where it comes to describing the behavior of the packaging system. Instead, this manual attempts to define the interface to the package management - system that the developers have to be conversant with. - + system that the developers have to be conversant with.

Informally, the criteria used for inclusion is that the material meet one of the following requirements: - + Standard interfaces

@@ -132,7 +131,7 @@ interfaces not changing, and the package management software authors need to ensure compatibility with these interface - definitions. (Control file and and changelog file + definitions. (Control file and changelog file formats are examples.)

@@ -164,7 +163,7 @@ may, and the adjectives required, recommended and optional, are used to distinguish the significance of the various guidelines in - this policy document. Packages that do not conform the the + this policy document. Packages that do not conform to the guidelines denoted by must (or required) will generally not be considered acceptable for the Debian distribution. Non-conformance with guidelines denoted by @@ -181,7 +180,7 @@ normal or important (for should or recommended directive violations) and wishlist (for optional - items). + items).

Compare RFC 2119. Note, however, that these words are used in a different way in this document.

 @@ -235,7 +234,8 @@

- + + The Debian Archive

The Debian GNU/Linux system is maintained and distributed as a @@ -537,8 +537,7 @@

must meet all policy requirements presented in this - manual that it is possible for them to meet. - + manual that it is possible for them to meet.

It is possible that there are policy requirements which the package is unable to @@ -578,7 +577,7 @@

Every package must be accompanied by a verbatim copy of its copyright and distribution license in the file - /usr/share/doc/<package-name>/copyright + /usr/share/doc/package/copyright (see for further details).

@@ -744,8 +743,7 @@ expectation is that an experienced Unix person who found it missing would say `What on earth is going on, where is foo?', it must be an - important package. - + important package.

This is an important criterion because we are trying to produce, amongst other things, a free @@ -764,12 +762,9 @@

These packages provide a reasonably small but not too - limited character-mode system. This is what will - install by default if the user doesn't select anything - else. It doesn't include many large applications, but - it does include Emacs (this is more of a piece of - infrastructure than an application) and a reasonable - subset of TeX and LaTeX.

+ limited character-mode system. This is what will be + installed by default if the user doesn't select anything + else. It doesn't include many large applications.

optional @@ -822,10 +817,11 @@ archive.

- Package names must consist of lower case letters (a-z), - digits (0-9), plus (+) and minus (-) signs, and periods - (.). They must be at least two characters long and must - contain at least one letter. + Package names must consist of lower case letters + (a-z), digits (0-9), plus (+) + and minus (-) signs, and periods (.). + They must be at least two characters long and must contain + at least one letter.

@@ -860,8 +856,7 @@ packages@qa.debian.org takes over the maintainership of the package until someone else volunteers for that task. These packages are called - orphaned packages. - + orphaned packages.

The detailed procedure for doing this gracefully can be found in the Debian Developer's Reference, either @@ -891,10 +886,11 @@ to install the package. This description should not just be copied verbatim from the program's documentation. Instructions for configuring or using the package should - not be included -- that is what installation scripts, - manual pages, info files, etc., are for. Copyright + not be included (that is what installation scripts, + manual pages, info files, etc., are for). Copyright statements and other administrivia should not be included - either -- that is what the copyright file is for.

+ either (that is what the copyright file is for). +

@@ -938,7 +934,7 @@ more-or-less the same functionality. In this case, it's useful to define a virtual package whose name describes that common functionality. (The virtual - packages only exist logically, not physically--that's why + packages only exist logically, not physically; that's why they are called virtual.) The packages with this particular function will then provide the virtual package. Thus, any other package requiring that function @@ -1000,7 +996,7 @@ specify an extra force option to dpkg to do so), this flag must not be used unless absolutely necessary. A shared library package - must not be tagged essential--dependencies will + must not be tagged essential; dependencies will prevent its premature removal, and we need to be able to remove it when it has been superseded.

@@ -1024,7 +1020,7 @@

- + Maintainer scripts

@@ -1051,19 +1047,20 @@ belonging to another package without consulting the maintainer of that package first.

+

All packages which supply an instance of a common command name (or, in general, filename) should generally use update-alternatives, so that they may be installed together. If update-alternatives is not used, then each package must use - Conflicts to ensure that other packages are + Conflicts to ensure that other packages are de-installed. (In this case, it may be appropriate to specify a conflict against earlier versions of something that previously did not use - update-alternatives - this is an exception to + update-alternatives; this is an exception to the usual rule that versioned conflicts should be - avoided). + avoided.)

@@ -1076,25 +1073,25 @@ debconf, which conforms to the Debian Configuration management specification, version 2 or higher. These are included in the - debconf_specification files in the + debconf_specification files in the debian-policy package. You may also find this file on the FTP site ftp.debian.org in /debian/doc/package-developer/debconf_specification.txt.gz - or on your local mirror. - + or on your local mirror.

- 2.5% of Debian packages [see ] - currently use debconf to prompt - the user at install time, and this number is growing - daily. The benefits of using debconf are briefly - explained at ; - they include preconfiguration, (mostly) - noninteractive installation, elimination of - redundant prompting, consistency of user interface, - etc. + 4% of Debian packages [see ] currently use + debconf to prompt the user at + install time, and this number is growing daily. The + benefits of using debconf are briefly explained at + ; they include + preconfiguration, (mostly) noninteractive + installation, elimination of redundant prompting, + consistency of user interface, etc.

With this increasing number of packages using @@ -1112,14 +1109,13 @@

Packages which use the Debian Configuration management specification may contain an additional - config script and a templates + config script and a templates file in their control archive. The config script might be run before the preinst script, and before the package is unpacked or any of its - dependancies or pre-dependancies are satisfied. + dependencies or pre-dependancies are satisfied. Therefore it must work using only the tools present in - essential packages. - + essential packages.

Debconf or another tool that implements the Debian Configuration management @@ -1143,15 +1139,15 @@

- It also means that an upgrade should not ask the same - questions again, unless the user has used dpkg - --purge to remove the package's configuration. The - answers to configuration questions should be stored in an - appropriate place in /etc so that the user can - modify them, and how this has been done should be - documented.

+ It also means that an upgrade should not ask the same + questions again, unless the user has used dpkg + --purge to remove the package's configuration. The + answers to configuration questions should be stored in an + appropriate place in /etc so that the user can + modify them, and how this has been done should be + documented.

-

+

If a package has a vitally important piece of information to pass to the user (such as "don't run me as I am, you must edit the following configuration files @@ -1166,30 +1162,30 @@ should be in on-line documentation, where all the users can see them).

-

- Any necessary prompting should almost always be confined - to the config or postinst - script. If it is done in the postinst, it - should be protected with a conditional so that unnecessary - prompting doesn't happen if a package's installation fails - and the postinst is called with - abort-upgrade, abort-remove or - abort-deconfigure.

- +

+ Any necessary prompting should almost always be confined + to the config or postinst + script. If it is done in the postinst, it + should be protected with a conditional so that + unnecessary prompting doesn't happen if a package's + installation fails and the postinst is + called with abort-upgrade, + abort-remove or abort-deconfigure.

 + Source packages - + Standards conformance -

In the source package's Standards-Version control - field, you must specify the most recent version number of - this policy document with which your package complies. - The current version number is &version;. + field, you should specify the most recent version number + of this policy document with which your package complied + when it was last updated. The current version number is + &version;.

@@ -1199,7 +1195,7 @@

- The version number has four components--major and minor + The version number has four components: major and minor version number and major and minor patch level. When the standards change in a way that requires every package to change the major number will be changed. Significant @@ -1215,8 +1211,7 @@ Thus only the first three components of the policy version are significant in the Standards-Version control field, and so either these three components or the all - four components may be specified. - + four components may be specified.

In the past, people specified the full version number in the Standards-Version field, for example `2.3.0.0'. @@ -1236,8 +1231,7 @@ available and update your package, if necessary. When your package complies with the new standards you should update the Standards-Version source package field and - release it. - + release it.

See the file upgrading-checklist for information about policy which has changed between @@ -1268,10 +1262,9 @@ an informational list can be found in /usr/share/doc/build-essential/list (which is contained in the build-essential - package). - + package).

Rationale: - +

This allows maintaining the list separately from the policy documents (the list does not @@ -1307,8 +1300,7 @@ should list only those packages explicitly required by the build. It is not necessary to list packages which are required merely because some other package in the list of - build-time dependencies depends on them. - + build-time dependencies depends on them.

The reason for this is that dependencies change, and you should list all those packages, and only @@ -1387,8 +1379,7 @@

In non-experimental packages you must use a format for debian/changelog which is supported by the most - recent released version of dpkg. - + recent released version of dpkg.

If you wish to use an alternative format, you may do so as long as you include a parser for it in your @@ -1439,7 +1430,7 @@ Obsolete constructs and libraries

- The include file <varargs.h> is + The include file <varargs.h> is provided to support end-users compiling very old software; the library libtermcap is provided to support the execution of software which has been linked against it @@ -1448,7 +1439,7 @@

Debian packages should be patched to use - <stdarg.h> and ncurses + <stdarg.h> and ncurses instead.

@@ -1468,7 +1459,7 @@ format.

- Syntax of control files + Syntax of control files

A control file consists of one or more paragraphs of fields. @@ -1488,8 +1479,8 @@ tabs) may occur immediately before or after the value and is ignored there; it is conventional to put a single space after the colon. For example, a field might be: - - Package: libc6 + +Package: libc6 the field name is Package and the field value libc6. @@ -1580,10 +1571,9 @@ this contains the (space-separated) name(s) of the distribution(s) where this version of the package should be installed. Valid distributions are determined by the - archive maintainers. - + archive maintainers. Current distribution names are: - + stable

@@ -1627,7 +1617,7 @@ frozen

- From time to time, the frozen + From time to time, the testing distribution enters a state of `code-freeze' in anticipation of release as a stable version. During this period of testing only @@ -1681,7 +1671,7 @@

The version number format is: - &lsqbepoch:]upstream_version[-debian_revision] + [epoch:]upstream_version[-debian_revision]

@@ -1689,7 +1679,6 @@ epoch -

This is a single (generally small) unsigned integer. It may be omitted, in which case zero is assumed. If it is @@ -1702,12 +1691,10 @@ of older versions of a package, and also a package's previous version numbering schemes, to be left behind.

- upstream_version -

This is the main part of the version number. It is usually the version number of the original (`upstream') @@ -1728,8 +1715,7 @@

The upstream_version may contain only - alphanumerics - + alphanumerics

Alphanumerics are A-Za-z0-9 only.

 and the characters . + - @@ -1742,7 +1728,6 @@ debian_revision -

This part of the version number specifies the version of the Debian package based on the upstream version. It @@ -1779,6 +1764,9 @@

+

+ +

The upstream_version and debian_revision parts are compared by the package management system using the same algorithm: @@ -1871,8 +1859,7 @@

Maintainers should preserve the modification times of the upstream source files in a package, as far as is reasonably - possible. - + possible.

The rationale is that there is some information conveyed by knowing the age of the file, for example, you could @@ -1916,64 +1903,64 @@

The required and optional targets are as follows: - build + build, build-arch (optional), + build-indep (optional)

- This should perform all non-interactive configuration - and compilation of the package. If a package has an - interactive pre-build configuration routine, the - Debianized source package must either be built after - this has taken place (so that the binary package can - be built without rerunning the configuration) or the - configuration routine modified to become - non-interactive. (The latter is preferable if there - are architecture-specific features detected by the - configuration routine.) + The build target should perform all + non-interactive configuration and compilation of the + package. If a package has an interactive pre-build + configuration routine, the Debianized source package + must either be built after this has taken place (so + that the binary package can be built without rerunning + the configuration) or the configuration routine + modified to become non-interactive. (The latter is + preferable if there are architecture-specific features + detected by the configuration routine.)

For some packages, notably ones where the same source tree is compiled in different ways to produce - two binary packages, the build target + two binary packages, the build target does not make much sense. For these packages it is good enough to provide two (or more) targets (build-a and build-b or whatever) for each of the ways of building the package, and a - build target that does nothing. The - binary target will have to build the + build target that does nothing. The + binary target will have to build the package in each of the possible ways and make the binary package out of each.

- The build target must not do anything + The build target must not do anything that might require root privilege.

- The build target may need to run the - clean target first - see below. + The build target may need to run the + clean target first - see below.

When a package has a configuration and build routine which takes a long time, or when the makefiles are - poorly designed, or when build needs to - run clean first, it is a good idea to + poorly designed, or when build needs to + run clean first, it is a good idea to touch build when the build process is complete. This will ensure that if debian/rules build is run again it will not rebuild the whole - program. - + program.

- Another common way to do this is for build + Another common way to do this is for build to depend on build-stamp and to do nothing else, and for the build-stamp target to do the building and to touch build-stamp on completion. This is especially useful if the build routine creates a file or directory called build; in such a - case, build will need to be listed as + case, build will need to be listed as a phony target (i.e., as a dependency of the .PHONY target). See the documentation of make for more information on phony @@ -1988,37 +1975,35 @@

- The binary target must be all that is + The binary target must be all that is necessary for the user to build the binary package(s) produced from this source package. All of these targets are required to be non-interactive. It is split into two parts: binary-arch builds the binary packages which are specific to a particular - architecture, and binary-indep builds + architecture, and binary-indep builds those which are not.

-

- binary may be (and commonly is) a target - with no commands which simply depends on - binary-arch and - binary-indep. + binary may be (and commonly is) a target with + no commands which simply depends on + binary-arch and binary-indep.

-

- Each binary-* target should depend on - the build target, above, so that the - package is built if it has not been already. It - should then create the relevant binary package(s), - using dpkg-gencontrol to make their - control files and dpkg-deb to build - them and place them in the parent of the top level - directory. + Both binary-* targets should depend on the + build target, or on the appropriate + build-arch or build-indep target, if + provided, so that the package is built if it has not + been already. It should then create the relevant + binary package(s), using dpkg-gencontrol to + make their control files and dpkg-deb to + build them and place them in the parent of the top + level directory.

- Both the binary-arch and - binary-indep targets must exist. + Both the binary-arch and + binary-indep targets must exist. If one of them has nothing to do (which will always be the case if the source generates only a single binary package, whether architecture-dependent or not), it @@ -2026,9 +2011,8 @@

- The binary targets must be invoked as - root. - + The binary targets must be invoked as + root.

The fakeroot package often allows one to build a package correctly even without being @@ -2040,38 +2024,36 @@ clean -

- This must undo any effects that the build - and binary targets may have had, except + This must undo any effects that the build + and binary targets may have had, except that it should leave alone any output files created in - the parent directory by a run of a binary + the parent directory by a run of a binary target. This target must be non-interactive.

- If a build file is touched at the end of - the build target, as suggested above, it + If a build file is touched at the end of + the build target, as suggested above, it should be removed as the first action that - clean performs, so that running - build again after an interrupted - clean doesn't think that everything is + clean performs, so that running + build again after an interrupted + clean doesn't think that everything is already done.

- The clean target may need to be - invoked as root if binary has been - invoked since the last clean, or if - build has been invoked as root (since - build may create directories, for + The clean target may need to be + invoked as root if binary has been + invoked since the last clean, or if + build has been invoked as root (since + build may create directories, for example).

get-orig-source (optional) -

This target fetches the most recent version of the original source package from a canonical archive site @@ -2095,8 +2077,8 @@

- The build, binary and - clean targets must be invoked with the current + The build, binary and + clean targets must be invoked with the current directory being the package's top-level directory.

@@ -2109,7 +2091,7 @@

The architectures we build on and build for are determined - by make variables using + by make variables using the utility dpkg-architecture. You can determine the Debian architecture and the GNU style architecture specification string for the build machine (the machine type @@ -2158,8 +2140,7 @@

This file records the changes to the Debian-specific parts of the - package - + package

Though there is nothing stopping an author who is also the Debian maintainer from using it for all their @@ -2179,14 +2160,22 @@

That format is a series of entries like this: - + package (version) distribution(s); urgency=urgency - + +

[optional blank line(s), stripped]

+ * change details more change details + +

[blank line(s), included in output of dpkg-parsechangelog]

+ * even more change details - - -- maintainer name and email address date + +

[optional blank line(s), stripped]

+ + -- maintainer name <email + address>[two spaces] date

@@ -2210,15 +2199,14 @@ keyword=value settings in the dpkg changelog format (though there is currently only one useful keyword, - urgency). - + urgency).

- Usual urgency values are low, medium, - high and critical. They have an - effect on how quickly a package will be considered for - inclusion into the testing distribution, and - give an indication of the importance of any fixes - included in this upload. + Recognised urgency values are low, + medium, high and emergency. + They have an effect on how quickly a package will be + considered for inclusion into the testing + distribution, and give an indication of the importance + of any fixes included in this upload.

@@ -2237,13 +2225,12 @@ System (BTS), they may be automatically closed on the inclusion of this package into the Debian archive by including the string: closes: Bug#nnnnn - in the change details. - + in the change details.

To be precise, the string should match the following Perl regular expression: -/closes:\s*(?:bug)?\#\s?\d+(?:,\s*(?:bug)?\#\s?\d+)*/i +/closes:\s*(?:bug)?\#?\s?\d+(?:,\s*(?:bug)?\#?\s?\d+)*/i Then all of the bug numbers listed will be closed by the archive maintenance script (katie), or in @@ -2263,8 +2250,7 @@

- The date should be in RFC822 format - + The date should be in RFC822 format

This is generated by the 822-date program. @@ -2304,19 +2290,18 @@ dpkg-genchanges and dpkg-source generate control files they perform variable substitutions on their output just before writing it. Variable - substitutions have the form - ${variable-name}. The optional file - debian/substvars contains variable substitutions to - be used; variables can also be set directly from - debian/rules using the -V option to the - source packaging commands, and certain predefined variables - are also available. + substitutions have the form ${variable}. + The optional file debian/substvars contains + variable substitutions to be used; variables can also be set + directly from debian/rules using the -V + option to the source packaging commands, and certain + predefined variables are also available.

The debian/substvars file is usually generated and modified dynamically by debian/rules targets; in - this case it must be removed by the clean + this case it must be removed by the clean target.

@@ -2339,8 +2324,7 @@

It should not exist in a shipped source package, and so it (and any backup files or temporary files such as - files.new - + files.new

files.new is used as a temporary file by dpkg-gencontrol and @@ -2350,18 +2334,18 @@ occurs

) should be removed by the - clean target. It may also be wise to + clean target. It may also be wise to ensure a fresh start by emptying or removing it at the - start of the binary target. + start of the binary target.

When dpkg-gencontrol is run for a binary package, it adds an entry to debian/files for the - .deb file that will be created when dpkg-deb - --build is run for that binary package. So for most + .deb file that will be created when dpkg-deb + --build is run for that binary package. So for most packages all that needs to be done with this file is to - delete it in the clean target. + delete it in the clean target.

@@ -2377,8 +2361,7 @@

- The source package may not contain any hard links - + The source package may not contain any hard links

This is not currently detected when building source packages, but only when extracting @@ -2390,8 +2373,7 @@ work.

, device special files, sockets or setuid or - setgid files. - + setgid files.

Setgid directories are allowed.

@@ -2443,8 +2425,7 @@

The description field needs to make sense to anyone, even people who have no idea about any of the things the - package deals with. - + package deals with.

The blurb that comes with a program in its announcements and/or README files is @@ -2491,10 +2472,10 @@

- These scripts should be the files preinst, - postinst, prerm and postrm in the + These scripts are the files preinst, + postinst, prerm and postrm in the control area of the package. They must be proper executable - files; if they are scripts (which is recommended) they must + files; if they are scripts (which is recommended), they must start with the usual #! convention. They should be readable and executable by anyone, and not world-writable.

@@ -2511,22 +2492,12 @@ well.

-

- It is necessary for the error recovery procedures that the - scripts be idempotent: i.e., invoking the same script several - times in the same situation should do no harm. If the first - call failed, or aborted half way through for some reason, - the second call should merely do the things that were left - undone the first time, if any, and exit with a success - status. -

-

When a package is upgraded a combination of the scripts from - the old and new packages is called in amongst the other - steps of the upgrade procedure. If your scripts are going - to be at all complicated you need to be aware of this, and - may need to check the arguments to your scripts. + the old and new packages is called during the upgrade + procedure. If your scripts are going to be at all + complicated you need to be aware of this, and may need to + check the arguments to your scripts.

@@ -2537,39 +2508,46 @@ postrm afterwards.

-

Programs called from maintainer scripts should not - normally have a path prepended to them. Before installation - is started the package management system checks to see if - the programs ldconfig, +

+ Programs called from maintainer scripts should not normally + have a path prepended to them. Before installation is + started, the package management system checks to see if the + programs ldconfig, start-stop-daemon, install-info, and update-rc.d can be found via the PATH environment variable. Those programs, and any - other program that one would expect to on the PATH, - should thus be invoked without an absolute + other program that one would expect to be on the + PATH, should thus be invoked without an absolute pathname. Maintainer scripts should also not reset the - PATH, though they might choose to modify it by pre- - or appending package-specific directories. These + PATH, though they might choose to modify it by + prepending or appending package-specific directories. These considerations really apply to all shell scripts.

+ Maintainer scripts Idempotency

- It is very important to make maintainer scripts - idempotent. - + It is necessary for the error recovery procedures that the + scripts be idempotent. This means that if it is run + successfully, and then it is called again, it doesn't bomb + out or cause any harm, but just ensures that everything is + the way it ought to be. If the first call failed, or + aborted half way through for some reason, the second call + should merely do the things that were left undone the first + time, if any, and exit with a success status if everything + is OK.

- That means that if it runs successfully or fails - and then you call it again it doesn't bomb out, - but just ensures that everything is the way it - ought to be. + This is so that if an error occurs, the user interrupts + dpkg or some other unforeseen circumstance + happens you don't leave the user with a badly-broken + package when dpkg attempts to repeat the + action.

- This is so that if an error occurs, the - user interrupts dpkg or some other - unforeseen circumstance happens you don't leave the - user with a badly-broken package. +

+ Controlling terminal for maintainer scripts @@ -2627,7 +2605,7 @@

old-postinst abort-upgrade - new version

+ new-version

conflictor's-postinst abort-remove @@ -2719,10 +2697,11 @@ The procedure on installation/upgrade/overwrite/disappear (i.e., when running dpkg --unpack, or the unpack stage of dpkg --install) is as follows. In each - case if an error occurs the actions are, in general, run - backwards - this means that the maintainer scripts are run - with different arguments in reverse order. These are the - `error unwind' calls listed below. + case, if a major error occurs (unless listed below) the + actions are, in general, run backwards - this means that the + maintainer scripts are run with different arguments in + reverse order. These are the `error unwind' calls listed + below. @@ -2731,20 +2710,20 @@

If a version of the package is already installed, call - - old-prerm upgrade new-version + +old-prerm upgrade new-version

If the script runs but exits with a non-zero exit status, dpkg will attempt: - - new-prerm failed-upgrade old-version + +new-prerm failed-upgrade old-version Error unwind, for both the above cases: - - old-postinst abort-upgrade new-version + +old-postinst abort-upgrade new-version

@@ -2759,16 +2738,16 @@ If any packages depended on that conflicting package and --auto-deconfigure is specified, call, for each such package: - - deconfigured's-prerm deconfigure \ - in-favour package-being-installed version \ - removing conflicting-package version + +deconfigured's-prerm deconfigure \ + in-favour package-being-installed version \ + removing conflicting-package version Error unwind: - - deconfigured's-postinst abort-deconfigure \ - in-favour package-being-installed-but-failed version \ - removing conflicting-package version + +deconfigured's-postinst abort-deconfigure \ + in-favour package-being-installed-but-failed version \ + removing conflicting-package version The deconfigured packages are marked as requiring configuration, so that if @@ -2777,13 +2756,14 @@

To prepare for removal of the conflicting package, call: - - conflictor's-prerm remove in-favour package new-version + +conflictor's-prerm remove \ + in-favour package new-version Error unwind: - - conflictor's-postinst abort-remove \ - in-favour package new-version + +conflictor's-postinst abort-remove \ + in-favour package new-version

@@ -2795,8 +2775,8 @@

If the package is being upgraded, call: - - new-preinst upgrade old-version + +new-preinst upgrade old-version

@@ -2804,20 +2784,20 @@ Otherwise, if the package had some configuration files from a previous version installed (i.e., it is in the `configuration files only' state): - - new-preinst install old-version + +new-preinst install old-version

Otherwise (i.e., the package was completely purged): - - new-preinst install + +new-preinst install - Error unwind versions, respectively: - - new-postrm abort-upgrade old-version - new-postrm abort-install old-version - new-postrm abort-install + Error unwind actions, respectively: + +new-postrm abort-upgrade old-version +new-postrm abort-install old-version +new-postrm abort-install

@@ -2825,24 +2805,26 @@

-

The new package's files are unpacked, overwriting any that may be on the system already, for example any from the old version of the same package or from - another package (backups of the old files are left - around, and if anything goes wrong the package + another package. Backups of the old files are kept + temporarily, and if anything goes wrong the package management system will attempt to put them back as - part of the error unwind). + part of the error unwind.

It is an error for a package to contains files which are on the system in another package, unless Replaces is used (see ). - Currently the --force-overwrite flag is +

@@ -2857,12 +2839,11 @@

Packages which overwrite each other's files produce - behavior which though deterministic is hard for the + behavior which, though deterministic, is hard for the system administrator to understand. It can easily lead to `missing' programs if, for example, a package is installed which overwrites a file from another - package, and is then removed again. - + package, and is then removed again.

Part of the problem is due to what is arguably a bug in dpkg. @@ -2871,7 +2852,7 @@

- A directory will never be replaced by a symbolic links + A directory will never be replaced by a symbolic link to a directory or vice versa; instead, the existing state (symlink or not) will be left alone and dpkg will follow the symlink if there is @@ -2879,26 +2860,28 @@ - -

+

+

If the package is being upgraded, call - - old-postrm upgrade new-version -

+ +old-postrm upgrade new-version + +

If this fails, dpkg will attempt: - - new-postrm failed-upgrade old-version + +new-postrm failed-upgrade old-version Error unwind, for both cases: - - old-preinst abort-upgrade new-version + +old-preinst abort-upgrade new-version

+

This is the point of no return - if dpkg gets this far, it won't back off @@ -2925,13 +2908,13 @@

Any packages all of whose files have been overwritten during the installation, and which aren't required for dependencies, are considered to have been removed. - For each such package, + For each such package

dpkg calls: - - disappearer's-postrm disappear \ - overwriter overwriter-version + +disappearer's-postrm disappear \ + overwriter overwriter-version

@@ -2972,12 +2955,17 @@

The new package's status is now sane, and recorded as - `unpacked'. Here is another point of no return - if - the conflicting package's removal fails we do not - unwind the rest of the installation; the conflicting - package is left in a half-removed limbo. + `unpacked'. +

+ +

+ Here is another point of no return - if the + conflicting package's removal fails we do not unwind + the rest of the installation; the conflicting package + is left in a half-removed limbo.

+

If there was a conflicting package we go and do the @@ -2992,14 +2980,14 @@

- Details of configuration + Details of configuration

When we configure a package (this happens with dpkg - --install, or with --configure), we first - update the conffiles and then call: - - postinst configure most-recently-configured-version + --install and dpkg --configure), we first + update any conffiles and then call: + +postinst configure most-recently-configured-version

@@ -3017,62 +3005,70 @@

- Details of removal and/or configuration purging - + Details of removal and/or + configuration purging

- - prerm remove + +prerm remove

- The package's files are removed (except conffiles). + The package's files are removed (except conffiles).

-

- postrm remove -

+

+ +postrm remove + +

-

All the maintainer scripts except the postrm are removed. +

+ All the maintainer scripts except the postrm + are removed.

If we aren't purging the package we stop here. Note - that packages which have no postrm and no conffiles - are automatically purged when removed, as there is no - difference except for the dpkg - status.

+ that packages which have no postrm and no + conffiles are automatically purged when + removed, as there is no difference except for the + dpkg status.

- The conffiles and any backup files (~-files, - #*# files, %-files, - .dpkg-{old,new,tmp}, etc.) are removed.

+ The conffiles and any backup files + (~-files, #*# files, + %-files, .dpkg-{old,new,tmp}, etc.) + are removed.

 -

- postrm purge -

+

+ +postrm purge + +

The package's file list is removed.

 No attempt is made to unwind after errors during - removal.

+ removal. +

Declaring relationships between - packages + packages

Packages can declare in their control file that they have @@ -3084,9 +3080,10 @@

- This is done using the Depends, Recommends, - Suggests, Enhances, Conflicts, - Provides and Replaces control file fields. + This is done using the Depends, Pre-Depends, + Recommends, Suggests, Enhances, + Conflicts, Provides and Replaces + control file fields.

@@ -3097,7 +3094,7 @@

This is done using the Build-Depends, - Build-Depends-Indep, Build-Conflicts, and + Build-Depends-Indep, Build-Conflicts and Build-Conflicts-Indep control file fields.

@@ -3116,18 +3113,17 @@ control file fields of the package, which declare dependencies on other packages, the package names listed may also include lists of alternative package names, separated - by vertical bar symbols | (pipe symbols). In such - a case, the presence of any one of the alternative packages - is installed, that part of the dependency is considered to - be satisfied. + by vertical bar (pipe) symbols |. In such a case, + if any one of the alternative packages is installed, that + part of the dependency is considered to be satisfied.

- All the fields except Provides may restrict their - applicability to particular versions of each named package. - This is done in parentheses after each individual package - name; the parentheses should contain a relation from the - list below followed by a version number, in the format + All of the fields except for Provides may restrict + their applicability to particular versions of each named + package. This is done in parentheses after each individual + package name; the parentheses should contain a relation from + the list below followed by a version number, in the format described in .

@@ -3135,8 +3131,8 @@ The relations allowed are <<, <=, =, >= and >> for strictly earlier, earlier or equal, exactly equal, later or - equal and strictly later, respectively. The forms - < and > were used to mean + equal and strictly later, respectively. The deprecated + forms < and > were used to mean earlier/later or equal, rather than strictly earlier/later, so they should not appear in new packages (though dpkg still supports them). @@ -3144,22 +3140,23 @@

Whitespace may appear at any point in the version - specification, and must appear where it's necessary to + specification subject to the rules in , and must appear where it's necessary to disambiguate; it is not otherwise significant. For consistency and in case of future changes to dpkg it is recommended that a single space be used after a version relationship and before a version - number; it is usual also to put a single space after each - comma, on either side of each vertical bar, and before each - open parenthesis. + number; it is also conventional to put a single space after + each comma, on either side of each vertical bar, and before + each open parenthesis.

- For example: - - Package: metamail - Version: 2.7-3 - Depends: libc5 (>= 5.2.18-4), mime-support, csh | tcsh + For example, a list of dependencies might appear as: + +Package: mutt +Version: 1.3.17-1 +Depends: libc6 (>= 2.2.1), exim | mail-transport-agent

@@ -3168,7 +3165,7 @@ (Build-Depends, Build-Depends-Indep, Build-Conflicts and Build-Conflicts-Indep) may be restricted to a certain set of architectures. This - is done in brackets after each individual package name and + is indicated in brackets after each individual package name and the optional version specification. The brackets enclose a list of Debian architecture names separated by whitespace. Exclamation marks may be prepended to each of the names. @@ -3183,13 +3180,22 @@

For example: - - Source: glibc - Build-Depends-Indep: texinfo - Build-Depends: kernel-headers-2.2.10 [!hurd-i386], - hurd-dev [hurd-i386], gnumach-dev [hurd-i386] + +Source: glibc +Build-Depends-Indep: texinfo +Build-Depends: kernel-headers-2.2.10 [!hurd-i386], + hurd-dev [hurd-i386], gnumach-dev [hurd-i386]

+ +

+ Note that the binary package relationship fields such as + Depends appear in one of the binary package + sections of the control file, whereas the build-time + relationships such as Build-Depends appear in the + source package section of the control file (which is the + first section). +

@@ -3200,22 +3206,29 @@

These five fields are used to declare a dependency - relationship by one package on another. They appear in the - depending package's control file. + relationship by one package on another. Except for + Enhances, they appear in the depending (binary) + package's control file. (Enhances appears in the + recommending package's control file.)

- All but Pre-Depends and Conflicts - (discussed below) take effect only when a package - is to be configured. They do not prevent a package being on - the system in an unconfigured state while its dependencies - are unsatisfied, and it is possible to replace a package - whose dependencies are satisfied and which is properly - installed with a different version whose dependencies are - not and cannot be satisfied; when this is done the depending - package will be left unconfigured (since attempts to - configure it will give errors) and will not function - properly. + A Depends field takes effect only when a + package is to be configured. It does not prevent a package + being on the system in an unconfigured state while its + dependencies are unsatisfied, and it is possible to replace + a package whose dependencies are satisfied and which is + properly installed with a different version whose + dependencies are not and cannot be satisfied; when this is + done the depending package will be left unconfigured (since + attempts to configure it will give errors) and will not + function properly. If it is necessary, a + Pre-Depends field can be used, which has a partial + effect even when a package is being unpacked, as explained + in detail below. (The other three dependency fields, + Recommends, Suggests and + Enhances, are only used by the various front-ends + to dpkg such as dselect.)

@@ -3227,20 +3240,36 @@

- Thus Depends allows package maintainers to impose - an order in which packages should be configured. + The Depends field thus allows package maintainers + to impose an order in which packages should be configured. +

+ +

+ The meaning of the five dependency fields is as follows: Depends - -

This declares an absolute dependency. +

+ This declares an absolute dependency. A package will + not be configured unless all of the packages listed in + its Depends field have been correctly + configured.

The Depends field should be used if the depended-on package is required for the depending package to provide a significant amount of - functionality.

+ functionality. +

+

+ The Depends field should also be used if the + postinst, prerm or + postrm scripts require the package to be + present in order to run. Note, however, that the + postrm cannot rely on any non-essential + packages to be present during the purge + phase. Recommends @@ -3256,7 +3285,6 @@ Suggests -

This is used to declare that one package may be more useful with one or more others. Using this field @@ -3279,41 +3307,48 @@ Pre-Depends -

This field is like Depends, except that it also forces dpkg to complete installation of the packages named before even starting the installation of the package which declares the - Pre-dependency. + pre-dependency, as follows:

- Pre-Depends should be used sparingly, - preferably only by packages whose premature upgrade or - installation would hamper the ability of the system to - continue with any upgrade that might be in progress. + When a package declaring a pre-dependency is about to + be unpacked the pre-dependency can be + satisfied if the depended-on package is either fully + configured, or even if the depended-on + package(s) are only unpacked or half-configured, + provided that they have been configured correctly at + some point in the past (and not removed or partially + removed since). In this case, both the + previously-configured and currently unpacked or + half-configured versions must satisfy any version + clause in the Pre-Depends field.

- When the package declaring it is being configured, a - Pre-Dependency will be considered satisfied - only if the depending package has been correctly - configured, just as if an ordinary Depends - had been used. + When the package declaring a pre-dependency is about + to be configured, the pre-dependency will be + treated as a normal Depends, that is, it will + be considered satisfied only if the depended-on + package has been correctly configured.

- However, when a package declaring a Pre-dependency is - being unpacked the predependency can be satisfied even - if the depended-on package(s) are only unpacked or - half-configured, provided that they have been - configured correctly at some point in the past (and - not removed or partially removed since). In this case - both the previously-configured and currently unpacked - or half-configured versions must satisfy any version - clause in the Pre-Depends field. + Pre-Depends should be used sparingly, + preferably only by packages whose premature upgrade or + installation would hamper the ability of the system to + continue with any upgrade that might be in progress.

+ +

+ Pre-Depends are also required if the + preinst script depends on the named + package. It is best to avoid this situation if + possible.

@@ -3331,30 +3366,30 @@

- Alternative binary packages - - Conflicts and Replaces - + Conflicting binary packages - + Conflicts

When one binary package declares a conflict with another - dpkg will refuse to allow them to be installed - on the system at the same time. + using a Conflicts field, dpkg will + refuse to allow them to be installed on the system at the + same time.

If one package is to be installed, the other must be removed first - if the package being installed is marked as - replacing () the one on the system, or - the one on the system is marked as deselected, or both + replacing (see ) the one on the system, + or the one on the system is marked as deselected, or both packages are marked Essential, then dpkg will automatically remove the package which is causing the conflict, otherwise it will halt the - installation of the new package with an error. This - mechanism specifically doesn't work when the installed - package is Essential, but the new package is not. + installation of the new package with an error. This + mechanism is specifically designed to produce an error when + the installed package is Essential, but the new + package is not.

-

A package will not cause a conflict merely because its configuration files are still installed; it must be at least @@ -3368,7 +3403,7 @@ prevent their installation, and allows a package to conflict with others providing a replacement for it. You use this feature when you want the package in question to be the only - package providing something. + package providing some feature.

@@ -3386,14 +3421,15 @@

As well as the names of actual (`concrete') packages, the package relationship fields Depends, + Recommends, Suggests, Enhances, + Pre-Depends, Conflicts, Build-Depends, Build-Depends-Indep, - Recommends, Suggests, Conflicts, - Build-Conflicts and Build-Conflicts-Indep may - mention virtual packages. + Build-Conflicts and Build-Conflicts-Indep + may mention `virtual packages'.

- A virtual package is one which appears in the + A virtual package is one which appears in the Provides control file field of another package. The effect is as if the package(s) which provide a particular virtual package name had been listed by name @@ -3406,17 +3442,19 @@ caused) by either the real package or any of the virtual packages which provide it. This is so that, for example, supposing we have - - Package: vm - Depends: emacs + +Package: foo +Depends: bar - and someone else releases an xemacs package they can say - - Package: xemacs - Provides: emacs - and all will work in the interim (until a purely - virtual package name is decided on and the emacs - and vm packages are changed to use it). + and someone else releases an enhanced version of the + bar package (for example, a non-US variant), they + can say: + +Package: bar-plus +Provides: bar + + and the bar-plus package will now also satisfy the + dependency for the foo package.

@@ -3441,87 +3479,101 @@

- If you want to specify which of a set of real packages should be the - default to satisfy a particular dependency on a virtual package, you - should list the real package as an alternative before the virtual. + If you want to specify which of a set of real packages + should be the default to satisfy a particular dependency on + a virtual package, you should list the real package as an + alternative before the virtual one.

- Replaces - overwriting - files and replacing packages - - -

- The Replaces control file field has two purposes, - which come into play in different situations. -

+ Overwriting files and replacing + packages - Replaces

- Virtual packages () are not considered - when looking at a Replaces field - the packages - declared as being replaced must be mentioned by their real - names. + The Replaces control file field has two distinct + purposes, which come into play in different situations.

- Overwriting files in other packages - + Overwriting files in other packages

Firstly, as mentioned before, it is usually an error for a package to contain files which are on the system in - another package, though currently the - --force-overwrite flag is enabled by default, - downgrading the error to a warning, + another package.

- If the overwriting package declares that it replaces the - one containing the file being overwritten then - dpkg will proceed, and replace the file from - the old package with that from the new. The file will no - longer be listed as `owned' by the old package. + However, if the overwriting package declares that it + Replaces the one containing the file being + overwritten, then dpkg will replace the file + from the old package with that from the new. The file + will no longer be listed as `owned' by the old package.

If a package is completely replaced in this way, so that dpkg does not know of any files it still - contains, it is considered to have disappeared. It will + contains, it is considered to have `disappeared'. It will be marked as not wanted on the system (selected for - removal) and not installed. Any conffiles details noted - in the package will be ignored, as they will have been - taken over by the replacing package(s). The package's - postrm script will be run to allow the - package to do any final cleanup required. See . + removal) and not installed. Any conffiles + details noted for the package will be ignored, as they + will have been taken over by the overwriting package. The + package's postrm script will be run with a + special argument to allow the package to do any final + cleanup required. See . +

+ +

+ If an installed package, foo say, declares that + it replaces another, bar, and an attempt is made + to install bar, dpkg will discard + files in the bar package which would overwrite + those already present in foo. This is so that + you can install an older version of a package without + problems.

- In the future dpkg will discard files which - would overwrite those from an already installed package - which declares that it replaces the package being - installed. This is so that you can install an older - version of a package without problems. + For this usage of Replaces, virtual packages (see + ) are not considered when looking at a + Replaces field - the packages declared as being + replaced must be mentioned by their real names.

- This usage of Replaces only takes effect when - both packages are at least partially on the system at - once, so that it can only happen if they do not conflict - or if the conflict has been overridden.

+ Furthermore, this usage of Replaces only takes + effect when both packages are at least partially on the + system at once, so that it can only happen if they do not + conflict or if the conflict has been overridden. +

+ Replacing whole packages, forcing their - removal - + removal

Secondly, Replaces allows the packaging system to resolve which package should be removed when there is a conflict - see . This usage only takes effect when the two packages do conflict, - so that the two effects do not interfere with each other. + so that the two usages of this field do not interfere with + each other.

+ +

+ In this situation, the package declared as being replaced + can be a virtual package, so for example, all mail + transport agents (MTAs) would have the following fields in + their control files: + +Provides: mail-transport-agent +Conflicts: mail-transport-agent +Replaces: mail-transport-agent + + ensuring that only one MTA can be installed at any one + time. @@ -3532,21 +3584,22 @@

A source package may declare a dependency or a conflict on a - binary package. This is done with the control file fields - Build-Depends, Build-Depends-Indep, - Build-Conflicts, and - Build-Conflicts-Indep. Their semantics are that - the dependencies and conflicts they define must be satisfied - (as defined earlier for binary packages), when one of the - targets in debian/rules that the particular field - applies to is invoked. + binary package, indicating which packages are required to be + present on the system in order to build the binary packages + from the source package. This is done with the control file + fields Build-Depends, Build-Depends-Indep, + Build-Conflicts and Build-Conflicts-Indep. + The dependencies and conflicts they define must be satisfied + (as defined earlier for binary packages) in order to invoke + the targets in debian/rules, as follows: Build-Depends, Build-Conflicts

The Build-Depends and - Build-Conflicts fields apply to the targets + Build-Conflicts fields must be satisfied when + any of the following targets is invoked: build, binary, binary-arch and binary-indep.

@@ -3555,8 +3608,9 @@

The Build-Depends-Indep and - Build-Conflicts-Indep fields apply to the - targets binary and binary-indep. + Build-Conflicts-Indep fields must be + satisfied when any of the following targets is + invoked: binary and binary-indep.

@@ -3571,411 +3625,535 @@

- dpkg can do a certain amount of automatic - handling of package configuration files. -

- -

- Whether this mechanism is appropriate depends on a number of - factors, but basically there are two approaches to any - particular configuration file. -

- -

- The easy method is to ship a best-effort configuration in the - package, and use dpkg's conffile mechanism to - handle updates. If the user is unlikely to want to edit the - file, but you need them to be able to without losing their - changes, and a new package with a changed version of the file - is only released infrequently, this is a good approach. -

- -

- The hard method is to build the configuration file from - scratch in the postinst script, and to take the - responsibility for fixing any mistakes made in earlier - versions of the package automatically. This will be - appropriate if the file is likely to need to be different on - each system. + This chapter has been superseded by .

- Shared libraries - + Shared libraries

Packages containing shared libraries must be constructed with a little care to make sure that the shared library is always available. This is especially important for packages whose - shared libraries are vitally important, such as the libc. + shared libraries are vitally important, such as the C library + (currently libc6).

- Firstly, your package should install the shared libraries - under their normal names. For example, the - libgdbm1 package should install - libgdbm.so.1.7.3 as + Firstly, the package should install the shared libraries under + their normal names. For example, the libgdbmg1 + package should install libgdbm.so.1.7.3 as /usr/lib/libgdbm.so.1.7.3. The files should not be - renamed or re-linked by any prerm or postrm scripts; - dpkg will take care of renaming things safely - without affecting running programs, and attempts to interfere - with this are likely to lead to problems. + renamed or re-linked by any prerm or + postrm scripts; dpkg will take care + of renaming things safely without affecting running programs, + and attempts to interfere with this are likely to lead to + problems.

- Secondly, your package should include the symlink that + Secondly, the package should include the symbolic link that ldconfig would create for the shared libraries. - For example, the libgdbm1 package should include - a symlink from /usr/lib/libgdbm.so.1 to - libgdbm.so.1.7.3. This is needed so that - ld.so can find the library in between the time - dpkg installs it and ldconfig is run - in the postinst script. Furthermore, older - versions of the package management system required the library - must be placed before the symlink pointing to it in the - .deb file. This is so that by the time - dpkg comes to install the symlink (overwriting - the previous symlink pointing at an older version of the - library) the new shared library is already in place. - Unfortunately, this was not not always possible, since it - highly depends on the behavior of the file system. Some - file systems (such as reiserfs) will reorder the files so it - doesn't matter in what order you create them. Starting with - release 1.7.0 dpkg will reorder the - files itself when building a package. + For example, the libgdbmg1 package should include + a symbolic link from /usr/lib/libgdbm.so.1 to + libgdbm.so.1.7.3. This is needed so that the dynamic + linker (for example ld.so or + ld-linux.so.*) can find the library between the + time that dpkg installs it and the time that + ldconfig is run in the postinst + script. +

+ The package management system requires the library to be + placed before the symbolic link pointing to it in the + .deb file. This is so that when + dpkg comes to install the symlink + (overwriting the previous symlink pointing at an older + version of the library), the new shared library is already + in place. In the past, this was achieved by creating the + library in the temporary packaging directory before + creating the symlink. Unfortunately, this was not always + effective, since the building of the tar file in the + .deb depended on the behavior of the underlying + file system. Some file systems (such as reiserfs) reorder + the files so that the order of creation is forgotten. + Starting with release 1.7.0, dpkg + will reorder the files itself as necessary when building a + package. Thus it is no longer important to concern + oneself with the order of file creation. +

+ +

+ +

+ Thirdly, the associated development package should contain a + symlink for the shared library without a version number. For + example, the libgdbmg1-dev package should include a + symlink from /usr/lib/libgdbm.so to + libgdbm.so.1.7.3. This symlink is needed by the + linker (ld) when compiling packages, as it will + only look for libgdbm.so when compiling dynamically.

- Thirdly, the development package should contain a symlink for - the shared library without a version number. For example, the - libgdbm1-dev package should include a symlink from - /usr/lib/libgdm.so to libgdm.so.1.7.3. This - symlink is needed by ld when compiling packages - as it will only look for libgdm.so and - libgdm.a when compiling dynamically or statically, - respectively. + Any package installing shared libraries in one of the default + library directories of the dynamic linker (which are currently + /usr/lib and /lib) or a directory that is + listed in /etc/ld.so.conf +

+ These are currently + +

/usr/X11R6/lib/Xaw3d

+

/usr/local/lib

 +

/usr/lib/libc5-compat

 +

/lib/libc5-compat

 +

/usr/X11R6/lib

 + +

+ + must call ldconfig in its postinst + script if the first argument is configure and should + call it in the postrm script if the first + argument is remove.

- Any package installing shared libraries in a directory that's listed - in /etc/ld.so.conf or in one of the default library - directories of ld.so (currently, these are /usr/lib - and /lib) must call ldconfig in its postinst - script if and only if the first argument is `configure'. However, it - is important not to call ldconfig in the postrm or preinst - scripts in the case where the package is being upgraded (see ), as ldconfig will see the temporary names - that dpkg uses for the files while it is + However, postrm and preinst scripts + must not call ldconfig in the case where + the package is being upgraded (see for + details), as ldconfig will see the temporary + names that dpkg uses for the files while it is installing them and will make the shared library links point to them, just before dpkg continues the - installation and removes the links! + installation and renames the temporary files!

- The shlibs File Format + + Handling shared library dependencies - the + shlibs system + +

+ If a package contains a binary or library which links to a + shared library, we must ensure that when the package is + installed on the system, all of the libraries needed are + also installed. This requirement led to the creation of the + shlibs system, which is very simple in its design: + any package which provides a shared library also + provides information on the package dependencies required to + ensure the presence of this library, and any package which + uses a shared library uses this information to + determine the dependencies it requires. The files which + contain the mapping from shared libraries to the necessary + dependency information are called shlibs files. +

+ +

+ Thus, when a package is built which contains any shared + libraries, it must provide a shlibs file for other + packages to use, and when a package is built which contains + any shared libraries or compiled binaries, it must run + dpkg-shlibdeps on these to determine the + libraries used and hence the dependencies needed by this + package. +

+ In the past, the shared libraries linked to were + determined by calling ldd, but now + objdump is used to do this. The only + change this makes to package building is that + dpkg-shlibdeps must also be run on shared + libraries, whereas in the past this was unnecessary. + The rest of this footnote explains the advantage that + this method gives. +

+ +

+ We say that a binary foo directly uses + a library libbar if it is explicitly linked + with that library (that is, it uses the flag + -lbar during the linking stage). Other + libraries that are needed by libbar are linked + indirectly to foo, and the dynamic + linker will load them automatically when it loads + libbar. A package should depend on + the libraries it directly uses, and the dependencies for + those libraries should automatically pull in the other + libraries. +

+ +

+ Unfortunately, the ldd program shows both + the directly and indirectly used libraries, meaning that + the dependencies determined included both direct and + indirect dependencies. The use of objdump + avoids this problem by determining only the directly + used libraries. +

+ +

+ A good example of where this helps is the following. We + could update libimlib with a new version that + supports a new graphics format called dgf (but retaining + the same major version number). If we used the old + ldd method, every package that uses + libimlib would need to be recompiled so it + would also depend on libdgf or it wouldn't run + due to missing symbols. However with the new system, + packages using libimlib can rely on + libimlib itself having the dependency on + libdgf and so they would not need rebuilding. +

+ +

+ +

+ In the following sections, we will first describe where the + various shlibs files are to be found, then how to + use dpkg-shlibdeps, and finally the + shlibs file format and how to create them if your + package contains a shared library. +

+ + + The shlibs files present on the system

- This file is for use by dpkg-shlibdeps and is - required when your package provides shared libraries. + There are several places where shlibs files are + found. The following list gives them in the order in which + they are read by dpkg-shlibdeps. (The first + one which gives the required information is used.)

- Each line is of the form: - - library-name version-or-soname dependencies ... + + +

debian/shlibs.local

+

+ This lists overrides for this package. Its use is + described below (see ). +

+ + + +

/etc/dpkg/shlibs.override

+

+ This lists global overrides. This list is normally + empty. It is maintained by the local system + administrator. +

+ + + +

DEBIAN/shlibs files in the `build directory'

+

+ When packages are being built, any + debian/shlibs files are copied into the + control file area of the temporary build directory and + given the name shlibs. These files give + details of any shared libraries included in the + package. +

+ An example may help here. Let us say that the + source package foo generates two binary + packages, libfoo2 and + foo-runtime. When building the binary + packages, the two packages are created in the + directories debian/libfoo2 and + debian/foo-runtime respectively. + (debian/tmp could be used instead of one + of these.) Since libfoo2 provides the + libfoo shared library, it will require a + shlibs file, which will be installed in + debian/libfoo2/DEBIAN/shlibs, eventually + to become + /var/lib/dpkg/info/libfoo2.shlibs. Then + when dpkg-shlibdeps is run on the + executable + debian/foo-runtime/usr/bin/foo-prog, it + will examine the + debian/libfoo2/DEBIAN/shlibs file to + determine whether foo-prog's library + dependencies are satisfied by any of the libraries + provided by libfoo2. For this reason, + dpkg-shlibdeps must only be run once + all of the individual binary packages' + shlibs files have been installed into the + build directory. +

+ +

+ + + +

/var/lib/dpkg/info/*.shlibs

+

+ These are the shlibs files corresponding to + all of the packages installed on the system, and are + maintained by the relevant package maintainers. +

+ + + +

/etc/dpkg/shlibs.default

+

+ This file lists any shared libraries whose packages + have failed to provide correct shlibs files. + It was used when the shlibs setup was first + introduced, but it is now normally empty. It is + maintained by the dpkg maintainer. +

+ + +

+ + + + How to use dpkg-shlibdeps and the + shlibs files + +

+ Put a call to dpkg-shlibdeps into your + debian/rules file. If your package contains only + compiled binaries and libraries (but no scripts), you can + use a command such as: + +dpkg-shlibdeps debian/tmp/usr/bin/* debian/tmp/usr/sbin/* \ + debian/tmp/usr/lib/* + + Otherwise, you will need to explicitly list the compiled + binaries and libraries. +

+ If you are using debhelper, the + dh_shlibdeps program will do this work for + you. It will also correctly handle multi-binary + packages. +

+ +

+ +

+ This command puts the dependency information into the + debian/substvars file, which is then used by + dpkg-gencontrol. You will need to place a + ${shlib:Depends} variable in the Depends + field in the control file for this to work. +

+ +

+ If dpkg-shlibdeps doesn't complain, you're + done. If it does complain you might need to create your own + debian/shlibs.local file, as explained below (see + ). +

+ +

+ If you have multiple binary packages, you will need to call + dpkg-shlibdeps on each one which contains + compiled libraries or binaries. In such a case, you will + need to use the -T option to the dpkg + utilities to specify a different substvars file. + For more details on this and other options, see . +

+ + + The shlibs File Format + + +

+ Each shlibs file has the same format. Lines + beginning with # are considered to be comments and + are ignored. Each line is of the form: + +library-name soname-version-number dependencies ...

+

+ We will explain this by reference to the example of the + zlib1g package, which (at the time of writing) + installs the shared library /usr/lib/libz.so.1.1.3. +

+

library-name is the name of the shared library, - for example libc5. + in this case libz. (This must match the name part + of the soname, see below.)

- version-or-soname is the soname of the library - - i.e., the thing that must exactly match for the library to be - recognized by ld.so. Usually this is the major - version number of the library. + soname-version-number is the version part of the + soname of the library. The soname is the thing that must + exactly match for the library to be recognized by the + dynamic linker, and is usually of the form + name.so.major-version, in our + example, libz.so.1. +

+ This can be determined using the command + +objdump -p /usr/lib/libz.so.1.1.3 | grep SONAME + +

+ + The version part is the part which comes after + .so., so in our case, it is 1.

dependencies has the same syntax as a dependency field in a binary package control file. It should give - details of which package(s) are required to satisfy a binary + details of which packages are required to satisfy a binary built against the version of the library contained in the - package. See . + package. See for details.

- For example, if the package foo contains - libfoo.so.1.2.3, where the soname of the library is - libfoo.so.1, and the first version of the package - which contained a minor number of at least 2.3 was - 1.2.3-1, then the package's shlibs - could say: - - libfoo 1 foo (>= 1.2.3-1) + In our example, if the first version of the zlib1g + package which contained a minor number of at least + 1.3 was 1:1.1.3-1, then the + shlibs entry for this library could say: + +libz 1 zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.3) -

- -

The version-specific dependency is to avoid warnings from - ld.so about using older shared libraries with - newer binaries.

+ the dynamic linker about using older shared libraries with + newer binaries. +

- Further Technical information on - shlibs - - What are the shlibs files? - - -

- The debian/shlibs file provides a way of checking - for shared library dependencies on packaged binaries. - They are intended to be used by package maintainers to - make their lives easier. -

- -

- Other shlibs files that exist on a Debian system are - -

/etc/dpkg/shlibs.default

-

/etc/dpkg/shlibs.override

 -

/var/lib/dpkg/info/*.shlibs

 -

debian/shlibs.local

 - - These files are used by dpkg-shlibdeps when - creating a binary package.

- - - How does dpkg-shlibdeps - work? - -

- dpkg-shlibdeps - determines the shared libraries directly - -

- It used to do this by calling ldd, but it - now calls objdump to do this. This - requires a couple of changes in the way that packages - are built. -

-

- A binary foo directly uses a library - libbar if it is linked with that - library. Other libraries that are needed by - libbar are linked indirectly to foo, - and the dynamic linker will load them automatically - when it loads libbar. Runningldd - lists all of the libraries used, both directly and - indirectly; but objdump only lists the - directly linked libraries. A package only needs to - depend on the libraries it is directly linked to, - since the dependencies for those libraries should - automatically pull in the other libraries. -

-

- This change does mean a change in the way packages are - build though: currently dpkg-shlibdeps is - only run on binaries. But since we will now rely on the - libraries depending on the libraries they themselves - need, the packages containing those libraries will - need to run dpkg-shlibdeps on the - libraries. -

-

- A good example where this would help us is the current - mess with multiple version of the mesa - library. With the ldd-based system, every - package that uses mesa needs to add a - dependency on svgalib|svgalib-dummy in order - to handle the glide mesa variant. With an - objdump-based system this isn't necessary - anymore and would have saved everyone a lot of work. -

-

- Another example: we could update libimlib - with a new version that supports a new graphics format - called dgf. If we use the old ldd method, - every package that uses libimlib would need - to be recompiled so it would also depend on - libdgf or it wouldn't run due to missing - symbols. However with the new system, packages using - libimlib can rely on libimlib itself - having the dependency on libdgf and wouldn't - need to be updated. -

- - used by the compiled binaries and libraries passed through - on its command line. -

- -

- For each shared library linked to, - dpkg-shlibdeps needs to know - -

the package containing the library, and

-

the library version number,

 - - and it scans the following files in this order: - -

debian/shlibs.local

 -

/etc/dpkg/shlibs.override

 -

/var/lib/dpkg/info/*.shlibs

 -

/etc/dpkg/shlibs.default

 - -

- - - Who maintains the various - shlibs files? - - -

- - -

/etc/dpkg/shlibs.default - the maintainer - of dpkg

- - -

- /var/lib/dpkg/info/package.shlibs - - the maintainer of each package

- - -

- /etc/dpkg/shlibs.override - the local - system administrator

- - -

debian/shlibs.local - the maintainer of - the package -

- - - The shlibs.default file is managed by - dpkg. The entries in shlibs.default - that are provided by dpkg are just there to - fix things until the shared library packages all have - shlibs files. -

- - - How to use dpkg-shlibdeps and - the shlibs files - - - If your package doesn't provide a shared - library - - -

- Put a call to dpkg-shlibdeps into your - debian/rules file. If your package contains - only binaries (e.g. no scripts) use: - - dpkg-shlibdeps debian/tmp/usr/bin/* debian/tmp/usr/sbin/* - - If dpkg-shlibdeps doesn't complain, you're - done. If it does complain you might need to create your - own debian/shlibs.local file.

- - - If your package provides a shared library - + + Providing a shlibs file +

+ If your package provides a shared library, you should create + a shlibs file following the format described above. + It is usual to call this file debian/shlibs (but if + you have multiple binary packages, you might want to call it + debian/shlibs.package instead). Then + let debian/rules install it in the control area: + +install -m644 debian/shlibs debian/tmp/DEBIAN + + or, in the case of a multi-binary package: + +install -m644 debian/shlibs.package debian/package/DEBIAN/shlibs + + An alternative way of doing this is to create the + shlibs file in the control area directly from + debian/rules without using a debian/shlibs + file at all,

- Create a debian/shlibs file and let - debian/rules install it in the control area: - - install -m644 debian/shlibs debian/tmp/DEBIAN - - If your package contains additional binaries see above. + This is what dh_makeshlibs in the + debhelper suite does.

- - + + since the debian/shlibs file itself is ignored by + dpkg-shlibdeps. +

- How to write - debian/shlibs.local - +

+ As dpkg-shlibdeps reads the + DEBIAN/shlibs files in all of the binary packages + being built from this source package, all of the + DEBIAN/shlibs files should be installed before + dpkg-shlibdeps is called on any of the binary + packages. +

+ -

- This file is intended only as a temporary fix if - your binaries depend on a library which doesn't provide - its own /var/lib/dpkg/info/*.shlibs file yet. -

+ + Writing the debian/shlibs.local file -

- Let's assume you are packaging a binary foo. Your - output in building the package might look like this. - - $ ldd foo - libbar.so.1 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libbar.so.1.0 (0x4001e000) - libX11.so.6 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.so.6 (0x4002c000) - libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x40114000) - /lib/ld-linux.so.2 => /lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0x40000000) - - And when you ran dpkg-shlibdeps - - $ dpkg-shlibdeps -O foo - dpkg-shlibdeps: warning: unable to find dependency information for shared library libbar - (soname 1, path /usr/X11R6/lib/libbar.so.1.0, dependency field Depends) - shlibs:Depends=libc6 (>= 2.2.1), xlibs (>= 4.0.1-11) - - The foo binary depends on the - libbar shared library, but no package seems - to provide a *.shlibs file in - /var/lib/dpkg/info/. Let's determine the package - responsible: -

+

+ This file is intended only as a temporary fix if + your binaries or libraries depend on a library whose package + does not yet provide a correct shlibs file. +

-

- - $ dpkg -S /usr/X11R6/lib/libbar.so.1.0 - bar1: /usr/X11R6/lib/libbar.so.1.0 - $ dpkg -s bar1 | grep Version - Version: 1.0-1 - - This tells us that the bar1 package, version - 1.0-1 is the one we are using. Now we can create our own - debian/shlibs.local to temporarily fix the above - problem. Include the following line into your - debian/shlibs.local file. - - libbar 1 bar1 (>= 1.0-1) - - Now your package build should work. As soon as the - maintainer of libbar1 provides a - shlibs file, you can remove your - debian/shlibs.local file. -

- +

+ We will assume that you are trying to package a binary + foo. When you try running + dpkg-shlibdeps you get the following error + message (-O displays the dependency information on + stdout instead of writing it to + debian/substvars, and the lines have been wrapped + for ease of reading): + +$ dpkg-shlibdeps -O debian/tmp/usr/bin/foo +dpkg-shlibdeps: warning: unable to find dependency + information for shared library libbar (soname 1, + path /usr/lib/libbar.so.1, dependency field Depends) +shlibs:Depends=libc6 (>= 2.2.2-2) + + You can then run ldd on the binary to find the + full location of the library concerned: + +$ ldd foo +libbar.so.1 => /usr/lib/libbar.so.1 (0x4001e000) +libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x40032000) +/lib/ld-linux.so.2 => /lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0x40000000) + + So the foo binary depends on the + libbar shared library, but no package seems to + provide a *.shlibs file handling + libbar.so.1 in /var/lib/dpkg/info/. Let's + determine the package responsible: + +$ dpkg -S /usr/lib/libbar.so.1 +bar1: /usr/lib/libbar.so.1 +$ dpkg -s bar1 | grep Version +Version: 1.0-1 + + This tells us that the bar1 package, version 1.0-1, + is the one we are using. Now we can file a bug against the + bar1 package and create our own + debian/shlibs.local to locally fix the problem. + Including the following line into your + debian/shlibs.local file: + +libbar 1 bar1 (>= 1.0-1) + + should allow the package build to work. +

+ +

+ As soon as the maintainer of bar1 provides a + correct shlibs file, you should remove this line + from your debian/shlibs.local file. (You should + probably also then have a versioned Build-Depends + on bar1 to help ensure that others do not have the + same problem building your package.) +

- The Operating System - + The Operating System - File system hierarchy + Filesystem hierarchy - Linux File system Structure + Filesystem Structure

The location of all installed files and directories must - comply with the Linux File system Hierarchy Standard - (FHS). The latest version of this document can be found - alongside this manual or on - . + comply with the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS), + version 2.1, except where doing so would violate other + terms of Debian Policy. The version of this document + referred here can be found in the debian-policy + package or on + alongside this manual. The + latest version, which may be a more recent version, may + be found on + . Specific questions about following the standard may be - asked on debian-devel, or referred to Daniel - Quinlan, the FHS coordinator, at - quinlan@pathname.com.

 - + asked on the debian-devel mailing list, or + referred to the FHS mailing list (see the + for + more information). +

+ Site-specific programs @@ -3984,196 +4162,251 @@ As mandated by the FHS, packages must not place any files in /usr/local, either by putting them in the file system archive to be unpacked by dpkg - or by manipulating them in their maintainer scripts.

+ or by manipulating them in their maintainer scripts. +

However, the package may create empty directories below /usr/local so that the system administrator knows - where to place site-specific files. These directories + where to place site-specific files. These directories should be removed on package removal if they are - empty.

+ empty. +

Note, that this applies only to directories below - /usr/local, not in - /usr/local. Packages must not create sub-directories - in the directory /usr/local itself, except those listed in - FHS, section 4.5. However, you may create directories - below them as you wish. You must not remove any of the - directories listed in 4.5, even if you created them.

+ /usr/local, not in /usr/local. + Packages must not create sub-directories in the directory + /usr/local itself, except those listed in FHS, + section 4.5. However, you may create directories below + them as you wish. You must not remove any of the + directories listed in 4.5, even if you created them. +

Since /usr/local can be mounted read-only from a remote server, these directories must be created and - removed by the postinst and prerm - maintainer scripts. These scripts must not fail if either - of these operations fail. (In the future, it will be - possible to tell dpkg not to unpack files - matching certain patterns, so that the directories can be - included in the .deb packages and system - administrators who do not wish these directories in - /usr/local do not need to have them.)

+ removed by the postinst and prerm + maintainer scripts and not be included in the + .deb archive. These scripts must not fail if + either of these operations fail. +

- For example, the emacs package will contain - - mkdir -p /usr/local/lib/emacs/site-lisp || true + For example, the emacsen-common package could + contain something like + +if [ ! -e /usr/local/share/emacs ] +then + if mkdir /usr/local/share/emacs 2>/dev/null + then + chown root:staff /usr/local/share/emacs + chmod 2775 /usr/local/share/emacs + fi +fi - in the postinst script, and - - rmdir /usr/local/lib/emacs/site-lisp || true - rmdir /usr/local/lib/emacs || true + in its postinst script, and + +rmdir /usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp 2>/dev/null || true +rmdir /usr/local/share/emacs 2>/dev/null || true - in the prerm script.

+ in the prerm script. (Note that this form is + used to ensure that if the script is interrupted, the + directory /usr/local/share/emacs will still be + removed.) +

If you do create a directory in /usr/local for local additions to a package, you should ensure that settings in /usr/local take precedence over the - equivalents in /usr.

+ equivalents in /usr. +

- However, because '/usr/local' and its contents are for - exclusive use of the local administrator, a package must - not rely on the presence or absence of files or - directories in '/usr/local' for normal operation.

+ However, because /usr/local and its contents are + for exclusive use of the local administrator, a package + must not rely on the presence or absence of files or + directories in /usr/local for normal operation. +

The /usr/local directory itself and all the subdirectories created by the package should (by default) have permissions 2775 (group-writable and set-group-id) and be - owned by root.staff.

+ owned by root.staff. +

+ + + + The system-wide mail directory +

+ The system-wide mail directory is /var/mail. This + directory is part of the base system and should not owned + by any particular mail agents. The use of the old + location /var/spool/mail is deprecated, even + though the spool may still be physically located there. + To maintain partial upgrade compatibility for systems + which have /var/spool/mail as their physical mail + spool, packages using /var/mail must depend on + either libc6 (>= 2.1.3-13), or on + base-files (>= 2.2.0), or on later + versions of either one of these packages. +

Users and groups -

- The Debian system can be configured to use either plain or - shadow passwords.

- -

- Some user ids (UIDs) and group ids (GIDs) are reserved - globally for use by certain packages. Because some packages - need to include files which are owned by these users or - groups, or need the ids compiled into binaries, these ids - must be used on any Debian system only for the purpose for - which they are allocated. This is a serious restriction, and - we should avoid getting in the way of local administration - policies. In particular, many sites allocate users and/or - local system groups starting at 100.

- -

- Apart from this we should have dynamically allocated ids, - which should by default be arranged in some sensible - order--but the behavior should be configurable.

- -

- Packages other than base-passwd must not modify - /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, - /etc/group or /etc/gshadow.

- -

- The UID and GID ranges are as follows: - - 0-99: - -

- Globally allocated by the Debian project, the - same on every Debian system. These ids will appear in - the passwd and group files of all - Debian systems, new ids in this range being added - automatically as the base-passwd package is - updated.

- -

- Packages which need a single statically allocated uid - or gid should use one of these; their maintainers - should ask the base-passwd maintainer for - ids.

- + + Introduction +

+ The Debian system can be configured to use either plain or + shadow passwords. +

- 100-999: - -

- Dynamically allocated system users and groups. - Packages which need a user or group, but can have this - user or group allocated dynamically and differently on - each system, should use `adduser --system' to - create the group and/or user. adduser - will check for the existence of the user or group, and - if necessary choose an unused id based on the ranges - specified in adduser.conf.

 +

+ Some user ids (UIDs) and group ids (GIDs) are reserved + globally for use by certain packages. Because some + packages need to include files which are owned by these + users or groups, or need the ids compiled into binaries, + these ids must be used on any Debian system only for the + purpose for which they are allocated. This is a serious + restriction, and we should avoid getting in the way of + local administration policies. In particular, many sites + allocate users and/or local system groups starting at 100. +

+

+ Apart from this we should have dynamically allocated ids, + which should by default be arranged in some sensible + order, but the behavior should be configurable. +

- 1000-29999: - -

- Dynamically allocated user accounts. By default - adduser will choose UIDs and GIDs for - user accounts in this range, though - adduser.conf may be used to modify this - behavior.

- +

+ Packages other than base-passwd must not modify + /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, + /etc/group or /etc/gshadow. +

+ - 30000-59999: - -

Reserved.

 + + UID and GID classes +

+ The UID and GID numbers are divided into classes as + follows: + + 0-99: + +

+ Globally allocated by the Debian project, the same + on every Debian system. These ids will appear in + the passwd and group files of all + Debian systems, new ids in this range being added + automatically as the base-passwd package is + updated. +

+

+ Packages which need a single statically allocated + uid or gid should use one of these; their + maintainers should ask the base-passwd + maintainer for ids. +

+ - 60000-64999: - -

- Globally allocated by the Debian project, but only - created on demand. The ids are allocated centrally and - statically, but the actual accounts are only created - on users' systems on demand.

+ 100-999: + +

+ Dynamically allocated system users and groups. + Packages which need a user or group, but can have + this user or group allocated dynamically and + differently on each system, should use adduser + --system to create the group and/or user. + adduser will check for the existence of + the user or group, and if necessary choose an unused + id based on the ranges specified in + adduser.conf. +

+ -

- These ids are for packages which are obscure or which - require many statically-allocated ids. These packages - should check for and create the accounts in - /etc/passwd or /etc/group (using - adduser if it has this facility) if - necessary. Packages which are likely to require - further allocations should have a `hole' left after - them in the allocation, to give them room to - grow.

 + 1000-29999: + +

+ Dynamically allocated user accounts. By default + adduser will choose UIDs and GIDs for + user accounts in this range, though + adduser.conf may be used to modify this + behavior. +

+ + 30000-59999: + +

Reserved.

+ - 65000-65533: - -

Reserved.

 + 60000-64999: + +

+ Globally allocated by the Debian project, but only + created on demand. The ids are allocated centrally + and statically, but the actual accounts are only + created on users' systems on demand. +

+

+ These ids are for packages which are obscure or + which require many statically-allocated ids. These + packages should check for and create the accounts in + /etc/passwd or /etc/group (using + adduser if it has this facility) if + necessary. Packages which are likely to require + further allocations should have a `hole' left after + them in the allocation, to give them room to + grow. +

+ - 65534: - -

User `nobody.' The corresponding gid refers - to the group `nogroup.'

 + 65000-65533: + +

Reserved.

+ + 65534: + +

+ User nobody. The corresponding gid refers + to the group nogroup. +

+ - 65535: - -

- (uid_t)(-1) == (gid_t)(-1). NOT TO BE USED, - because it is the error return sentinel value.

- - -

+ 65535: + +

+ (uid_t)(-1) == (gid_t)(-1) must + not be used, because it is the error return + sentinel value. +

+ + +

+ - - System run levels + + System run levels and init.d scripts Introduction

The /etc/init.d directory contains the scripts - executed by init at boot time and when init - state (or `runlevel') is changed (see ).

+ executed by init at boot time and when the + init state (or `runlevel') is changed (see ). +

There are at least two different, yet functionally @@ -4182,20 +4415,23 @@ link method. However, it must not be assumed by maintainer scripts that this method is being used, and any automated manipulation of the various runlevel behaviours by - maintainer scripts must be performed using `update-rc.d' - as described below and not by manually installing or - removing symlinks. For information on the - implementation details of the other method, implemented in - the file-rc package, please refer to the - documentation of that package.

+ maintainer scripts must be performed using + update-rc.d as described below and not by + manually installing or removing symlinks. For information + on the implementation details of the other method, + implemented in the file-rc package, please refer + to the documentation of that package. +

- These scripts are referenced by symbolic links in - the /etc/rcn.d directories. When - changing runlevels, init looks in the - directory /etc/rcn.d for the scripts - it should execute, where n is the runlevel that - is being changed to, or `S' for the boot-up scripts.

+ These scripts are referenced by symbolic links in the + /etc/rcn.d directories. When changing + runlevels, init looks in the directory + /etc/rcn.d for the scripts it should + execute, where n is the runlevel that + is being changed to, or S for the boot-up + scripts. +

The names of the links all have the form @@ -4203,44 +4439,65 @@ Kmmscript where mm is a two-digit number and script is the name of the script (this should be the same as the - name of the actual script in /etc/init.d.

+ name of the actual script in /etc/init.d). +

When init changes runlevel first the targets - of the links whose names starting with a K are + of the links whose names start with a K are executed, each with the single argument stop, followed by the scripts prefixed with an S, each - with the single argument start. The K - links are responsible for killing services and the - S link for starting services upon entering the - runlevel.

+ with the single argument start. (The links are + those in the /etc/rcn.d directory + corresponding to the new runlevel.) The K links + are responsible for killing services and the S + link for starting services upon entering the runlevel. +

For example, if we are changing from runlevel 2 to runlevel 3, init will first execute all of the K prefixed scripts it finds in /etc/rc3.d, and then - all of the S prefixed scripts. The links - starting with K will cause the referred-to file - to be executed with an argument of stop, and the - S links with an argument of start.

- -

- The two-digit number mm is used to decide which - order to start and stop things in--low-numbered links have - their scripts run first. For example, the K20 - scripts will be executed before the K30 scripts. - This is used when a certain service must be started before - another. For example, the name server bind - might need to be started before the news server - inn so that inn can set up its - access lists. In this case, the script that starts - bind would have a lower number than the - script that starts inn so that it runs first: - - /etc/rc2.d/S17bind - /etc/rc2.d/S70inn + all of the S prefixed scripts in that directory. + The links starting with K will cause the + referred-to file to be executed with an argument of + stop, and the S links with an argument + of start. +

+ +

+ The two-digit number mm is used to determine + the order in which to run the scripts: low-numbered links + have their scripts run first. For example, the + K20 scripts will be executed before the + K30 scripts. This is used when a certain service + must be started before another. For example, the name + server bind might need to be started before + the news server inn so that inn + can set up its access lists. In this case, the script + that starts bind would have a lower number + than the script that starts inn so that it + runs first: + +/etc/rc2.d/S17bind +/etc/rc2.d/S70inn

+ +

+ The two runlevels 0 (halt) and 6 (reboot) are slightly + different. In these runlevels, the links with an + S prefix are still called after those with a + K prefix, but they too are called with the single + argument stop. +

+ +

+ Also, if the script name ends .sh, the script + will be sourced in runlevel S rather that being + run in a forked subprocess, but will be explicitly run by + sh in all other runlevels. +

@@ -4269,9 +4526,10 @@ reloaded without actually stopping and restarting the service,

- force-reload

cause the - configuration to be reloaded if the service supports - this, otherwise restart the service.

 + force-reload +

cause the configuration to be reloaded if the + service supports this, otherwise restart the + service.

 The start, stop, restart, and @@ -4294,70 +4552,93 @@ should behave as if the configuration has been reloaded successfully.

+

+ The /etc/init.d scripts must be treated as + configuration files, either (if they are present in the + package, that is, in the .deb file) by marking them as + conffiles, or, (if they do not exist in the .deb) + by managing them correctly in the maintainer scripts (see + ). This is important since we want + to give the local system administrator the chance to adapt + the scripts to the local system, e.g., to disable a + service without de-installing the package, or to specify + some special command line options when starting a service, + while making sure her changes aren't lost during the next + package upgrade. +

+

These scripts should not fail obscurely when the configuration files remain but the package has been removed, as configuration files remain on the system after - the package has been removed. Only when dpkg + the package has been removed. Only when dpkg is executed with the --purge option will - configuration files be removed. In particular, the init - script itself is usually a configuration file (see - ), and will remain on the system if - the package is removed but not purged. Therefore, you + configuration files be removed. In particular, as the + /etc/init.d/package script itself is + usually a conffile, it will remain on the system + if the package is removed but not purged. Therefore, you should include a test statement at the top of the script, like this: - - test -f program-executed-later-in-script || exit 0 -

+ +test -f program-executed-later-in-script || exit 0 + +

- Often there are some values in the `init.d' - scripts that a system administrator will frequently want - to change. While the scripts are frequently conffiles, - modifying them requires that the administrator merge in - their changes each time the package is upgraded and the - conffile changes. To ease the burden on the system - administrator, such configurable values should not be - placed directly in the script. Instead, they should be - placed in a file in `/etc/default', which - typically will have the same base name as the - `init.d' script. This extra file can be sourced - by the script when the script runs. It must contain only - variable settings and comments. + Often there are some variables in the init.d + scripts whose values control the bahaviour of the scripts, + and which a system administrator is likely to want to + change. As the scripts themselves are frequently + conffiles, modifying them requires that the + administrator merge in their changes each time the package + is upgraded and the conffile changes. To ease + the burden on the system administrator, such configurable + values should not be placed directly in the script. + Instead, they should be placed in a file in + /etc/default, which typically will have the same + base name as the init.d script. This extra file + should be sourced by the script when the script runs. It + must contain only variable settings and comments in POSIX + sh format. It may either be a + conffile or a configuration file maintained by + the package maintainer scripts. See + for more details.

To ensure that vital configurable values are always - available, the `init.d' script should set default - values for each of the shell variables it uses before - sourcing the /etc/default/ file. Also, since the - `/etc/default/' file is often a conffile, the - `init.d' script must behave sensibly without - failing if it is deleted. + available, the init.d script should set default + values for each of the shell variables it uses, either + before sourcing the /etc/default/ file or + afterwards using something like the : + ${VAR:=default} syntax. Also, the init.d + script must behave sensibly and not fail if the + /etc/default file is deleted.

- Managing the links

- The program update-rc.d is provided to make - it easier for package maintainers to arrange for the - proper creation and removal of - /etc/rcn.d symbolic links, or their - functional equivalent if another method is being used. - This may be used by maintainers in their packages' - postinst and postrm scripts.

+ The program update-rc.d is provided for + package maintainers to arrange for the proper creation and + removal of /etc/rcn.d symbolic links, + or their functional equivalent if another method is being + used. This may be used by maintainers in their packages' + postinst and postrm scripts.

- You must use this script to make changes to - /etc/rcn.d and never either - include any /etc/rcn.d symbolic links - in the actual archive or manually create or remove the - symbolic links in maintainer scripts. (The latter will - fail if an alternative method of maintaining runlevel - information is being used.)

+ You must not include any /etc/rcn.d + symbolic links in the actual archive or manually create or + remove the symbolic links in maintainer scripts; you must + use the update-rc.d program instead. (The + former will fail if an alternative method of maintaining + runlevel information is being used.) You must not include + the /etc/rcn.d directories themselves + in the archive either. (Only the sysvinit + package may do so.) +

By default update-rc.d will start services in @@ -4365,37 +4646,41 @@ and stop them in the halt runlevel (0), the single-user runlevel (1) and the reboot runlevel (6). The system administrator will have the opportunity to customize - runlevels by either running update-rc.d, by - simply adding, moving, or removing the symbolic links in - /etc/rcn.d if symbolic links are being - used, or by modifying /etc/runlevel.conf if the - file-rc method is being used.

+ runlevels by simply adding, moving, or removing the + symbolic links in /etc/rcn.d if + symbolic links are being used, or by modifying + /etc/runlevel.conf if the file-rc method + is being used. +

To get the default behavior for your package, put in your - postinst script - - update-rc.d package defaults >/dev/null + postinst script + +update-rc.d package defaults >/dev/null - and in your postrm - - if [ purge = "$1" ]; then - update-rc.d package remove >/dev/null - fi + and in your postrm + +if [ "$1" = purge ]; then + update-rc.d package remove >/dev/null +fi

This will use a default sequence number of 20. If it does - not matter when or in which order the script is run, use - this default. If it does, then you should talk to the - maintainer of the sysvinit package or post to - debian-devel, and they will help you choose a - number.

+ not matter when or in which order the init.d + script is run, use this default. If it does, then you + should talk to the maintainer of the sysvinit + package or post to debian-devel, and they will + help you choose a number. +

For more information about using update-rc.d, please consult its manpage .

 + section="8">. +

+ @@ -4409,33 +4694,6 @@ described in . Packages must not place files in /etc/rc.boot.

- - Notes - -

- Do not include the - /etc/rcn.d/* symbolic links in the - .deb file system archive! This will cause - problems! You must create them with - update-rc.d, as above.

- -

- Do not include the - /etc/rcn.d/* symbolic links in - dpkg's conffiles list! This will cause - problems! You should, however, treat the - /etc/init.d scripts as configuration files, - either by marking them as conffiles or managing them - correctly in the maintainer scripts (see - ). (This is important since we want - to give the local system administrator the chance to adapt - the scripts to the local system--e.g., to disable a - service without de-installing the package, or to specify - some special command line options when starting a - service--while making sure her changes aren't lost during - the next package upgrade.)

- - Example @@ -4447,347 +4705,380 @@ appropriately bind. As you can see, the script interprets the argument reload to send the nameserver a HUP signal (causing it to reload its - configuration); this way the user can say + configuration); this way the system administrator can say /etc/init.d/bind reload to reload the name server. The script has one configurable value, which can be used to pass parameters to the named program at - startup. + startup; this value is read from + /etc/default/bind (see below).

- - #!/bin/sh - # - # Original version by Robert Leslie - # <rob@mars.org>, edited by iwj and cs - - test -x /usr/sbin/named || exit 0 - - # Source defaults file. - PARAMS='' - if [ -f /etc/default/bind ]; then - . /etc/default/bind - fi - - - case "$1" in - start) - echo -n "Starting domain name service: named" - start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --exec /usr/sbin/named \ - -- $PARAMS - echo "." - ;; - stop) - echo -n "Stopping domain name service: named" - start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet \ - --pidfile /var/run/named.pid --exec /usr/sbin/named - echo "." - ;; - restart) - echo -n "Restarting domain name service: named" - start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet \ - --pidfile /var/run/named.pid --exec /usr/sbin/named - start-stop-daemon --start --verbose --exec /usr/sbin/named \ - -- $PARAMS - echo "." - ;; - force-reload|reload) - echo -n "Reloading configuration of domain name service: named" - start-stop-daemon --stop --signal 1 --quiet \ - --pidfile /var/run/named.pid --exec /usr/sbin/named - echo "." - ;; - *) - echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/bind {start|stop|restart|reload|force-reload}" >&2 - exit 1 - ;; - esac - - exit 0 + +#!/bin/sh +# +# Original version by Robert Leslie +# <rob@mars.org>, edited by iwj and cs + +test -x /usr/sbin/named || exit 0 + +# Source defaults file. +PARAMS='' +if [ -f /etc/default/bind ]; then + . /etc/default/bind +fi + + +case "$1" in +start) + echo -n "Starting domain name service: named" + start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --exec /usr/sbin/named \ + -- $PARAMS + echo "." + ;; +stop) + echo -n "Stopping domain name service: named" + start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet \ + --pidfile /var/run/named.pid --exec /usr/sbin/named + echo "." + ;; +restart) + echo -n "Restarting domain name service: named" + start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet \ + --pidfile /var/run/named.pid --exec /usr/sbin/named + start-stop-daemon --start --verbose --exec /usr/sbin/named \ + -- $PARAMS + echo "." + ;; +force-reload|reload) + echo -n "Reloading configuration of domain name service: named" + start-stop-daemon --stop --signal 1 --quiet \ + --pidfile /var/run/named.pid --exec /usr/sbin/named + echo "." + ;; +*) + echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/bind {start|stop|restart|reload|force-reload}" >&2 + exit 1 + ;; +esac + +exit 0

- Complementing the above init script is a file - '/etc/default/bind', which contains configurable - parameters used by the script. -

-

- - # Specified parameters to pass to named. See named(8). - # You may uncomment the following line, and edit to taste. - #PARAMS="-u nobody" + Complementing the above init script is a configuration + file /etc/default/bind, which contains + configurable parameters used by the script. This would be + created by the postinst script if it was not + already present, and removed on purge by the + postrm script. + +# Specified parameters to pass to named. See named(8). +# You may uncomment the following line, and edit to taste. +#PARAMS="-u nobody"

- Another example on which to base your /etc/init.d - scripts is in /etc/init.d/skeleton.

+ Another example on which you can base your + /etc/init.d scripts is found in + /etc/init.d/skeleton. +

If this package is happy with the default setup from update-rc.d, namely an ordering number of 20 and having named running in all runlevels, it can say in - its postinst: - - update-rc.d bind defaults >/dev/null + its postinst: + +update-rc.d bind defaults >/dev/null - And in its postrm, to remove the links when the + And in its postrm, to remove the links when the package is purged: - - if [ purge = "$1" ]; then - update-rc.d bind remove >/dev/null - fi -

- + +if [ "$1" = purge ]; then + update-rc.d bind remove >/dev/null +fi + +

+ + - Cron jobs + Console messages from init.d scripts

- Packages must not modify the configuration file - /etc/crontab, and they must not modify the files in - /var/spool/cron/crontabs.

- -

- If a package wants to install a job that has to be executed - via cron, it should place a file with the name of the - package in one of the following directories: - - /etc/cron.daily - /etc/cron.weekly - /etc/cron.monthly - - As these directory names imply, the files within them are - executed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, - respectively. The exact times are listed in - /etc/crontab.

- -

- All files installed in any of these directories must be - scripts (shell scripts, Perl scripts, etc.) so that they can - easily be modified by the local system administrator. In - addition, they should be treated as configuration files.

- -

- If a certain job has to be executed more frequently than - daily, the package should install a file - /etc/cron.d/package-name. This file uses - the same syntax as /etc/crontab and is processed by - cron automatically. The file must also be - treated as a configuration file. (Note, that entries in the - /etc/cron.d directory are not handled by - anacron. Thus, you should only use this - directory for jobs which may be skipped if the system is not - running.)

- -

- The scripts or crontab entries in these directories should - check if all necessary programs are installed before they - try to execute them. Otherwise, problems will arise when a - package was removed but not purged since configuration files - are kept on the system in this situation.

- - - - Console messages - -

- This section describes different formats for messages + This section describes the formats to be used for messages written to standard output by the /etc/init.d - scripts. The intent is to improve the consistency of - Debian's startup and shutdown look and feel.

- -

- Please look very careful at the details. We want to get the - messages to look exactly the same way concerning spaces, - punctuation, and case of letters.

+ scripts. The intent is to improve the consistency of + Debian's startup and shutdown look and feel. For this + reason, please look very carefully at the details. We want + the messages to have the same format in terms of wording, + spaces, punctuation and case of letters. +

Here is a list of overall rules that you should use when you - create output messages. They can be useful if you have a - non-standard message that isn't covered in the sections - below.

+ create output messages. They can be useful if you have a + non-standard message that is not covered specifically in the + sections below. +

- Every message should cover one line, start with a - capital letter and end with a period `.'.

- + Every message should fit in one line (fewer than 80 + characters), start with a capital letter and end with + a period (.) and line feed ("\n"). +

+

If you want to express that the computer is working on - something (performing a specific task, not starting or - stopping a program), we use an ``ellipsis'', namely - three dots `...'. Note that we don't insert spaces in - front of or behind the dots. If the task has been - completed we write `done.' and a line feed.

 - + something (that is, performing a specific task, not + starting or stopping a program), we use an "ellipsis" + (three dots: ...). Note that we don't insert + spaces before or after the dots. If the task has been + completed we write done. and a line feed. +

+

Design your messages as if the computer is telling you - what he is doing (let him be polite :-) but don't - mention ``him'' directly. For example, if you think - of saying - - I'm starting network daemons: nfsd mountd. + what he is doing (let him be polite :-), but don't + mention "him" directly. For example, if you think of + saying + +I'm starting network daemons: nfsd mountd. just say - - Starting network daemons: nfsd mountd. -

-

+ +Starting network daemons: nfsd mountd. + +

+ + +

- The following formats should be used

+ There are standard message formats for the following + situations. They should be used by the init.d + scripts. +

-

when daemons get started.

+

When daemons are started

- Use this format if your script starts one or more - daemons. The output should look like this (a single - line, no leading spaces): - - Starting <description>: <daemon-1> <daemon-2> <...> <daemon-n>. + If your script starts one or more daemons, the output + should look like this (a single line, no leading + spaces): + +Starting description: daemon-1 ... daemon-n. - The <description> should describe the subsystem - the daemon or set of daemons are part of, while - <daemon-1> up to <daemon-n> denote each - daemon's name (typically the file name of the - program).

+ The description should describe the + subsystem the daemon or set of daemons are part of, + while daemon-1 up to daemon-n + denote each daemon's name (typically the file name of + the program). +

- For example, the output of /etc/init.d/lpd would look like: - - Starting printer spooler: lpd. -

+ For example, the output of /etc/init.d/lpd + would look like: + +Starting printer spooler: lpd. + +

This can be achieved by saying - - echo -n "Starting printer spooler: lpd" - start-stop-daemon --start --quiet lpd - echo "." + +echo -n "Starting printer spooler: lpd" +start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --exec /usr/sbin/lpd +echo "." in the script. If you have more than one daemon to start, you should do the following: - - echo -n "Starting remote file system services:" - echo -n " nfsd"; start-stop-daemon --start --quiet nfsd - echo -n " mountd"; start-stop-daemon --start --quiet mountd - echo -n " ugidd"; start-stop-daemon --start --quiet ugidd - echo "." + +echo -n "Starting remote file system services:" +echo -n " nfsd"; start-stop-daemon --start --quiet nfsd +echo -n " mountd"; start-stop-daemon --start --quiet mountd +echo -n " ugidd"; start-stop-daemon --start --quiet ugidd +echo "." This makes it possible for the user to see what takes - so long and when the final daemon has been - started. You should be careful where to put spaces: In the + so long and when the final daemon has been started. + You should be careful where to put spaces: in the example above the system administrator can easily comment out a line if he don't wants to start a specific daemon, while the displayed message still - looks good.

- + looks good. +

+ -

when something needs to be configured.

+

When a system parameter is being set

- If you have to set up different parameters of the - system upon boot up, you should use this format: - - Setting <parameter> to `<value>'. -

+ If you have to set up different system parameters + during the system boot, you should use this format: + +Setting parameter to `value'. + +

- You can use the following echo statement to get the quotes right: - - echo "Setting DNS domainname to \`"value"'." -

+ You can use a statement such as the following to get + the quotes right: + +echo "Setting DNS domainname to \`$domainname'." + +

- Note that the left quotation mark (`) is different - from the right (').

 + Note that the left quotation mark (`) is + different from the right one ('). +

+ -

when a daemon is stopped.

+

When a daemon is stopped or restarted

- When you stop a daemon you should issue a message - similar to the startup message, except that `Starting' - is replaced with `Stopping'.

+ When you stop or restart a daemon, you should issue a + message identical to the startup message, except that + Starting is replaced with Stopping + or Restarting respectively. +

- So stopping the printer daemon will like like this: - - Stopping printer spooler: lpd. -

+ For example, stopping the printer daemon will like + like this: + +Stopping printer spooler: lpd. + +

+ -

when something is executed.

+

When something is executed

There are several examples where you have to run a program at system startup or shutdown to perform a - specific task. For example, setting the system's clock - via `netdate' or killing all processes when the system - comes down. Your message should like this: - - Doing something very useful...done. + specific task, for example, setting the system's clock + using netdate or killing all processes + when the system shuts down. Your message should look + like this: + +Doing something very useful...done. - You should print the `done.' right after the job has been completed, - so that the user gets informed why he has to wait. You can get this + You should print the done. immediately after + the job has been completed, so that the user is + informed why she has to wait. You can get this behavior by saying - - echo -n "Doing something very useful..." - do_something - echo "done." + +echo -n "Doing something very useful..." +do_something +echo "done." - in your script.

 + in your script. +

+ -

when the configuration is reloaded.

+

When the configuration is reloaded

When a daemon is forced to reload its configuration files you should use the following format: - - Reloading <daemon's-name> configuration...done. -

+ +Reloading description configuration...done. + + where description is the same as in the + daemon starting message. +

+ + +

+ - -

when none of the above rules apply.

+ + Cron jobs -

- If you have to print a message that doesn't fit into - the styles described above, you can use something - appropriate, but please have a look at the overall - rules listed above.

 -

+

+ Packages must not modify the configuration file + /etc/crontab, and they must not modify the files in + /var/spool/cron/crontabs.

+ +

+ If a package wants to install a job that has to be executed + via cron, it should place a file with the name of the + package in one or more of the following directories: + +/etc/cron.daily +/etc/cron.weekly +/etc/cron.monthly + + As these directory names imply, the files within them are + executed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, + respectively. The exact times are listed in + /etc/crontab.

+ +

+ All files installed in any of these directories must be + scripts (e.g., shell scripts or Perl scripts) so that they + can easily be modified by the local system administrator. + In addition, they should be treated as configuration + files. +

+

+ If a certain job has to be executed more frequently than + daily, the package should install a file + /etc/cron.d/package. This file uses the + same syntax as /etc/crontab and is processed by + cron automatically. The file must also be + treated as a configuration file. (Note that entries in the + /etc/cron.d directory are not handled by + anacron. Thus, you should only use this + directory for jobs which may be skipped if the system is not + running.)

+ +

+ The scripts or crontab entries in these directories should + check if all necessary programs are installed before they + try to execute them. Otherwise, problems will arise when a + package was removed but not purged since configuration files + are kept on the system in this situation.

+ Menus

- Menu entries should follow the current menu policy as - defined in the file ftp.debian.org in - /debian/doc/package-developer/menu-policy.txt.gz - or your local mirror. In addition, it is included in the - debian-policy package. + Menu entries should follow the current menu policy found in + the menu-policy files in the debian-policy + package. It may also be found on the Debian FTP site + ftp.debian.org as the file + /debian/doc/package-developer/menu-policy.txt.gz, + or in the equivalent location on your local mirror.

- The Debian menu packages provides a unique + The Debian menu package provides a standard interface between packages providing applications and documents, and menu programs (either X window - managers or text-based menu programs as - pdmenu).

+ managers or text-based menu programs such as + pdmenu). +

All packages that provide applications that need not be @@ -4798,31 +5089,33 @@ managers, as well in shells like pdmenu.

- Please refer to the Debian Menu System document - that comes with the menu package for information - about how to register your applications and web - documents.

+ Please also refer to the Debian Menu System + documentation that comes with the menu package for + information about how to register your applications and web + documents. +

- Multimedia handlers

Packages which provide the ability to view/show/play, compose, edit or print MIME types should register themselves - as such following the current MIME support policy as defined - in the file found on ftp.debian.org in - /debian/doc/package-developer/mime-policy.txt.gz - or your local mirror. In addition, it is included in the - debian-policy package. + as such following the current MIME support policy found in + the mime-policy files in the debian-policy + package. It may also be found on the Debian FTP site + ftp.debian.org as the file + /debian/doc/package-developer/mime-policy.txt.gz, + or in the equivalent location on your local mirror.

- MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, RFC 1521) is a - mechanism for encoding files and data streams and providing - meta-information about them, in particular their type (e.g. - audio or video) and format (e.g. PNG, HTML, MP3). + MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, RFCs 2045-2049) + is a mechanism for encoding files and data streams and + providing meta-information about them, in particular their + type (e.g. audio or video) and format (e.g. PNG, HTML, + MP3).

@@ -4837,13 +5130,14 @@ Keyboard configuration

- To achieve a consistent keyboard configuration (i.e., all - applications interpret a keyboard event the same way) all + To achieve a consistent keyboard configuration so that all + applications interpret a keyboard event the same way, all programs in the Debian distribution must be configured to - comply with the following guidelines.

+ comply with the following guidelines. +

- Here is a list that contains certain keys and their interpretation: + The following keys must have the specified interpretations: <-- @@ -4856,117 +5150,137 @@

emacs: the help prefix

- The interpretation of any keyboard events should be independent - of the terminal that's used, be it a virtual console, an X - terminal emulator, an rlogin/telnet session, etc.

+ The interpretation of any keyboard events should be + independent of the terminal that is used, be it a virtual + console, an X terminal emulator, an rlogin/telnet session, + etc. +

The following list explains how the different programs - should be set up to achieve this:

+ should be set up to achieve this: +

- -

`<--' generates KB_Backspace in - X.

+ +

<-- generates KB_Backspace + in X.

 -

`Delete' generates KB_Delete in X.

 +

Delete generates KB_Delete in + X.

- X translations are set up to make KB_Backspace - generate ASCII DEL, and to make KB_Delete generate - ESC [ 3 ~ (this is the vt220 escape code for - the `delete character' key). This must be done by - loading the resources using xrdb on all local X - displays, not using the application defaults, so that - the translation resources used correspond to the - xmodmap settings.

 + X translations are set up to make + KB_Backspace generate ASCII DEL, and to make + KB_Delete generate ESC [ 3 ~ (this + is the vt220 escape code for the `delete character' + key). This must be done by loading the X resources + using xrdb on all local X displays, not + using the application defaults, so that the + translation resources used correspond to the + xmodmap settings.

The Linux console is configured to make - `<--' generate DEL, and `Delete' generate - ESC [ 3 ~ (this is the case at the - moment).

 + <-- generate DEL, and Delete + generate ESC [ 3 ~.

-

- X applications are configured so that Backspace - deletes left, and Delete deletes right. Motif + +

+ X applications are configured so that < + deletes left, and Delete deletes right. Motif applications already work like this.

 -

stty erase ^? .

 +

Terminals should have stty erase ^? .

 -

- The `xterm' terminfo entry should have ESC [ 3 - ~ for kdch1, just like TERM=linux and - TERM=vt220.

 + +

+ The xterm terminfo entry should have ESC + [ 3 ~ for kdch1, just as for + TERM=linux and TERM=vt220.

 + + +

+ Emacs is programmed to map KB_Backspace or + the stty erase character to + delete-backward-char, and KB_Delete + or kdch1 to delete-forward-char, and + ^H to help as always.

 -

- Emacs is programmed to map KB_Backspace or the `stty - erase' character to delete-backward-char, and - KB_Delete or kdch1 to delete-forward-char, and - ^H to help as always.

 + +

+ Other applications use the stty erase + character and kdch1 for the two delete keys, + with ASCII DEL being `delete previous character' and + kdch1 being `delete character under + cursor'.

 -

- Other applications use the `stty erase' character and - kdch1 for the two delete keys, with ASCII DEL being - `delete previous character' and kdch1 being `delete - character under cursor'.

 -

+ +

- This will solve the problem except for:

+ This will solve the problem except for the following + cases: +

- -

+ + +

Some terminals have a <-- key that cannot be made to produce anything except ^H. On these terminals Emacs help will be unavailable on - ^H (assuming that the `stty erase' character - takes precedence in Emacs, and has been set - correctly). M-x help or F1 (if available) can be used - instead.

- -

- Some operating systems use ^H for stty erase. - However, modern telnet versions and all rlogin - versions propagate stty settings, and almost all UNIX - versions honour stty erase. Where the stty settings - are not propagated correctly things can be made to - work by using stty manually.

 - -

+ ^H (assuming that the stty erase + character takes precedence in Emacs, and has been set + correctly). M-x help or F1 (if + available) can be used instead.

 + + +

+ Some operating systems use ^H for stty + erase. However, modern telnet versions and all + rlogin versions propagate stty settings, and + almost all UNIX versions honour stty erase. + Where the stty settings are not propagated + correctly, things can be made to work by using + stty manually.

 + + +

Some systems (including previous Debian versions) use - xmodmap to arrange for both <-- and Delete - to generate KB_Delete. We can change the behavior - of their X clients via the same X resources that we - use to do it for our own, or have our clients be - configured via their resources when things are the - other way around. On displays configured like this - Delete will not work, but <-- + xmodmap to arrange for both + <-- and Delete to generate + KB_Delete. We can change the behavior of + their X clients using the same X resources that we use + to do it for our own clients, or configure our clients + using their resources when things are the other way + around. On displays configured like this + Delete will not work, but <-- will.

 -

- Some operating systems have different kdch1 settings - in their terminfo for xterm and others. On these - systems the Delete key will not work correctly when - you log in from a system conforming to our policy, but + +

+ Some operating systems have different kdch1 + settings in their terminfo database for + xterm and others. On these systems the + Delete key will not work correctly when you + log in from a system conforming to our policy, but <-- will.

- Environment variables

A program must not depend on environment variables to get - reasonable defaults. (That's because these environment + reasonable defaults. (That's because these environment variables would have to be set in a system-wide - configuration file like /etc/profile, which is not supported - by all shells.)

+ configuration file like /etc/profile, which is not + supported by all shells.)

If a program usually depends on environment variables for its @@ -4981,12 +5295,13 @@

Here is an example of a wrapper script for this purpose: - - #!/bin/sh - BAR=${BAR:-/var/lib/fubar} - export BAR - exec /usr/lib/foo/foo "$@" -

+ +#!/bin/sh +BAR=${BAR:-/var/lib/fubar} +export BAR +exec /usr/lib/foo/foo "$@" + +

Furthermore, as /etc/profile is a configuration @@ -4995,32 +5310,34 @@ file.

 - - Files + + Files Binaries

Two different packages must not install programs with - different functionality but with the same filenames. (The + different functionality but with the same filenames. (The case of two programs having the same functionality but - different implementations is handled via `alternatives.') - If this case happens, one of the programs must be - renamed. The maintainers should report this to the - developers' mailing and try to find a consensus about - which package will have to be renamed. If a consensus can - not be reached, both programs must be - renamed.

+ different implementations is handled via `alternatives' or + the `Conflicts' mechanism. See and + respectively.) If this case happens, + one of the programs must be renamed. The maintainers should + report this to the debian-devel mailing list and + try to find a consensus about which program will have to be + renamed. If a consensus cannot be reached, both + programs must be renamed. +

Generally the following compilation parameters should be used: - - CC = gcc - CFLAGS = -O2 -Wall # sane warning options vary between programs - LDFLAGS = # none - install -s # (or use strip on the files in debian/tmp) + +CC = gcc +CFLAGS = -O2 -Wall # sane warning options vary between programs +LDFLAGS = # none +install -s # (or use strip on the files in debian/tmp)

@@ -5032,81 +5349,55 @@ package.

- The -N flag should not be used. On a.out systems - it may have been useful for some very small binaries, but - for ELF it has no good effect.

+ The -N flag should not be used. On a.out + systems it may have been useful for some very small + binaries, but for ELF it has no good effect.

Debugging symbols are useful for error diagnosis, investigation of core dumps (which may be submitted by users - in bug reports), or testing and developing the - software. Therefore it is recommended to support building - the package with debugging information through the following - interface: If the environment variable - DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS contains the string - debug, compile the software with debugging - information (usually this involves adding the -g - flag to CFLAGS). This allows the generation of a - build tree with debugging information. If the environment - variable DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS contains the string - nostrip, do not strip the files at installation - time. This allows one to generate a package with debugging - information included. The following makefile snippet is only - an example of how one may test for either condition: - + in bug reports), or testing and developing the software. + Therefore it is recommended to support building the package + with debugging information through the following interface: + If the environment variable DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS + contains the string debug, compile the software + with debugging information (usually this involves adding the + -g flag to CFLAGS). This allows the + generation of a build tree with debugging information. If + the environment variable DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS contains + the string nostrip, do not strip the files at + installation time. This allows one to generate a package + with debugging information included.

- Rationale: Building by default with -g causes more - wasted CPU cycles since the information is stripped away - anyway. The package can by default build without -g if - it also provides a mechanism to easily be rebuilt with - debugging information. This can be done by providing a - "build-debug" make target, or allowing the user to - specify "DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS=debug" in the environment while - compiling that package. -

-

Now this has several added benefits: - - -

- It is actually easier to build debugging bins and - libraries this way (no more editing debian/rules - or similar) since it provides a documented way of - getting this type of build.

- - -

- There will be much less wasted CPU time for the - autobuilders since not having debugging - information (and hence also not having to strip - it) will increase the speed of compiles. This - skips an entire pass of the compiler. -

- - + Rationale: Using -g by default causes wasted + CPU cycles since the information is stripped away + anyway; this can have a significant impact on the + efficiency of the autobuilders. Having a standard way + to build a debugging variant also makes it easier to + build debugging bins and libraries since it provides a + documented way of getting this type of build; one does + not have to manually edit debian/rules or + Makefiles.

- - - - CFLAGS = -O2 -Wall - INSTALL = install - INSTALL_FILE = $(INSTALL) -p -o root -g root -m 644 - INSTALL_PROGRAM = $(INSTALL) -p -o root -g root -m 755 - INSTALL_SCRIPT = $(INSTALL) -p -o root -g root -m 755 - INSTALL_DIR = $(INSTALL) -p -d -o root -g root -m 755 - - ifneq (,$(findstring debug,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS))) - CFLAGS += -g - endif - ifeq (,$(findstring nostrip,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS))) - INSTALL_PROGRAM += -s - endif + The following makefile snippet is an example of how one may + test for either condition; you will probably have to massage + this example in order to make it work for your package. + +CFLAGS = -O2 -Wall +INSTALL = install +INSTALL_FILE = $(INSTALL) -p -o root -g root -m 644 +INSTALL_PROGRAM = $(INSTALL) -p -o root -g root -m 755 +INSTALL_SCRIPT = $(INSTALL) -p -o root -g root -m 755 +INSTALL_DIR = $(INSTALL) -p -d -o root -g root -m 755 + +ifneq (,$(findstring debug,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS))) +CFLAGS += -g +endif +ifeq (,$(findstring nostrip,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS))) +INSTALL_PROGRAM += -s +endif - - Please note that the above example is merely informative, - and is not a policy mandate. You may have to massage this - example in order to make it work for your package. -

@@ -5118,7 +5409,7 @@ here. Don't use flags for the sake of it; only use them if there is good reason to do so. Feel free to override the upstream author's ideas about which compilation - options are best--they are often inappropriate for our + options are best: they are often inappropriate for our environment.

 @@ -5126,11 +5417,12 @@ Libraries

- All libraries must have a shared version in the lib - package and a static version in the lib-dev package. The - shared version must be compiled with -fPIC, and - the static version must not be. In other words, each - *.c file will need to be compiled twice.

+ All libraries must have a shared version in the + lib* package and a static version in the + lib*-dev package. The shared version must be + compiled with -fPIC, and the static version must + not be. In other words, each *.c file will need to + be compiled twice.

You must specify the gcc option -D_REENTRANT @@ -5140,14 +5432,24 @@

Note that all installed shared libraries should be stripped with - - strip --strip-unneeded <your-lib> + +strip --strip-unneeded your-lib - (The option `--strip-unneeded' makes strip remove - only the symbols which aren't needed for relocation - processing.) Shared libraries can function perfectly well - when stripped, since the symbols for dynamic linking are - in a separate part of the ELF object file.

+ (The option --strip-unneeded makes + strip remove only the symbols which aren't + needed for relocation processing.) Shared libraries can + function perfectly well when stripped, since the symbols for + dynamic linking are in a separate part of the ELF object + file. +

+ You might also want to use the options + --remove-section=.comment and + --remove-section=.note on both shared libraries + and executables, and --strip-debug on static + libraries. +

+ +

Note that under some circumstances it may be useful to @@ -5155,39 +5457,71 @@ building a separate package to support debugging.

-

- An ever increasing number of packages are using libtool to - do their linking. The latest GNU libtools (>= 1.3a) can take - advantage of the metadata in the installed libtool archive - files (`*.la'). The main advantage of libtool's .la files is - that it allows libtool to store and subsequently access - metadata with respect to the libraries it builds. libtool - will search for those files, which contain a lot of useful - information about a library (e.g. dependency libraries for - static linking). Also, they're essential for - programs using libltdl. +

+ Shared object files (often .so files) that are not + public libraries, that is, they are not meant to be linked + to by third party executables (binaries of other packages), + should be installed in subdirectories of the + /usr/lib directory. Such files are exempt from the + rules that govern ordinary shared libraries, except that + they must not be installed executable and should be + stripped. +

+ A common example are the so-called ``plug-ins'', + internal shared objects that are dynamically loaded by + programs using . +

+

- -

- Certainly libtool is fully capable of linking against shared - libraries which don't have .la files, but being a mere shell - script it can add considerably to the build time of a - libtool using package if that shell-script has to derive all - this information from first principles for each library every - time it is linked. With the advent of libtool-1.4 (and to a - lesser extent libtool-1.3), the .la files will also store - information about inter-library dependencies which cannot - necessarily be derived after the .la file is deleted. + +

+ Packages containing shared libraries that may be linked to + by other packages' binaries, but which for some + compelling reason can not be installed in + /usr/lib directory, may install the shared library + files in subdirectories of the /usr/lib directory, + in which case they should arrange to add that directory in + /etc/ld.so.conf in the package's post-installation + script, and remove it in the package's post-removal script. +

+ +

+ An ever increasing number of packages are using + libtool to do their linking. The latest GNU + libtools (>= 1.3a) can take advantage of the metadata in the + installed libtool archive files (*.la + files). The main advantage of libtool's + .la files is that it allows libtool to + store and subsequently access metadata with respect to the + libraries it builds. libtool will search for + those files, which contain a lot of useful information about + a library (such as library dependency information for static + linking). Also, they're essential for programs + using libltdl. +

+ Although libtool is fully capable of + linking against shared libraries which don't have + .la files, as it is a mere shell script it can + add considerably to the build time of a + libtool-using package if that shell script + has to derive all this information from first principles + for each library every time it is linked. With the + advent of libtool version 1.4 (and to a + lesser extent libtool version 1.3), the + .la files also store information about + inter-library dependencies which cannot necessarily be + derived after the .la file is deleted. +

+

- Packages that use libtool to create shared libraries should - include the .la files in the -dev - packages, with the exception that if the package relies on - libtool's libltdl library, in which case the .la - files must go in the run-time library package. This is a - good idea in general, and especially for static linking - issues. + Packages that use libtool to create shared + libraries should include the .la files in the + -dev package, unless the package relies on + libtool's libltdl library, in which case + the .la files must go in the run-time library + package.

@@ -5200,7 +5534,6 @@

- Shared libraries @@ -5212,68 +5545,73 @@ For a straightforward library which has a development environment and a runtime kit including just shared libraries you need to create two packages: - librarynamesoname - (soname is the shared object name of the shared - library--it's the thing that has to match exactly between - building an executable and running it for the dynamic - linker to be able run the program; usually the - soname is the major number of the library) and - librarynamesoname-dev.

+ librarynamesoversion, where + soversion is the version number in the + soname of the shared library +

+ The soname is the shared object name: it's the thing + that has to match exactly between building an executable + and running it for the dynamic linker to be able run the + program. For example, if the soname of the library is + libfoo.so.6, the library package would be + called libfoo6. +

+ + and librarynamesoversion-dev. +

If you prefer only to support one development version at a time you may name the development package - libraryname-dev; otherwise you may - wish to use dpkg's conflicts mechanism to - ensure that the user only installs one development version - at a time (after all, different development versions are - likely to have the same header files in them, causing a - filename clash if both are installed). Typically the - development version should also have an exact version - dependency on the runtime library, to make sure that - compilation and linking happens correctly.

+ libraryname-dev; otherwise you may need + to use dpkg's Conflicts mechanism (see ) to ensure that the user only installs one + development version at a time (as different development + versions are likely to have the same header files in them, + which would cause a filename clash if both were installed). + Typically the development version should also have an exact + version dependency on the runtime library, to make sure that + compilation and linking happens correctly. The + ${Source-Version} substitution variable can be + useful for this purpose. +

Packages which use the shared library should have a dependency on the name of the shared library package, - librarynamesoname. When - the soname changes you can have both versions - of the library installed while moving from the old library - to the new.

+ librarynamesoversion. When + the soname changes you can have both versions of the library + installed while migrating from the old library to the new. +

- If your package has some run-time support programs which - use the shared library you must not put them in - the shared library package. If you do that then you won't - be able to install several versions of the shared library - without getting filename clashes. Instead, either create - a third package for the runtime binaries (this package - might typically be named - libraryname-runtime--note the absence - of the soname in the package name) or if the - development package is small include them in there.

+ If your package has some run-time support programs which use + the shared library you must not put them in the shared + library package. If you do that then you won't be able to + install several versions of the shared library without + getting filename clashes. Instead, either create a third + package for the runtime binaries (this package might + typically be named libraryname-runtime; + note the absence of the soversion in the package + name), or if the development package is small you may + include them in there. +

If you have several shared libraries built from the same source tree you may lump them all together into a single - shared library package, provided that you change all their - sonames at once (so that you don't get filename + shared library package, provided that you change all of + their sonames at once (so that you don't get filename clashes if you try to install different versions of the - combined shared libraries package).

- -

- You should follow the directions in the Debian Packaging - Manual for putting the shared library in its package, - and you must include a shlibs control area - file with details of the dependencies for packages which - use the library.

+ combined shared libraries package). +

- Shared libraries should not be installed - executable, since ld.so does not require this - and trying to execute a shared library results in a core - dump.

 - + Shared libraries should not be installed executable, since + the dynamic linker does not require this and trying to + execute a shared library usually results in a core dump. +

+ Scripts @@ -5296,56 +5634,62 @@ command.

- The standard shell interpreter `/bin/sh' can be a + The standard shell interpreter /bin/sh can be a symbolic link to any POSIX compatible shell, if echo - -n does not generate a newline. - + -n does not generate a newline.

- Debian policy specifies POSIX behavior for /bin/sh, but - echo -n has widespread use in the Linux community - (including especially debian policy, the linux kernel - source, many debian scripts, etc.). This echo -n - mechanism is valid but not required under POSIX, hence - this explicit addition. Also, rumour has it that this - shall be mandated under the LSB anyway. + Debian policy specifies POSIX behavior for + /bin/sh, but echo -n has widespread + use in the Linux community (in particular including this + policy, the Linux kernel source, many Debian scripts, + etc.). This echo -n mechanism is valid but not + required under POSIX, hence this explicit addition. + Also, rumour has it that this shall be mandated under + the LSB anyway.

- Thus, shell scripts - specifying `/bin/sh' as interpreter should only - use POSIX features. If a script requires non-POSIX - features from the shell interpreter, the appropriate shell - must be specified in the first line of the script (e.g., - `#!/bin/bash') and the package must depend on the - package providing the shell (unless the shell package is - marked `Essential', e.g., in the case of + Thus, shell scripts specifying /bin/sh as + interpreter should only use POSIX features. If a script + requires non-POSIX features from the shell interpreter, the + appropriate shell must be specified in the first line of the + script (e.g., #!/bin/bash) and the package must + depend on the package providing the shell (unless the shell + package is marked `Essential', as in the case of bash).

- You may wish to restrict your script to POSIX features when possible so - that it may use /bin/sh as its interpreter. If - your script works with ash, it's probably - POSIX compliant, but if you are in doubt, use - /bin/bash.

+ You may wish to restrict your script to POSIX features when + possible so that it may use /bin/sh as its + interpreter. If your script works with ash, + it's probably POSIX compliant, but if you are in doubt, use + /bin/bash. +

Perl scripts should check for errors when making any system calls, including open, print, - close, rename and system.

+ close, rename and system. +

- csh and tcsh should be avoided - as scripting languages. See Csh Programming - Considered Harmful, one of the comp.unix.* - FAQs. It can be found on - , or - - or even on ftp.cpan.org - /pub/perl/CPAN/doc/FMTEYEWTK/versus/csh.whynot. + csh and tcsh should be avoided as + scripting languages. See Csh Programming Considered + Harmful, one of the comp.unix.* FAQs, which + can be found at . +

+ It can also be found on + + or on the ftp site ftp.cpan.org as + /pub/perl/CPAN/doc/FMTEYEWTK/versus/csh.whynot. +

+ If an upstream package comes with csh scripts then you must make sure that they start with #!/bin/csh and make your package depend on the - c-shell virtual package.

+ c-shell virtual package. +

Any scripts which create files in world-writeable @@ -5354,9 +5698,9 @@ already exists.

- The Debian base distribution provides the - tempfile and mktemp utilities - for use by scripts for this purpose.

 + The Debian base system provides the tempfile + and mktemp utilities for use by scripts for + this purpose.

@@ -5367,42 +5711,42 @@ should be relative, and symbolic links pointing from one top-level directory into another should be absolute. (A top-level directory is a sub-directory of the root - directory `/'.)

+ directory /.)

- In addition, symbolic links should be specified as short - as possible, i.e., link targets like `foo/../bar' are + In addition, symbolic links should be specified as short as + possible, i.e., link targets like foo/../bar are deprecated.

Note that when creating a relative link using ln it is not necessary for the target of the link to exist relative to the working directory you're - running ln from; nor is it necessary to - change directory to the directory where the link is to be - made. Simply include the string that should appear as the - target of the link (this will be a pathname relative to - the directory in which the link resides) as the first - argument to ln.

+ running ln from, nor is it necessary to change + directory to the directory where the link is to be made. + Simply include the string that should appear as the target + of the link (this will be a pathname relative to the + directory in which the link resides) as the first argument + to ln.

For example, in your Makefile or - debian/rules, do things like: - - ln -fs gcc $(prefix)/bin/cc - ln -fs gcc debian/tmp/usr/bin/cc - ln -fs ../sbin/sendmail $(prefix)/bin/runq - ln -fs ../sbin/sendmail debian/tmp/usr/bin/runq + debian/rules, you can do things like: + +ln -fs gcc $(prefix)/bin/cc +ln -fs gcc debian/tmp/usr/bin/cc +ln -fs ../sbin/sendmail $(prefix)/bin/runq +ln -fs ../sbin/sendmail debian/tmp/usr/bin/runq

- A symbolic link pointing to a compressed file should - always have the same file extension as the referenced - file. (For example, if a file `foo.gz' is - referenced by a symbolic link, the filename of the link - has to end with `.gz' too, as in - `bar.gz.')

 - + A symbolic link pointing to a compressed file should always + have the same file extension as the referenced file. (For + example, if a file foo.gz is referenced by a + symbolic link, the filename of the link has to end with + `.gz' too, as in bar.gz.) +

+ Device files @@ -5414,12 +5758,12 @@

If a package needs any special device files that are not included in the base system, it must call - MAKEDEV in the postinst script, + MAKEDEV in the postinst script, after asking the user for permission to do so.

Packages must not remove any device files in the - postrm or any other script. This is left to the + postrm or any other script. This is left to the system administrator.

@@ -5436,21 +5780,25 @@

configuration file -

- A file that affects the operation of program, or + +

+ A file that affects the operation of a program, or provides site- or host-specific information, or - otherwise customizes the behavior of program. + otherwise customizes the behavior of a program. Typically, configuration files are intended to be modified by the system administrator (if needed or - desired) to conform to local policy or provide more - useful site-specific behavior.

+ desired) to conform to local policy or to provide + more useful site-specific behavior. +

conffile -

+ +

A file listed in a package's conffiles file, and is treated specially by dpkg - (see the Debian Packaging Manual).

+ (see ). +

@@ -5458,14 +5806,16 @@

The distinction between these two is important; they are not interchangeable concepts. Almost all - conffiles are configuration files, but many - configuration files are not conffiles.

+ conffiles are configuration files, but many + configuration files are not conffiles. +

Note that a script that embeds configuration information - (such as most of the files in /etc/init.d and + (such as most of the files in /etc/default and /etc/cron.{daily,weekly,monthly}) is de-facto a - configuration file and should be treated as such.

+ configuration file and should be treated as such. +

@@ -5490,17 +5840,22 @@

Configuration file handling must conform to the following behavior: - + -

local changes must be preserved during a package - upgrade

+

+ local changes must be preserved during a package + upgrade, and +

-

configuration files must be preserved when the +

+ configuration files must be preserved when the package is removed, and only deleted when the - package is purged.

+ package is purged. +

-

+ +

The easy way to achieve this behavior is to make the @@ -5517,229 +5872,256 @@

In order to ensure that local changes are preserved correctly, no package may contain or make hard links to - conffiles. - + conffiles.

Rationale: There are two problems with hard links. The first is that some editors break the link while editing one of the files, so that the two files may - unwittingly become different. The second is that - dpkg might break the hard link while - upgrading conffiles. + unwittingly become unlinked and different. The second + is that dpkg might break the hard link + while upgrading conffiles.

- The other way to do it is via the maintainer scripts. - In this case, the configuration file must not be listed as - a conffile and must not be part of the package + The other way to do it is via the maintainer scripts. In + this case, the configuration file must not be listed as a + conffile and must not be part of the package distribution. If the existence of a file is required for the package to be sensibly configured it is the - responsibility of the package maintainer to write scripts - which correctly create, update, maintain and - remove-on-purge the file. These scripts must be idempotent - (i.e., must work correctly if dpkg needs to - re-run them due to errors during installation or removal), - must cope with all the variety of ways dpkg - can call maintainer scripts, must not overwrite or - otherwise mangle the user's configuration without asking, - must not ask unnecessary questions (particularly during - upgrades), and otherwise be good citizens.

- -

- The scripts are not required to configure every possible option for - the package, but only those necessary to get the package - running on a given system. Ideally the sysadmin should not - have to do any configuration other than that done - (semi-)automatically by the postinst script.

+ responsibility of the package maintainer to provide + maintainer scripts which correctly create, update and + maintain the file and remove it on purge. (See for more information.) These + scripts must be idempotent (i.e., must work correctly if + dpkg needs to re-run them due to errors + during installation or removal), must cope with all the + variety of ways dpkg can call maintainer + scripts, must not overwrite or otherwise mangle the user's + configuration without asking, must not ask unnecessary + questions (particularly during upgrades), and otherwise be + good citizens. +

-

- A common practice is to create a script called - package-configure and have the - package's postinst call it if and only if the - configuration file does not already exist. In certain - cases it is useful for there to be an example or template - file which the maintainer scripts use. Such files should - be in /usr/share/<package> or - /usr/lib/<package> with a symbolic link - from /usr/share/doc/<package>/examples - if they are examples, and should be - perfectly ordinary dpkg-handled files - (not conffiles). -

+

+ The scripts are not required to configure every possible + option for the package, but only those necessary to get + the package running on a given system. Ideally the + sysadmin should not have to do any configuration other + than that done (semi-)automatically by the + postinst script. +

+ +

+ A common practice is to create a script called + package-configure and have the + package's postinst call it if and only if the + configuration file does not already exist. In certain + cases it is useful for there to be an example or template + file which the maintainer scripts use. Such files should + be in /usr/share/package or + /usr/lib/package (depending on whether + they are architecture-independent or not). There should + be symbolic links to them from + /usr/share/doc/package/examples if + they are examples, and should be perfectly ordinary + dpkg-handled files (not + configuration files). +

These two styles of configuration file handling must not be mixed, for that way lies madness: dpkg will ask about overwriting the file - every time the package is upgraded.

- + every time the package is upgraded. +

Sharing configuration files

- Packages which specify the same file as - `conffile' must be tagged as conflicting - with each other. -

+ Packages which specify the same file as a + conffile must be tagged as conflicting + with each other. (This is an instance of the general rule + about not sharing files. Note that neither alternatives + nor diversions are likely to be appropriate in this case; + in particular, dpkg does not handle diverted + conffiles well.) +

- The maintainer scripts must not alter the conffile of - any package, including the one the scripts belong - to.

+ The maintainer scripts must not alter a conffile + of any package, including the one the scripts + belong to. +

If two or more packages use the same configuration file and it is reasonable for both to be installed at the same time, one of these packages must be defined as owner of the configuration file, i.e., it will be - the package to list that distributes the file and lists it - as a conffile. Other packages that use the - configuration file must depend on the owning package if - they require the configuration file to operate. If the - other package will use the configuration file if present, - but is capable of operating without it, no dependency need - be declared.

+ the package which handles that file as a configuration + file. Other packages that use the configuration file must + depend on the owning package if they require the + configuration file to operate. If the other package will + use the configuration file if present, but is capable of + operating without it, no dependency need be declared.

If it is desirable for two or more related packages to share a configuration file and for all of the related packages to be able to modify that configuration file, then the following should be done: - +

- have one of the related packages (the "core" - package) manage the configuration file with - maintainer scripts as described in the previous - section.

+ One of the related packages (the "owning" package) + will manage the configuration file with maintainer + scripts as described in the previous section. +

-

- the core package should also provide a program that - the other packages may use to modify the - configuration file.

+ +

+ The owning package should also provide a program + that the other packages may use to modify the + configuration file. +

- the related packages must use the provided program - to make any modifications to the configuration file. - They should either depend on the core package to - guarantee that the configuration modifier program is - available or accept gracefully that they cannot - modify the configuration file if it is not.

+ The related packages must use the provided program + to make any desired modifications to the + configuration file. They should either depend on + the core package to guarantee that the configuration + modifier program is available or accept gracefully + that they cannot modify the configuration file if it + is not. (This is in addition to the fact that the + configuration file may not even be present in the + latter scenario.) +

-

+ +

Sometimes it's appropriate to create a new package which provides the basic infrastructure for the other packages - and which manages the shared configuration files. (Check - out the sgml-base package as an example.)

+ and which manages the shared configuration files. (The + sgml-base package is a good example.) +

User configuration files ("dotfiles")

- Files in /etc/skel will automatically be copied - into new user accounts by adduser. They - should not be referenced there by any program.

+ The files in /etc/skel will automatically be + copied into new user accounts by adduser. + No other program should reference the files in + /etc/skel. +

Therefore, if a program needs a dotfile to exist in advance in $HOME to work sensibly, that dotfile - should be installed in /etc/skel (and listed in - conffiles, if it is not generated and modified dynamically - by the package's installation scripts).

+ should be installed in /etc/skel and treated as a + configuration file. +

However, programs that require dotfiles in order to operate sensibly (dotfiles that they do not create - themselves automatically, that is) are a bad thing, and - programs should be configured by the Debian default - installation as close to normal as possible.

+ themselves automatically, that is) are a bad thing. + Furthermore, programs should be configured by the Debian + default installation to behave as closely to the upstream + default behaviour as possible. +

Therefore, if a program in a Debian package needs to be - configured in some way in order to operate sensibly that - configuration should be done in a site-wide global - configuration file elsewhere in /etc. Only if the - program doesn't support a site-wide default configuration - and the package maintainer doesn't have time to add it - may a default per-user file be placed in - /etc/skel.

+ configured in some way in order to operate sensibly, that + should be done using a site-wide configuration file placed + in /etc. Only if the program doesn't support a + site-wide default configuration and the package maintainer + doesn't have time to add it may a default per-user file be + placed in /etc/skel. +

/etc/skel should be as empty as we can make it. - This is particularly true because there is no easy - mechanism for ensuring that the appropriate dotfiles are - copied into the accounts of existing users when a package - is installed.

+ This is particularly true because there is no easy (or + necessarily desirable) mechanism for ensuring that the + appropriate dotfiles are copied into the accounts of + existing users when a package is installed. +

Log files -

- The traditional approach to log files has been to set up ad - hoc log rotation schemes using simple shell scripts and - cron. While this approach is highly customizable, it - requires quite a lot of sysadmin work. Even though the - original Debian system helped a little by automatically - installing a system which can be used as a template, this - was deemed not enough. -

- -

- A better scheme is to use logrotate, a GPL'd program - developed by Red Hat, which centralizes log management. It - has both a configuration file (/etc/logrotate.conf) - and a directory where packages can drop logrotation info - (/etc/logrotate.d). -

-

Log files should usually be named /var/log/package.log. If you have many - log files, or need a separate directory for permissions + log files, or need a separate directory for permission reasons (/var/log is writable only by root), you should usually create a directory named - /var/log/package.

+ /var/log/package and place your log + files there. +

- Log files must be rotated occasionally so - that they don't grow indefinitely; the best way to do this - is to drop a script into the directory + Log files must be rotated occasionally so that they don't + grow indefinitely; the best way to do this is to drop a log + rotation configuration file into the directory /etc/logrotate.d and use the facilities provided by - logrotate. Here is a good example for a logrotate config + logrotate. +

+ The traditional approach to log files has been to set up + ad hoc log rotation schemes using simple shell + scripts and cron. While this approach is highly + customizable, it requires quite a lot of sysadmin work. + Even though the original Debian system helped a little + by automatically installing a system which can be used + as a template, this was deemed not enough. +

+ +

+ The use of logrotate, a program developed + by Red Hat, is better, as it centralizes log management. + It has both a configuration file + (/etc/logrotate.conf) and a directory where + packages can drop their individual log rotation + configurations (/etc/logrotate.d). +

+ + Here is a good example for a logrotate config file (for more information see ): - - /var/log/foo/* { - rotate 12 - weekly - compress - postrotate - /etc/init.d/foo force-reload - endscript - } + section="8">): + +/var/log/foo/* { +rotate 12 +weekly +compress +postrotate +/etc/init.d/foo force-reload +endscript +} - Which rotates all files under `/var/log/foo', saves 12 - compressed generations, and sends a HUP signal at the end of - rotation. - + This rotates all files under /var/log/foo, saves 12 + compressed generations, and forces the daemon to reload its + configuration information after the log rotation.

Log files should be removed when the package is - purged (but not when it is only removed), by checking the - argument to the postrm script (see the Debian - Packaging Manual for details).

+ purged (but not when it is only removed). This should be + done by the postrm script when it is called + with the argument purge (see ). +

- Permissions and owners @@ -5749,19 +6131,22 @@ However, if you do so you must make sure that what is done is secure and you should try to be as consistent as possible with the rest of the system. You should probably also - discuss it on debian-devel first.

+ discuss it on debian-devel first. +

Files should be owned by root.root, and made writable only by the owner and universally readable (and - executable, if appropriate).

+ executable, if appropriate), that is mode 644 or 755. +

Directories should be mode 755 or (for group-writability) mode 2775. The ownership of the directory should be - consistent with its mode--if a directory is mode 2775, it + consistent with its mode: if a directory is mode 2775, it should be owned by the group that needs write access to - it.

+ it. +

Setuid and setgid executables should be mode 4755 or 2755 @@ -5769,30 +6154,43 @@ They should not be made unreadable (modes like 4711 or 2711 or even 4111); doing so achieves no extra security, because anyone can find the binary in the freely available - Debian package--it is merely inconvenient. For the same + Debian package; it is merely inconvenient. For the same reason you should not restrict read or execute permissions - on non-set-id executables.

+ on non-set-id executables. +

Some setuid programs need to be restricted to particular sets of users, using file permissions. In this case they - should be owned by the uid to which they are set-id, and - by the group which should be allowed to execute them. - They should have mode 4754; there is no point in making + should be owned by the uid to which they are set-id, and by + the group which should be allowed to execute them. They + should have mode 4754; again there is no point in making them unreadable to those users who must not be allowed to - execute them.

+ execute them. +

- You must not arrange that the system administrator can only + It is possible to arrange that the system administrator can reconfigure the package to correspond to their local - security policy by changing the permissions on a binary. - Ordinary files installed by dpkg (as opposed - to conffiles and other similar objects) have their - permissions reset to the distributed permissions when the - package is reinstalled. Instead you should consider (for - example) creating a group for people allowed to use the - program(s) and making any setuid executables executable - only by that group.

+ security policy by changing the permissions on a binary: + they can do this by using dpkg-statoverride, as + described below. +

+ Ordinary files installed by dpkg (as + opposed to conffiles and other similar objects) + normally have their permissions reset to the distributed + permissions when the package is reinstalled. However, + the use of dpkg-statoverride overrides this + default behaviour. If you use this method, you should + remember to describe dpkg-statoverride in + the package documentation; being a relatively new + addition to Debian, it is probably not yet well-known. +

+ + Another method you should consider is to create a group for + people allowed to use the program(s) and make any setuid + executables executable only by that group. +

If you need to create a new user or group for your package @@ -5805,41 +6203,109 @@

If you need a statically allocated id, you must ask for a - user or group id from the base system - maintainer, and must not release the package until you - have been allocated one. Once you have been allocated one - you must make the package depend on a version of the base - system with the id present in /etc/passwd or - /etc/group, or alternatively arrange for your - package to create the user or group itself with the - correct id (using adduser) in its pre- or - post-installation script (the latter is to be preferred if - it is possible).

- -

- On the other hand, the program might be able to determine the - uid or gid from the group name at runtime, so that a - dynamic id can be used. In this case you should choose an - appropriate user or group name, discussing this on - debian-devel and checking with the base - system maintainer that it is unique and that they do not - wish you to use a statically allocated id instead. When - this has been checked you must arrange for your package to - create the user or group if necessary using - adduser in the pre- or post-installation - script (again, the latter is to be preferred if it is - possible).

- -

- Note that changing the numeric value of an id associated with a name - is very difficult, and involves searching the file system for all - appropriate files. You need to think carefully whether a static or - dynamic id is required, since changing your mind later will cause - problems.

+ user or group id from the base-passwd maintainer, + and must not release the package until you have been + allocated one. Once you have been allocated one you must + either make the package depend on a version of the + base-passwd package with the id present in + /etc/passwd or /etc/group, or arrange for + your package to create the user or group itself with the + correct id (using adduser) in its + preinst or postinst. (Doing it in + the postinst is to be preferred if it is + possible, otherwise a pre-dependency will be needed on the + adduser package.) +

+ +

+ On the other hand, the program might be able to determine + the uid or gid from the user or group name at runtime, so + that a dynamically allocated id can be used. In this case + you should choose an appropriate user or group name, + discussing this on debian-devel and checking + with the base system maintainer that it is unique and that + they do not wish you to use a statically allocated id + instead. When this has been checked you must arrange for + your package to create the user or group if necessary using + adduser in the preinst or + postinst script (again, the latter is to be + preferred if it is possible). +

+ +

+ Note that changing the numeric value of an id associated + with a name is very difficult, and involves searching the + file system for all appropriate files. You need to think + carefully whether a static or dynamic id is required, since + changing your mind later will cause problems. +

+ + The use of dpkg-statoverride +

+ This section is not intended as policy, but as a + description of the use of dpkg-statoverride. +

+ +

+ dpkg-statoverride is a replacement for the + deprecated suidmanager package. Packages which + previously used suidmanager should have a + Conflicts: suidmanager (<< 0.50) entry (or even + (<< 0.52)), and calls to suidregister + and suidunregister should now be simply removed + from the maintainer scripts. +

+ +

+ If a system administrator wishes to have a file (or + directory or other such thing) installed with owner and + permissions different from those in the distributed Debian + package, he can use the dpkg-statoverride + program to instruct dpkg to use the different + settings every time the file is installed. Thus the + package maintainer should distribute the files with their + normal permissions, and leave it for the system + administrator to make any desired changes. For example, a + daemon which is normally required to be setuid root, but + in certain situations could be used without being setuid, + should be installed setuid in the .deb. Then the + local system administrator can change this if they wish. + If there are two standard ways of doing it, the package + maintainer can use debconf to find out the + preference, and call dpkg-statoverride in the + maintainer script if necessary to accommodate the system + administrator's choice. +

+ +

+ Given the above, dpkg-statoverride is + essentially a tool for system administrators and would not + normally be needed in the maintainer scripts. There is + one type of situation, though, where calls to + dpkg-statoverride would be needed in the + maintainer scripts, and that involves packages which use + dynamically allocated user or group ids. In such a + situation, something like the following idiom can be very + helpful in the package's postinst, where + sysuser is a dynamically allocated id: + +for i in /usr/bin/foo /usr/sbin/bar +do + if ! dpkg-statoverride --list $i >/dev/null + then + dpkg-statoverride --update --add sysuser root 4755 $i + fi +done + + The corresponding dpkg-statoverride --remove + calls can then be made unconditionally when the package is + purged. +

+ - + Customized programs @@ -5847,22 +6313,35 @@

If a program needs to specify an architecture specification - string in some place, the following format should be used: - - <arch>-<os> - - where `<arch>' is one of the following: i386, alpha, arm, m68k, - powerpc, sparc and `<os>' is one of: linux, gnu. Use - of gnu in this string is reserved for the GNU/Hurd - operating system.

-

- Note, that we don't want to use `<arch>-debian-linux' - to apply to the rule `architecture-vendor-os' since this - would make our programs incompatible to other Linux - distributions. Also note, that we don't use - `<arch>-unknown-linux', since the `unknown' does not - look very good.

 + string in some place, the following format should be + used: arch-os +

+ The following architectures and operating systems are + currently recognised by dpkg-archictecture. + The architecture, arch, is one of + the following: alpha, arm, + hppa, i386, ia64, + m68k, mips, mipsel, + powerpc, s390, sh, + sheb, sparc and sparc64. The + operating system, os, is one of: + linux, gnu, freebsd and + openbsd. Use of gnu in this string is + reserved for the GNU/Hurd operating system. +

+ . +

+

+ Note that we don't want to use + arch-debian-linux to apply to the rule + architecture-vendor-os + since this would make our programs incompatible with other + Linux distributions. We also don't use something like + arch-unknown-linux, since the + unknown does not look very good. +

+ Daemons @@ -5870,21 +6349,25 @@

The configuration files /etc/services, /etc/protocols, and /etc/rpc are managed - by the netbase package and may not be modified - by other packages.

+ by the netbase package and must not be modified + by other packages. +

If a package requires a new entry in one of these files, the maintainer should get in contact with the netbase maintainer, who will add the entries and release a new version of the netbase - package.

+ package. +

The configuration file /etc/inetd.conf must not be modified by the package's scripts except via the update-inetd script or the - DebianNet.pm Perl module.

+ DebianNet.pm Perl module. See their documentation + for details on how to add entries. +

If a package wants to install an example entry into @@ -5892,11 +6375,13 @@ exactly one hash character (#). Such lines are treated as `commented out by user' by the update-inetd script and are not changed or - activated during a package updates.

 - + activated during package updates. +

+ - Using pseudo-ttys and modifying wtmp, utmp and lastlog + Using pseudo-ttys and modifying wtmp, utmp and + lastlog

Some programs need to create pseudo-ttys. This should be done @@ -5908,8 +6393,8 @@

The files /var/run/utmp, /var/log/wtmp and /var/log/lastlog must be installed writeable by - group utmp. Programs who need to modify those files must - be installed setgid utmp. + group utmp. Programs which need to modify those + files must be installed setgid utmp.

@@ -5918,161 +6403,185 @@

Some programs have the ability to launch an editor or pager - program to edit or display a text document. Since there are + program to edit or display a text document. Since there are lots of different editors and pagers available in the Debian distribution, the system administrator and each user should have the possibility to choose his/her preferred editor and - pager.

+ pager. +

In addition, every program should choose a good default editor/pager if none is selected by the user or system - administrator.

+ administrator. +

Thus, every program that launches an editor or pager must - use the EDITOR or PAGER environment variables to determine - the editor/pager the user wants to get started. If these + use the EDITOR or PAGER environment variable to determine + the editor or pager the user wishes to use. If these variables are not set, the programs /usr/bin/editor - and /usr/bin/pager should be used, respectively.

+ and /usr/bin/pager should be used, respectively. +

- These two files are managed through `alternatives.' That is, - every package providing an editor or pager must call the + These two files are managed through the dpkg + `alternatives' mechanism. Thus every package providing an + editor or pager must call the update-alternatives script to register these - programs.

+ programs. +

- If it is very hard to adapt a program to make us of the - EDITOR and PAGER variables, that program may be configured - to use /usr/bin/sensible-editor and - /usr/bin/sensible-pager as editor or pager program, - respectively. These are two scripts provided in the Debian - base system that check the EDITOR and PAGER variables and - launch the appropriate program or fall back to - /usr/bin/editor and /usr/bin/pager, - automatically.

+ If it is very hard to adapt a program to make use of the + EDITOR or PAGER variables, that program may be configured to + use /usr/bin/sensible-editor and + /usr/bin/sensible-pager as the editor or pager + program respectively. These are two scripts provided in the + Debian base system that check the EDITOR and PAGER variables + and launch the appropriate program, and fall back to + /usr/bin/editor and /usr/bin/pager if the + variable is not set. +

A program may also use the VISUAL environment variable to - determine the user's choice of editor. If it exists, it - should take precedence over EDITOR. This is in fact what - /usr/bin/sensible-editor does.

+ determine the user's choice of editor. If it exists, it + should take precedence over EDITOR. This is in fact what + /usr/bin/sensible-editor does. +

It is not required for a package to depend on - `editor' and `pager', nor is it required for a package to - provide such virtual packages. - + editor and pager, nor is it required for a + package to provide such virtual packages.

- The Debian base system already provides an editor and - a pager program, + The Debian base system already provides an editor and a + pager program,

- - Web servers and applications

This section describes the locations and URLs that should - be used by all web servers and web application in the Debian - system.

+ be used by all web servers and web applications in the + Debian system. +

-

Cgi-bin executable files are installed in the +

+ Cgi-bin executable files are installed in the directory - - /usr/lib/cgi-bin/<cgi-bin-name> + +/usr/lib/cgi-bin/cgi-bin-name and should be referred to as - - http://localhost/cgi-bin/<cgi-bin-name> -

- + +http://localhost/cgi-bin/cgi-bin-name + +

+ -

Access to html documents

+

Access to HTML documents

- Html documents for a package are stored in - /usr/share/doc/package but should - be accessed via symlinks as - /usr/doc/package for - backward compatibility, see + HTML documents for a package are stored in + /usr/share/doc/package and can be referred to as - - http://localhost/doc/<package>/<filename> -

- + +http://localhost/doc/package/filename + +

+

+ The web server should restrict access to the document + tree so that only clients on the same host can read + the documents. If the web server does not support such + access controls, then it should not provide access at + all, or ask about providing access during installation. +

+

Web Document Root

Web Applications should try to avoid storing files in the Web Document Root. Instead they should use the - /usr/share/doc/<package> directory for documents and - register the Web Application via the menu package. If - access to the web-root is unavoidable then use - - /var/www + /usr/share/doc/package directory for + documents and register the Web Application via the + menu package. If access to the web document root is + unavoidable then use + +/var/www - as the Document Root. This might be just a - symbolic link to the location where the sysadmin has - put the real document root.

+ as the Document Root. This might be just a symbolic + link to the location where the system administrator + has put the real document root. +

- + Mail transport, delivery and user agents

- Debian packages which process electronic mail, whether - mail-user-agents (MUAs) or mail-transport-agents (MTAs), - must make sure that they are compatible with the - configuration decisions below. Failure to do this may - result in lost mail, broken From: lines, and other - serious brain damage!

+ Debian packages which process electronic mail, whether mail + user agents (MUAs) or mail transport agents (MTAs), must + ensure that they are compatible with the configuration + decisions below. Failure to do this may result in lost + mail, broken From: lines, and other serious brain + damage! +

- The mail spool is /var/spool/mail and the interface - to send a mail message is /usr/sbin/sendmail (as - per the FHS). The mail spool is part of the base system - and not part of the MTA package.

+ The mail spool is /var/mail and the interface to + send a mail message is /usr/sbin/sendmail (as per + the FHS). On older systems, the mail spool may be + physically located in /var/spool/mail, but all + access to the mail spool should be via the + /var/mail symlink. The mail spool is part of the + base system and not part of the MTA package. +

All Debian MUAs, MTAs, MDAs and other mailbox accessing - programs (like IMAP daemons) must lock the mailbox in an + programs (such as IMAP daemons) must lock the mailbox in an NFS-safe way. This means that fcntl() locking must - be combined with dot locking. To avoid deadlocks, a - program should use fcntl() first and dot locking - after this or alternatively implement the two locking - methods in a non blocking way + be combined with dot locking. To avoid deadlocks, a program + should use fcntl() first and dot locking after + this, or alternatively implement the two locking methods in + a non blocking way

If it is not possible to establish both locks, the system shouldn't wait for the second lock to be established, but remove the first lock, wait a (random) - time, and start over locking again.

+ time, and start over locking again. +

. Using the functions maillock and mailunlock provided by the liblockfile*

- liblockfile version >>1.01

+ You will need to depend on liblockfile1 + (>>1.01) to use these functions. +

packages is the recommended way to realize this.

- Mailboxes are generally 660 user.mail - unless the user has chosen otherwise. A MUA may remove a + Mailboxes are generally mode 660 + user.mail unless the system + administrator has chosen otherwise. A MUA may remove a mailbox (unless it has nonstandard permissions) in which case the MTA or another MUA must recreate it if needed. - Mailboxes must be writable by group mail.

+ Mailboxes must be writable by group mail. +

The mail spool is 2775 root.mail, and MUAs should @@ -6082,14 +6591,18 @@

/etc/aliases is the source file for the system mail - aliases (e.g., postmaster, usenet, etc.)--it is the one - which the sysadmin and postinst scripts may edit. - After /etc/aliases is edited the program or human - editing it must call newaliases. All MTA + aliases (e.g., postmaster, usenet, etc.), it is the one + which the sysadmin and postinst scripts may + edit. After /etc/aliases is edited the program or + human editing it must call newaliases. All MTA packages must come with a newaliases program, - even if it does nothing, but older MTA packages do not do + even if it does nothing, but older MTA packages did not do this so programs should not fail if newaliases - cannot be found.

+ cannot be found. Note that because of this, all MTA + packages must have Provides, Conflicts and + Replaces: mail-transport-agent control file + fields. +

The convention of writing forward to @@ -6104,33 +6617,37 @@ is supported.

- If you need to know what name to use (for example) on - outgoing news and mail messages which are generated locally, - you should use the file /etc/mailname. It will - contain the portion after the username and @ (at) - sign for email addresses of users on the machine (followed - by a newline).

- -

- A package should check for the existence of this file. If - it exists it should use it without comment. (An MTA's - prompting configuration script may wish to prompt the user - even if it finds this file exists.) If it does not exist it - should prompt the user for the value and store it in - /etc/mailname as well as using it in the package's - configuration. The prompt should make it clear that the - name will not just be used by that package. For example, in - this situation the INN package says: - - Please enter the `mail name' of your system. This is the - hostname portion of the address to be shown on outgoing - news and mail messages. The default is - syshostname, your system's host name. Mail - name [`syshostname']: + If your package needs to know what hostname to use on (for + example) outgoing news and mail messages which are generated + locally, you should use the file /etc/mailname. It + will contain the portion after the username and @ + (at) sign for email addresses of users on the machine + (followed by a newline). +

+ +

+ Such package should check for the existence of this file + when it is being configured. If it exists, it should be + used without comment, although an MTA's configuration script + may wish to prompt the user even if it finds that this file + exists. If the file does not exist, the package should + prompt the user for the value (preferably using + debconf) and store it in /etc/mailname + as well as using it in the package's configuration. The + prompt should make it clear that the name will not just be + used by that package. For example, in this situation the + inn package could say something like: + +Please enter the `mail name' of your system. This is the +hostname portion of the address to be shown on outgoing +news and mail messages. The default is +syshostname, your system's host name. Mail +name [`syshostname']: where syshostname is the output of hostname - --fqdn.

 - + --fqdn. +

+ News system configuration @@ -6146,12 +6663,12 @@ are: - /etc/news/organization + /etc/news/organization

A string which should appear as the organization header for all messages posted by NNTP clients on the machine

 - /etc/news/server + /etc/news/server

Contains the FQDN of the upstream NNTP server, or localhost if the local machine is an NNTP server.

 @@ -6164,348 +6681,552 @@ Programs for the X Window System -

- Programs that may be configured with support for the X Window - System must be configured to do so and must declare any - package dependencies necessary to satisfy their runtime - requirements when using the X Window System, unless the package - in question is of standard or higher priority, in which case - X-specific binaries may be split into a separate package, or - alternative versions of the package with X support may be - provided. -

+ + Providing X support and package priorities + +

+ Programs that can be configured with support for the X + Window System must be configured to do so and must declare + any package dependencies necessary to satisfy their + runtime requirements when using the X Window System. If + such a package is of higher priority than the X packages + on which it depends, it is required that either the + X-specific components be split into a separate package, or + that an alternative version of the package, which includes + X support, be provided, or that the package's priority be + lowered. +

+ + + Packages providing an X server -

- Packages which provide an X server that, directly or - indirectly, communicates with real input and display hardware - should declare in their control data that they provide the - virtual package xserver. - -

- This implements current practice, and provides an actual - policy for usage of the "xserver" virtual package which - appears in the virtual packages list. In a nutshell, X - servers that interface directly with the display and input - hardware or via another subsystem (e.g., GGI) should provide - xserver. Things like Xvfb, Xnest, and Xprt should not. -

- -

+

+ Packages that provide an X server that, directly or + indirectly, communicates with real input and display + hardware should declare in their control data that they + provide the virtual package xserver. +

+ This implements current practice, and provides an + actual policy for usage of the xserver + virtual package which appears in the virtual packages + list. In a nutshell, X servers that interface + directly with the display and input hardware or via + another subsystem (e.g., GGI) should provide + xserver. Things like Xvfb, + Xnest, and Xprt should not. +

+ +

+ -

- Packages that provide a terminal emulator for the X - Window System which support a terminal type with a terminfo - description provided in the ncurses-base package - should declare in their control data that they provide the - virtual package x-terminal-emulator. They should - also register themselves as an alternative for - /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator, with a priority of - 20. -

+ + Packages providing a terminal emulator -

- Packages that provide window managers should declare in - their control data that they provide the virtual package - x-window-manager. They should also register themselves as an - alternative for /usr/bin/x-window-manager, with a priority - calculated as follows: - - Start with a priority of 20. - If the window manager supports the Debian menu system, - add 20 points if this support is available in the - package's default configuration (i.e., no - configuration files belonging to the system or user - have to be edited to activate the feature); if - configuration files must be modified, add only 10 - points. - If the window manager permits the X session to be - restarted using a different window manager - (without killing the X server) in its default - configuration, add 10 points; otherwise add - none. - -

+

+ Packages that provide a terminal emulator for the X Window + System which meet the criteria listed below should declare + in their control data that they provide the virtual + package x-terminal-emulator. They should also + register themselves as an alternative for + /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator, with a priority of + 20. +

-

- Packages that provide fonts for the X Window System - must do a number of things to ensure that they are both - available without modification of the X or font server - configuration, and that they do not corrupt files used by - other font packages to register information about themselves. - - - Fonts of any type supported by the X Window System - should be be in a separate binary package from any - executables, libraries, or documentation (except that - specific to the fonts shipped); if a program or - library is unusable without one or more - specific fonts, the package containing the program or - library should declare a dependency on the package(s) - containing the font(s) it requires. - - - BDF fonts should be converted to PCF fonts with the - bdftopcf utility (available in the - xutils package, gzipped, and - placed in a directory that corresponds to their - resolution: - - - 100 dpi fonts should be placed in - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/. - - - 75 dpi fonts should be placed in - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/. - - - Character-cell fonts, cursor fonts, and other - low-resolution fonts should be placed in - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/. - - - - - Speedo fonts should be placed in - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/. - - - Type 1 fonts should be placed in - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/. If font - metric files are available, they may be placed here as - well. - - - Subdirectories of /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ - other than those listed above should be neither created nor - used. (The PEX and cyrillic directories are - excepted for historical reasons, but installation of files into - these directories remains discouraged.) - - - Font packages may, instead of placing files directly in - the X font directories listed above, provide symbolic links in - the font directory which point to the files' actual location - in the filesystem. Such a location should comply with the - FHS. - - - Font packages should not contain both 75dpi and 100dpi - versions of a font. If both are available, they should be - provided in separate binary packages with "-75dpi" or "-100dpi" - appended to the names of the packages containing the - corresponding fonts. - - - Fonts destined for the misc subdirectory should - not be included in the same package as 75dpi or 100dpi fonts; - instead, they should be provided in a separate package with - "-misc" appended to its name. - - - Font packages must not provide the files - fonts.dir, fonts.alias, or - fonts.scale in a font directory. - - - fonts.dir files must not be provided at - all. - - - fonts.alias and fonts.scale - files, if needed, should be provided in the - directory - /etc/X11/fonts/fontdir/package.extension, - where fontdir is the name of the - subdirectory of - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ where the - package's corresponding fonts are stored (e.g., - 75dpi or misc), - package is the name of the package that - provides these fonts, and extension is - either scale or alias, - whichever corresponds to the file - contents. - - - - - Font packages must declare a dependency on - xutils and, in the package - post-installation and post-removal scripts, invoke the - mkfontdir command on each directory into - which they installed fonts. - - - Font packages that provide one or more - fonts.scale files as described above must declare a - versioned dependency on xutils (>= - 4.0.2) and invoke update-fonts-scale on each - directory into which they installed fonts - before invoking mkfontdir on that - directory. This invocation must occur in both the - post-installation and post-removal scripts. - - - Font packages that provide one or more - fonts.alias files as described above must - declare a versioned dependency on xutils - (>= 4.0.2) and, in the package - post-installation and post-removal scripts, invoke - update-fonts-alias on each directory into - which they installed fonts. - - - Font packages must not provide alias names for the - fonts they include which collide with alias names already in - use by fonts already packaged. - - - Font packages must not provide fonts with the same XLFD - registry name as another font already packaged. - - -

+

+ To be an x-terminal-emulator, a program must: + +

+ Be able to emulate a DEC VT100 terminal, or a + compatible terminal. +

-

- Application defaults files must be installed in the - directory /etc/X11/app-defaults/ (use of a - localized subdirectory of /etc/X11/ as described in - the X Toolkit Intrinsics - C Language Interface - manual is also permitted). They must be registered as - conffiles or handled as configuration files. For - programs that are not linked against the X Toolkit (Xt) - library, customization of programs' X resources may also be - supported with the provision of a file with the same name as - that of the package placed in the - /etc/X11/Xresources/ directory, which must - registered as a conffile or handled as a - configuration file. Important: packages that - install files into the /etc/X11/Xresources/ - directory must declare a conflict with xbase - (<< 3.3.2.3a-2); if this is not done it is - possible for the installing package to destroy a - previously-existing /etc/X11/Xresources file which - had been customized by the system administrator. -

- -

- Packages using the X Window System should abide by the FHS - standard whenever possible; they should install binaries, - libraries, manual pages, and other files in FHS-mandated - locations wherever possible. This means that files must - not be installed into /usr/X11R6/bin/, - /usr/X11R6/lib/, or /usr/X11R6/man/ unless - this is necessary for the package to operate properly. - Configuration files for window managers and display managers - should be placed in a subdirectory of /etc/X11/ - corresponding to the package name due to these programs' - tight integration with the mechanisms of the X Window - System. Application-level programs should use the - /etc/ directory unless otherwise mandated by - policy. The installation of files into subdirectories of - /usr/X11R6/include/X11/ and - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/ is permitted but discouraged; - package maintainers should determine if subdirectories of - /usr/lib/ and /usr/share/ can be used - instead (symlinks from the X11R6 directories to - FHS-compliant locations is encouraged if the program is not - easily configured to look elsewhere for its files). - Packages must not provide -- or install files into -- the - directories /usr/bin/X11/, - /usr/include/X11/, or /usr/lib/X11/. - Files within a package should, however, make reference to - these directories, rather than their X11R6-named - counterparts /usr/X11R6/bin/, - /usr/X11R6/include/X11/, and - /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/, if the resources being - referred to have not been moved to FHS-compliant locations. -

+

+ Support the command-line option -e + command, which creates a new + terminal window +

+ "New terminal window" does not necessarily mean + a new top-level X window directly parented by + the window manager; it could, if the terminal + emulator application were so coded, be a new + "view" in a multiple-document interface (MDI). +

+ + and runs the specified command. +

-

- Programs that require the non-DFSG-compliant OSF/Motif - library should be compiled against and tested with - LessTif (a free re-implementation of Motif) instead. If the - maintainer judges that the program or programs do not work - sufficiently well with LessTif to be distributed and - supported, but do so when compiled against Motif, then two - versions of the package should be created; one linked - statically against Motif and with -smotif appended - to the package name, and one linked dynamically against - Motif and with -dmotif appended to the package - name. Both Motif-linked versions are dependent upon - non-DFSG-compliant software and thus cannot be uploaded to - the main distribution; if the software is itself - DFSG-compliant it may be uploaded to the contrib - distribution. While known existing versions of OSF/Motif - permit unlimited redistribution of binaries linked against - the library (whether statically or dynamically), it is the - package maintainer's responsibility to determine whether - this is permitted by the license of the copy of OSF/Motif in - his or her possession. -

- +

+ Support the command-line option -T + title, which creates a new terminal + window with the window title title. +

+ +

+ + + Packages providing a window manager - - Emacs lisp programs +

+ Packages that provide a window manager should declare in + their control data that they provide the virtual package + x-window-manager. They should also register + themselves as an alternative for + /usr/bin/x-window-manager, with a priority + calculated as follows: + +

Start with a priority of 20.

-

- Please refer to the `Debian Emacs Policy' (documented in - debian-emacs-policy.gz of the - emacsen-common package) for details of how to - package emacs lisp programs.

 + +

+ If the window manager supports the Debian menu + system, add 20 points if this support is available + in the package's default configuration (i.e., no + configuration files belonging to the system or user + have to be edited to activate the feature); if + configuration files must be modified, add only 10 + points. +

+ + +

+ If the window manager permits the X session to be + restarted using a different window manager + (without killing the X server) in its default + configuration, add 10 points; otherwise add none. +

+ + +

+ - - Games + + Packages providing fonts -

- The permissions on /var/games are 755 - root.root.

+

+ Packages that provide fonts for the X Window + System +

+ For the purposes of Debian Policy, a "font for the X + Window System" is one which is accessed via X protocol + requests. Fonts for the Linux console, for PostScript + renderers, or any other purpose, do not fit this + definition. Any tool which makes such fonts available + to the X Window System, however, must abide by this + font policy. +

+ + must do a number of things to ensure that they are both + available without modification of the X or font server + configuration, and that they do not corrupt files used by + other font packages to register information about + themselves. + + +

+ Fonts of any type supported by the X Window System + must be be in a separate binary package from any + executables, libraries, or documentation (except + that specific to the fonts shipped, such as their + license information). If one or more of the fonts + so packaged are necessary for proper operation of + the package with which they are associated the font + package may be Recommended; if the fonts merely + provide an enhancement, a Suggests relationship may + be used. Packages must not Depend on font + packages. +

+ This is because the X server may retrieve fonts + from the local filesystem or over the network + from an X font server; the Debian package system + is empowered to deal only with the local + filesystem. +

+ +

+ -

- Each game decides on its own security policy.

+ +

+ BDF fonts must be converted to PCF fonts with the + bdftopcf utility (available in the + xutils package, gzipped, and + placed in a directory that corresponds to their + resolution: + +

+ 100 dpi fonts must be placed in + /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/. +

+ +

+ 75 dpi fonts must be placed in + /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/. +

+ +

+ Character-cell fonts, cursor fonts, and other + low-resolution fonts must be placed in + /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/. +

+ +

+ -

- Games which require protected, privileged access to - high-score files, savegames, etc., may be made - set-group-id (mode 2755) and owned by - root.games, and use files and directories with - appropriate permissions (770 root.games, for - example). They must not be made - set-user-id, as this causes security problems. (If - an attacker can subvert any set-user-id game they can - overwrite the executable of any other, causing other players - of these games to run a Trojan horse program. With a - set-group-id game the attacker only gets access to less - important game data, and if they can get at the other - players' accounts at all it will take considerably more - effort.)

+

+ Speedo fonts must be placed in + /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/. +

-

- Some packages, for example some fortune cookie programs, are - configured by the upstream authors to install with their - data files or other static information made unreadable so - that they can only be accessed through set-id programs - provided. You should not do this in a Debian package: anyone can - download the .deb file and read the data from it, - so there is no point making the files unreadable. Not - making the files unreadable also means that you don't have - to make so many programs set-id, which reduces the risk of a - security hole.

+

+ Type 1 fonts must be placed in + /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/. If font + metric files are available, they must be placed here + as well. +

-

- As described in the FHS, binaries of games should be - installed in the directory /usr/games. This also - applies to games that use the X Window System. Manual pages - for games (X and non-X games) should be installed in - /usr/share/man/man6.

- - + +

+ Subdirectories of /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ + other than those listed above must be neither + created nor used. (The PEX, CID, + and cyrillic directories are excepted for + historical reasons, but installation of files into + these directories remains discouraged.) +

+ + + +

+ Font packages may, instead of placing files directly + in the X font directories listed above, provide + symbolic links in the font directory which point to + the files' actual location in the filesystem. Such + a location must comply with the FHS. +

+ + + +

+ Font packages should not contain both 75dpi and + 100dpi versions of a font. If both are available, + they should be provided in separate binary packages + with -75dpi or -100dpi appended to + the names of the packages containing the + corresponding fonts. +

+ + + +

+ Fonts destined for the misc subdirectory + should not be included in the same package as 75dpi + or 100dpi fonts; instead, they should be provided in + a separate package with -misc appended to + its name. +

+ + + +

+ Font packages must not provide the files + fonts.dir, fonts.alias, or + fonts.scale in a font directory: + +

+ fonts.dir files must not be provided at all. +

+ + +

+ fonts.alias and fonts.scale + files, if needed, should be provided in the + directory + /etc/X11/fonts/fontdir/package.extension, + where fontdir is the name of the + subdirectory of + /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ where the + package's corresponding fonts are stored + (e.g., 75dpi or misc), + package is the name of the package + that provides these fonts, and + extension is either scale + or alias, whichever corresponds to + the file contents. +

+ + +

+ + + +

+ Font packages must declare a dependency on + xutils (>> 4.0.3) in their control + data. +

+ + + +

+ Font packages that provide one or more + fonts.scale files as described above must + invoke update-fonts-scale on each + directory into which they installed fonts + before invoking + update-fonts-dir on that directory. + This invocation must occur in both the + postinst (for all arguments) and + postrm (for all arguments except + upgrade) scripts. +

+ + + +

+ Font packages that provide one or more + fonts.alias files as described above must + invoke update-fonts-alias on each + directory into which they installed fonts. This + invocation must occur in both the + postinst (for all arguments) and + postrm (for all arguments except + upgrade) scripts. +

+ + + +

+ Font packages must invoke + update-fonts-dir on each directory into + which they installed fonts. This invocation must + occur in both the postinst (for all + arguments) and postrm (for all + arguments except upgrade) scripts. +

+ + + +

+ Font packages must not provide alias names for the + fonts they include which collide with alias names + already in use by fonts already packaged. +

+ + + +

+ Font packages must not provide fonts with the same + XLFD registry name as another font already packaged. +

+ + +

+ + + + Application defaults files + +

+ Application defaults files must be installed in the + directory /etc/X11/app-defaults/ (use of a + localized subdirectory of /etc/X11/ as described + in the X Toolkit Intrinsics - C Language + Interface manual is also permitted). They must be + registered as conffiles or handled as + configuration files. Packages must not provide the + directory /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults/. +

+ +

+ Customization of programs' X resources may also be + supported with the provision of a file with the same name + as that of the package placed in the + /etc/X11/Xresources/ directory, which must + registered as a conffile or handled as a + configuration file. +

+ Note that this mechanism is not the same as using + app-defaults; app-defaults are tied to the client + binary on the local filesystem, whereas X resources + are stored in the X server and affect all connecting + clients. +

+ + Important: packages that install files into the + /etc/X11/Xresources/ directory must conflict with + xbase (<< 3.3.2.3a-2); if this is not done + it is possible for the installing package to destroy a + previously-existing /etc/X11/Xresources file + which had been customized by the system administrator. +

+ + + + Installation directory issues + +

+ Packages using the X Window System should not be + configured to install files under the /usr/X11R6/ + directory unless they use imake. The + /usr/X11R6/ directory hierarchy should be + regarded as deprecated for all packages except the X + Window System itself, and those which use the + imake program it provides, in which case the + packages may transition out of the /usr/X11R6/ + directory at the maintainer's discretion. +

+ Imake-using programs are exempt because, + as long as they are written correctly, the pathnames + they use to locate resources and install themselves + are derived wholly from the X Window System + configuration. Thus, in the event that the X Window + System moves to /usr/X11R7/, + /usr/X12/, or just plain /usr/, all + that is required for these programs is a recompile + against the corresponding X Window System library + development packages. +

+ + Programs that use GNU autoconf and + automake are usually easily configured at + compile time to use /usr/ instead of + /usr/X11R6/, and this should be done whenever + possible. Configuration files for window managers and + display managers should be placed in a subdirectory of + /etc/X11/ corresponding to the package name due + to these programs' tight integration with the mechanisms + of the X Window System. Application-level programs should + use the /etc/ directory unless otherwise mandated + by policy. The installation of files into subdirectories + of /usr/X11R6/include/X11/ and + /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/ is permitted but discouraged; + package maintainers should determine if subdirectories of + /usr/lib/ and /usr/share/ can be used + instead. (The use of symbolic links from the + X11R6 directories to other FHS-compliant + locations is encouraged if the program is not easily + configured to look elsewhere for its files.) Packages + must not provide or install files into the directories + /usr/bin/X11/, /usr/include/X11/ or + /usr/lib/X11/. Files within a package should, + however, make reference to these directories, rather than + their X11R6-named counterparts + /usr/X11R6/bin/, /usr/X11R6/include/X11/ + and /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/, if the resources being + referred to have not been moved to other FHS-compliant + locations. +

+ + + + The OSF/Motif and OpenMotif libraries + +

+ Programs that require the non-DFSG-compliant OSF/Motif or + OpenMotif libraries +

+ OSF/Motif and OpenMotif are collectively referred to as + "Motif" in this policy document. +

+ + should be compiled against and tested with LessTif (a free + re-implementation of Motif) instead. If the maintainer + judges that the program or programs do not work + sufficiently well with LessTif to be distributed and + supported, but do so when compiled against Motif, then two + versions of the package should be created; one linked + statically against Motif and with -smotif + appended to the package name, and one linked dynamically + against Motif and with -dmotif appended to the + package name. Both Motif-linked versions are dependent + upon non-DFSG-compliant software and thus cannot be + uploaded to the main distribution; if the + software is itself DFSG-compliant it may be uploaded to + the contrib distribution. While known existing + versions of Motif permit unlimited redistribution of + binaries linked against the library (whether statically or + dynamically), it is the package maintainer's + responsibility to determine whether this is permitted by + the license of the copy of Motif in his or her possession. +

+ + + + + Perl programs and modules +

+ Perl programs and modules should follow the current Perl + policy as defined in the file found on + ftp.debian.org in + /debian/doc/package-developer/perl-policy.txt.gz + or your local mirror. In addition, it is included in the + debian-policy package. +

+ + + + Emacs lisp programs + +

+ Please refer to the `Debian Emacs Policy' (documented in + debian-emacs-policy.gz of the + emacsen-common package) for details of how to + package emacs lisp programs. +

+ + + + Games + +

+ The permissions on /var/games are mode 755, owner + root and group root. +

+ +

+ Each game decides on its own security policy.

+ +

+ Games which require protected, privileged access to + high-score files, savegames, etc., may be made + set-group-id (mode 2755) and owned by + root.games, and use files and directories with + appropriate permissions (770 root.games, for + example). They must not be made + set-user-id, as this causes security problems. (If + an attacker can subvert any set-user-id game they can + overwrite the executable of any other, causing other players + of these games to run a Trojan horse program. With a + set-group-id game the attacker only gets access to less + important game data, and if they can get at the other + players' accounts at all it will take considerably more + effort.)

+ +

+ Some packages, for example some fortune cookie programs, are + configured by the upstream authors to install with their + data files or other static information made unreadable so + that they can only be accessed through set-id programs + provided. You should not do this in a Debian package: anyone can + download the .deb file and read the data from it, + so there is no point making the files unreadable. Not + making the files unreadable also means that you don't have + to make so many programs set-id, which reduces the risk of a + security hole.

+ +

+ As described in the FHS, binaries of games should be + installed in the directory /usr/games. This also + applies to games that use the X Window System. Manual pages + for games (X and non-X games) should be installed in + /usr/share/man/man6.

+ + - Documentation + Documentation @@ -6527,14 +7248,15 @@

If no manual page is available for a particular program, - utility, function or configuration file and this is reported as a bug on - debian-bugs, a symbolic link from the requested manual page - to the manual page - may be provided. This symbolic link can be created from + utility, function or configuration file and this is reported + as a bug to the Debian Bug Tracking System, a symbolic link + from the requested manual page to the manual page may be + provided. This symbolic link can be created from debian/rules like this: - - ln -s ../man7/undocumented.7.gz \ - debian/tmp/usr/share/man/man[1-9]/the_requested_manpage.[1-9].gz + +ln -s ../man7/undocumented.7.gz \ + debian/tmp/usr/share/man/man[1-9]/requested_manpage.[1-9].gz This manpage claims that the lack of a manpage has been reported as a bug, so you may only do this if it really has @@ -6546,7 +7268,7 @@ upstream authors, and mark the bug as forwarded in the Debian bug tracking system. Even though the GNU Project do not in general consider the lack of a manpage to be a bug, - we do--if they tell you that they don't consider it a bug + we do; if they tell you that they don't consider it a bug you should leave the bug in our bug tracking system open anyway.

@@ -6559,13 +7281,28 @@ is better to use a symbolic link than the .so feature, but there is no need to fiddle with the relevant parts of the upstream source to change from .so to - symlinks--don't do it unless it's easy. You should not create hard - links in the manual page directories, nor put + symlinks: don't do it unless it's easy. You should not + create hard links in the manual page directories, nor put absolute filenames in .so directives. The filename in a .so in a manpage should be relative to the base of the manpage tree (usually - /usr/share/man).

 - + /usr/share/man). If you do not create any links + (whether symlinks, hard links, or .so directives) + in the filesystem to the alternate names of the manpage, + then you should not rely on man finding your + manpage under those names based solely on the information in + the manpage's header. +

+ Supporting this in man often requires + unreasonable processing time to find a manual page or to + report that none exists, and moves knowledge into man's + database that would be better left in the filesystem. + This support is therefore deprecated and will cease to + be present in the future. +

+ +

+ Info documents @@ -6575,12 +7312,13 @@ They should be compressed with gzip -9.

- Your package should call install-info to update the Info - dir - file, in its post-installation script: - - install-info --quiet --section Development Development \ - /usr/share/info/foobar.info + Your package should call install-info to update + the Info dir file in its postinst + script when called with a configure argument, for + example: + +install-info --quiet --section Development Development \ + /usr/share/info/foobar.info

@@ -6595,15 +7333,16 @@ the second is used when creating a new one.

- You should remove the entries in the pre-removal script: - - install-info --quiet --remove /usr/share/info/foobar.info + You should remove the entries in the prerm + script when called with a remove argument: + +install-info --quiet --remove /usr/share/info/foobar.info

If install-info cannot find a description entry in the Info file you must supply one. See for details.

+ name="install-info" section="8"> for details.

 @@ -6612,7 +7351,7 @@

Any additional documentation that comes with the package may be installed at the discretion of the package maintainer. - Text documentation should be installed in a directory + Text documentation should be installed in the directory /usr/share/doc/package, where package is the name of the package, and compressed with gzip -9 unless it is small.

@@ -6638,8 +7377,8 @@ delete them without causing any programs to break. Any files that are referenced by programs but are also useful as standalone documentation should be installed under - /usr/share/<package>/ and symlinked in - /usr/share/doc/<package>/. + /usr/share/package/ with symbolic links + from /usr/share/doc/package/.

@@ -6662,21 +7401,26 @@ it cannot be contained in the package itself due to problems with dpkg. One reasonable way to accomplish this is to put the following in the package's - postinst: - - if [ "$1" = "configure" ]; then - if [ -d /usr/doc -a ! -e /usr/doc/#PACKAGE# \ - -a -d /usr/share/doc/#PACKAGE# ]; then - ln -sf ../share/doc/#PACKAGE# /usr/doc/#PACKAGE# - fi - fi + postinst +

+ The debhelper script + dh_installdocs does this automatically. +

+ : + +if [ "$1" = "configure" ]; then + if [ -d /usr/doc -a ! -e /usr/doc/package \ + -a -d /usr/share/doc/package ]; then + ln -sf ../share/doc/package /usr/doc/package + fi +fi - And the following in the package's prerm: - - if [ \( "$1" = "upgrade" -o "$1" = "remove" \) \ - -a -L /usr/doc/#PACKAGE# ]; then - rm -f /usr/doc/#PACKAGE# - fi + and the following in the package's prerm: + +if [ \( "$1" = "upgrade" -o "$1" = "remove" \) \ + -a -L /usr/doc/package ]; then + rm -f /usr/doc/package +fi

@@ -6690,21 +7434,23 @@

If your package comes with extensive documentation in a - mark up format that can be converted to various other formats + markup format that can be converted to various other formats you should if possible ship HTML versions in a binary package, in the directory - /usr/share/doc/appropriate package or its - subdirectories. - -

The rationale: The important thing here is that HTML + /usr/share/doc/appropriate-package or + its subdirectories. +

+ The rationale: The important thing here is that HTML docs should be available in some package, not - necessarily in the main binary package, though.

+ necessarily in the main binary package. +

- Other formats such as PostScript may be provided at your - option.

+ Other formats such as PostScript may be provided at the + package maintainer's discretion. +

@@ -6713,8 +7459,9 @@

Every package must be accompanied by a verbatim copy of its copyright and distribution license in the file - /usr/share/doc/<package-name>/copyright. This file must - neither be compressed nor be a symbolic link.

+ /usr/share/doc/package/copyright. This + file must neither be compressed nor be a symbolic link. +

In addition, the copyright file must say where the upstream @@ -6726,45 +7473,27 @@

A copy of the file which will be installed in - /usr/share/doc/package/copyright should be - in debian/copyright.

- + /usr/share/doc/package/copyright should + be in debian/copyright in the source package. +

- /usr/share/doc/<package-name> may be a symbolic link to a - directory in /usr/share/doc only if two packages both come from - the same source and the first package has a "Depends" - relationship on the second. These rules are important - because copyrights must be extractable by mechanical - means.

+ /usr/share/doc/package may be a symbolic + link to another directory in /usr/share/doc only if + the two packages both come from the same source and the + first package Depends on the second. These rules are + important because copyrights must be extractable by + mechanical means. +

Packages distributed under the UCB BSD license, the Artistic license, the GNU GPL, and the GNU LGPL should refer to the - files /usr/share/common-licenses/BSD, - /usr/share/common-licenses/Artistic, - /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL, and - /usr/share/common-licenses/LGPL. - -

- Why "licenses" and not "copyright"? Because - /usr/doc/copyright used to contain all the - copyright files, plus the four common licenses GPL, - LGPL, Artistic and BSD. Now individual copyright files - for packages are no longer in a common directory. Once - /usr/doc/copyright is almost empty it makes - sense to rename "copyright" to "licenses" -

-

- Why "common-licenses" and not "licenses"? Because if I - put just "licenses" I'm sure I will receive a bug report - saying "license foo is not included in the licenses - directory. They are not all the licenses, just a few - common ones. I could use /usr/share/doc/common-licenses - but I think this is too long, and, after all, the GPL - does not "document" anything, it is merely a license. -

- + files /usr/share/common-licenses/BSD, + /usr/share/common-licenses/Artistic, + /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL, and + /usr/share/common-licenses/LGPL respectively, + rather than quoting them in the copyright file.

@@ -6781,48 +7510,50 @@ Any examples (configurations, source files, whatever), should be installed in a directory /usr/share/doc/package/examples. These - files should not be referenced by any program--they're there - for the benefit of the system administrator and users, as - documentation only. Architecture-specific example files + files should not be referenced by any program: they're there + for the benefit of the system administrator and users as + documentation only. Architecture-specific example files should be installed in a directory - /usr/lib/package/examples, and files in - /usr/share/doc/package/examples symlink - to files in it. Or the latter directory may be a symlink to - the former.

+ /usr/lib/package/examples with symbolic + links to them from + /usr/share/doc/package/examples, or the + latter directory itself may be a symbolic link to the + former. +

Changelog files

- Packages that are not Debian-native must contain a copy of - debian/changelog file from the Debian source tree - in /usr/share/doc/package as - changelog.Debian.gz. If an upstream changelog is + Packages that are not Debian-native must contain a + compressed copy of the debian/changelog file from + the Debian source tree in + /usr/share/doc/package with the name + changelog.Debian.gz. If an upstream changelog is available, it should be accessible as /usr/share/doc/package/changelog.gz in - plain text. If the upstream changelog is distributed in + plain text. If the upstream changelog is distributed in HTML, it should be made available in that form as /usr/share/doc/package/changelog.html.gz - and the changelog.gz should be generated using, eg, - lynx -dump -nolist. If the upstream changelog files - do not already conform to this naming convention, then this - may be achieved either by renaming the files, or adding a - symbolic link, at the maintainer's discretion. - + and a plain text changelog.gz should be generated + from it using, for example, lynx -dump -nolist. If + the upstream changelog files do not already conform to this + naming convention, then this may be achieved either by + renaming the files, or by adding a symbolic link, at the + maintainer's discretion.

- Rationale: People should not have to look into two - places for upstream changelogs merely because they are - in HTML format. + Rationale: People should not have to look in places for + upstream changelogs merely because they are given + different names or are distributed in HTML format.

-

- All these files should be installed compressed using gzip -9, - as they will become large with time even if they start out - small. + All of these files should be installed compressed using + gzip -9, as they will become large with time even + if they start out small.

@@ -6836,5 +7567,2809 @@ changelog.Debian.gz.

 + + + Introduction and scope of these appendices + +

+ These appendices are taken essentially verbatim from the + now-deprecated Packaging Manual, version 3.2.1.0. They are + the chapters which are likely to be of use to package + maintainers and which have not already been included in the + policy document itself. Most of these sections are very likely + not relevant to policy; they should be treated as + documentation for the packaging system. Please note that these + appendices are included for convenience, and for historical + reasons: they used to be part of policy package, and they have + not yet been incorporated into dpkg documentation. However, + they still have value, and hence they are presented here. +

+

+ They have not yet been checked to ensure that they are + compatible with the contents of policy, and if there are any + contradictions, the version in the main policy document takes + precedence. The remaining chapters of the old Packaging + Manual have also not been read in detail to ensure that there + are not parts which have been left out. Both of these will be + done in due course. +

+ +

+ dpkg is a suite of programs for creating binary + package files and installing and removing them on Unix + systems. +

+ dpkg is targetted primarily at Debian + GNU/Linux, but may work on or be ported to other + systems. +

+ +

+ +

+ The binary packages are designed for the management of + installed executable programs (usually compiled binaries) and + their associated data, though source code examples and + documentation are provided as part of some packages.

+ +

+ This manual describes the technical aspects of creating Debian + binary packages (.deb files). It documents the + behaviour of the package management programs + dpkg, dselect et al. and the way + they interact with packages.

+ +

+ It also documents the interaction between + dselect's core and the access method scripts it + uses to actually install the selected packages, and describes + how to create a new access method.

+ +

+ This manual does not go into detail about the options and + usage of the package building and installation tools. It + should therefore be read in conjuction with those programs' + manpages. +

+ +

+ The utility programs which are provided with dpkg + for managing various system configuration and similar issues, + such as update-rc.d and + install-info, are not described in detail here - + please see their manpages. +

+ +

+ It does not describe the policy requirements imposed + on Debian packages, such as the permissions on files and + directories, documentation requirements, upload procedure, and + so on. You should see the Debian packaging policy manual for + these details. (Many of them will probably turn out to be + helpful even if you don't plan to upload your package and make + it available as part of the distribution.) +

+ +

+ It is assumed that the reader is reasonably familiar with the + dpkg System Administrators' manual. + Unfortunately this manual does not yet exist. +

+ +

+ The Debian version of the FSF's GNU hello program is provided + as an example for people wishing to create Debian + packages. The Debian debmake package is + recommended as a very helpful tool in creating and maintaining + Debian packages. However, while the tools and examples are + helpful, they do not replace the need to read and follow the + Policy and Programmer's Manual.

+ + + Binary packages (from old + Packaging Manual) + + +

+ The binary package has two main sections. The first part + consists of various control information files and scripts used + by dpkg when installing and removing. See . +

+ +

+ The second part is an archive containing the files and + directories to be installed. +

+ +

+ In the future binary packages may also contain other + components, such as checksums and digital signatures. The + format for the archive is described in full in the + deb(5) manpage. +

+ + + Creating package files - + dpkg-deb + + +

+ All manipulation of binary package files is done by + dpkg-deb; it's the only program that has + knowledge of the format. (dpkg-deb may be + invoked by calling dpkg, as dpkg + will spot that the options requested are appropriate to + dpkg-deb and invoke that instead with the same + arguments.) +

+ +

+ In order to create a binary package you must make a + directory tree which contains all the files and directories + you want to have in the filesystem data part of the package. + In Debian-format source packages this directory is usually + debian/tmp, relative to the top of the package's + source tree. +

+ +

+ They should have the locations (relative to the root of the + directory tree you're constructing) ownerships and + permissions which you want them to have on the system when + they are installed. +

+ +

+ With current versions of dpkg the uid/username + and gid/groupname mappings for the users and groups being + used should be the same on the system where the package is + built and the one where it is installed. +

+ +

+ You need to add one special directory to the root of the + miniature filesystem tree you're creating: + DEBIAN. It should contain the control + information files, notably the binary package control file + (see ). +

+ +

+ The DEBIAN directory will not appear in the + filesystem archive of the package, and so won't be installed + by dpkg when the package is installed. +

+ +

+ When you've prepared the package, you should invoke: + + dpkg --build directory + +

+ +

+ This will build the package in + directory.deb. (dpkg knows + that --build is a dpkg-deb option, so + it invokes dpkg-deb with the same arguments to + build the package.) +

+ +

+ See the manpage for details of how + to examine the contents of this newly-created file. You may find the + output of following commands enlightening: + + dpkg-deb --info filename.deb + dpkg-deb --contents filename.deb + dpkg --contents filename.deb + + To view the copyright file for a package you could use this command: + + dpkg --fsys-tarfile filename.deb | tar xof usr/share/doc/\*copyright | less + +

+ + + + + Package control information files + + +

+ The control information portion of a binary package is a + collection of files with names known to dpkg. + It will treat the contents of these files specially - some + of them contain information used by dpkg when + installing or removing the package; others are scripts which + the package maintainer wants dpkg to run. +

+ +

+ It is possible to put other files in the package control + area, but this is not generally a good idea (though they + will largely be ignored). +

+ +

+ Here is a brief list of the control info files supported by + dpkg and a summary of what they're used for. +

+ +

+ + control + + +

+ This is the key description file used by + dpkg. It specifies the package's name + and version, gives its description for the user, + states its relationships with other packages, and so + forth. See . +

+ +

+ It is usually generated automatically from information + in the source package by the + dpkg-gencontrol program, and with + assistance from dpkg-shlibdeps. See .

+ + + postinst, preinst, postrm, + prerm + + + +

+ These are exectuable files (usually scripts) which + dpkg runs during installation, upgrade + and removal of packages. They allow the package to + deal with matters which are particular to that package + or require more complicated processing than that + provided by dpkg. Details of when and + how they are called are in . +

+ +

+ It is very important to make these scripts + idempotent. + +

+ That means that if it runs successfully or fails + and then you call it again it doesn't bomb out, + but just ensures that everything is the way it + ought to be. +

+ This is so that if an error occurs, the + user interrupts dpkg or some other + unforeseen circumstance happens you don't leave the + user with a badly-broken package. +

+ +

+ The maintainer scripts are guaranteed to run with a + controlling terminal and can interact with the user. + If they need to prompt for passwords, do full-screen + interaction or something similar you should do these + things to and from /dev/tty, since + dpkg will at some point redirect scripts' + standard input and output so that it can log the + installation process. Likewise, because these scripts + may be executed with standard output redirected into a + pipe for logging purposes, Perl scripts should set + unbuffered output by setting $|=1 so that the + output is printed immediately rather than being + buffered. +

+ +

+ Each script should return a zero exit status for + success, or a nonzero one for failure.

+ + + conffiles + + + +

+ This file contains a list of configuration files which + are to be handled automatically by dpkg + (see ). Note that not necessarily + every configuration file should be listed here.

+ + + shlibs + + + +

+ This file contains a list of the shared libraries + supplied by the package, with dependency details for + each. This is used by dpkg-shlibdeps + when it determines what dependencies are required in a + package control file. The shlibs file format + is described on . +

+ + +

+ + + + The main control information file: control + +

+ The most important control information file used by + dpkg when it installs a package is + control. It contains all the package's `vital + statistics'. +

+ +

+ The binary package control files of packages built from + Debian sources are made by a special tool, + dpkg-gencontrol, which reads + debian/control and debian/changelog to + find the information it needs. See for + more details. +

+ +

+ The fields in binary package control files are: + + +

Package (mandatory)

+ + +

Version (mandatory)

+ +

Architecture + (mandatory) + +

+ This field should appear in all packages, though + dpkg doesn't require it yet so that + old packages can still be installed. +

+ +

+ + +

Depends, + Provides et al.

+ + +

Essential

+ + +

Maintainer

+ + +

Section, + Priority

+ + +

Source

+ + +

Description

+ + +

+ Installed-Size +

+ + + +

+ A description of the syntax of control files and the purpose + of these fields is available in . +

+ + + + Time Stamps +

+ Maintainers are encouraged to preserve the modification + times of the upstream source files in a package, as far as + is reasonably possible. + +

+ The rationale is that there is some information conveyed + by knowing the age of the file, for example, you could + recognize that some documentation is very old by looking + at the modification time, so it would be nice if the + modification time of the upstream source would be + preserved. +

+ +

+ + + + + Source packages (from old Packaging Manual) + +

+ The Debian binary packages in the distribution are generated + from Debian sources, which are in a special format to assist + the easy and automatic building of binaries. +

+ +

+ There was a previous version of the Debian source format, + which is now being phased out. Instructions for converting an + old-style package are given in the Debian policy manual. +

+ + + Tools for processing source packages + +

+ Various tools are provided for manipulating source packages; + they pack and unpack sources and help build of binary + packages and help manage the distribution of new versions. +

+ +

+ They are introduced and typical uses described here; see + for full + documentation about their arguments and operation. +

+ +

+ For examples of how to construct a Debian source package, + and how to use those utilities that are used by Debian + source packages, please see the hello example + package. +

+ + + + dpkg-source - packs and unpacks Debian source + packages + + +

+ This program is frequently used by hand, and is also + called from package-independent automated building scripts + such as dpkg-buildpackage. +

+ +

+ To unpack a package it is typically invoked with + + dpkg-source -x .../path/to/filename.dsc + +

+ +

+ with the filename.tar.gz and + filename.diff.gz (if applicable) in + the same directory. It unpacks into + package-version, and if + applicable + package-version.orig, in + the current directory. +

+ +

+ To create a packed source archive it is typically invoked: + + dpkg-source -b package-version + +

+ +

+ This will create the .dsc, .tar.gz and + .diff.gz (if appropriate) in the current + directory. dpkg-source does not clean the + source tree first - this must be done separately if it is + required. +

+ +

+ See also .

+ + + + + + dpkg-buildpackage - overall package-building + control script + + +

+ dpkg-buildpackage is a script which invokes + dpkg-source, the debian/rules + targets clean, build and + binary, dpkg-genchanges and + pgp to build a signed source and binary + package upload. +

+ +

+ It is usually invoked by hand from the top level of the + built or unbuilt source directory. It may be invoked with + no arguments; useful arguments include: + + -uc, -us + +

+ Do not PGP-sign the .changes file or the + source package .dsc file, respectively.

+ + -ppgp-command + +

+ Invoke pgp-command instead of finding + pgp on the PATH. + pgp-command must behave just like + pgp.

+ + -rroot-command + +

+ When root privilege is required, invoke the command + root-command. root-command + should invoke its first argument as a command, from + the PATH if necessary, and pass its + second and subsequent arguments to the command it + calls. If no root-command is supplied + then dpkg-buildpackage will take no + special action to gain root privilege, so that for + most packages it will have to be invoked as root to + start with.

+ + -b, -B + +

+ Two types of binary-only build and upload - see + . +

+ + +

+ + + + + dpkg-gencontrol - generates binary package + control files + + +

+ This program is usually called from debian/rules + (see ) in the top level of the source + tree. +

+ +

+ This is usually done just before the files and directories in the + temporary directory tree where the package is being built have their + permissions and ownerships set and the package is constructed using + dpkg-deb/ + +

+ This is so that the control file which is produced has + the right permissions +

+ . +

+ +

+ dpkg-gencontrol must be called after all the + files which are to go into the package have been placed in + the temporary build directory, so that its calculation of + the installed size of a package is correct. +

+ +

+ It is also necessary for dpkg-gencontrol to + be run after dpkg-shlibdeps so that the + variable substitutions created by + dpkg-shlibdeps in debian/substvars + are available. +

+ +

+ For a package which generates only one binary package, and + which builds it in debian/tmp relative to the top + of the source package, it is usually sufficient to call + dpkg-gencontrol. +

+ +

+ Sources which build several binaries will typically need + something like: + + dpkg-gencontrol -Pdebian/tmp-pkg -ppackage + The -P tells + dpkg-gencontrol that the package is being + built in a non-default directory, and the -p + tells it which package's control file should be generated. +

+ +

+ dpkg-gencontrol also adds information to the + list of files in debian/files, for the benefit of + (for example) a future invocation of + dpkg-genchanges.

+ + + + + dpkg-shlibdeps - calculates shared library + dependencies + + +

+ This program is usually called from debian/rules + just before dpkg-gencontrol (see ), in the top level of the source tree. +

+ +

+ Its arguments are executables. + +

+ In a forthcoming dpkg version, + dpkg-shlibdeps would be required to be + called on shared libraries as well. +

+

+ They may be specified either in the locations in the + source tree where they are created or in the locations + in the temporary build tree where they are installed + prior to binary package creation. +

+ for which shared library dependencies should + be included in the binary package's control file. +

+ +

+ If some of the found shared libraries should only + warrant a Recommends or Suggests, or if + some warrant a Pre-Depends, this can be achieved + by using the -ddependency-field option + before those executable(s). (Each -d option + takes effect until the next -d.) +

+ +

+ dpkg-shlibdeps does not directly cause the + output control file to be modified. Instead by default it + adds to the debian/substvars file variable + settings like shlibs:Depends. These variable + settings must be referenced in dependency fields in the + appropriate per-binary-package sections of the source + control file. +

+ +

+ For example, the procps package generates two + kinds of binaries, simple C binaries like ps + which require a predependency and full-screen ncurses + binaries like top which require only a + recommendation. It can say in its debian/rules: + + dpkg-shlibdeps -dPre-Depends ps -dRecommends top + + and then in its main control file debian/control: + + ... + Package: procps + Pre-Depends: ${shlibs:Pre-Depends} + Recommends: ${shlibs:Recommends} + ... + +

+ +

+ Sources which produce several binary packages with + different shared library dependency requirements can use + the -pvarnameprefix option to override + the default shlib: prefix (one invocation of + dpkg-shlibdeps per setting of this option). + They can thus produce several sets of dependency + variables, each of the form + varnameprefix:dependencyfield, + which can be referred to in the appropriate parts of the + binary package control files. +

+ + + + + + dpkg-distaddfile - adds a file to + debian/files + + +

+ Some packages' uploads need to include files other than + the source and binary package files. +

+ +

+ dpkg-distaddfile adds a file to the + debian/files file so that it will be included in + the .changes file when + dpkg-genchanges is run. +

+ +

+ It is usually invoked from the binary target of + debian/rules: + + dpkg-distaddfile filename section priority + + The filename is relative to the directory where + dpkg-genchanges will expect to find it - this + is usually the directory above the top level of the source + tree. The debian/rules target should put the + file there just before or just after calling + dpkg-distaddfile. +

+ +

+ The section and priority are passed + unchanged into the resulting .changes file. See + . +

+ + + + dpkg-genchanges - generates a .changes upload + control file + + +

+ This program is usually called by package-independent + automatic building scripts such as + dpkg-buildpackage, but it may also be called + by hand. +

+ +

+ It is usually called in the top level of a built source + tree, and when invoked with no arguments will print out a + straightforward .changes file based on the + information in the source package's changelog and control + file and the binary and source packages which should have + been built. +

+ + + + dpkg-parsechangelog - produces parsed representation of + a changelog + + +

+ This program is used internally by + dpkg-source et al. It may also occasionally + be useful in debian/rules and elsewhere. It + parses a changelog, debian/changelog by default, + and prints a control-file format representation of the + information in it to standard output. +

+ + + dpkg-architecture - + information about the build and host system + + +

+ This program can be used manually, but is also invoked by + dpkg-buildpackage or debian/rules to set + to set environment or make variables which specify the build and + host architecture for the package building process. +

+ + + + The Debianised source tree + + +

+ The source archive scheme described later is intended to + allow a Debianised source tree with some associated control + information to be reproduced and transported easily. The + Debianised source tree is a version of the original program + with certain files added for the benefit of the + Debianisation process, and with any other changes required + made to the rest of the source code and installation + scripts. +

+ +

+ The extra files created for Debian are in the subdirectory + debian of the top level of the Debianised source + tree. They are described below. +

+ + debian/rules - the main building + script + + +

+ This file is an executable makefile, and contains the + package-specific recipies for compiling the package and + building binary package(s) out of the source. +

+ +

+ It must start with the line #!/usr/bin/make -f, + so that it can be invoked by saying its name rather than + invoking make explicitly. +

+ +

+ Since an interactive debian/rules script makes it + impossible to autocompile that package and also makes it + hard for other people to reproduce the same binary + package, all required targets have to be + non-interactive. At a minimul, required targets are the + ones called by dpkg-buildpackage, namely, + clean, binary, binary-arch, and + build. It also follows that any target that these + targets depend on must also be non-interactive. +

+ +

+ The targets which are required to be present are: + + build + +

+ This should perform all non-interactive + configuration and compilation of the package. If a + package has an interactive pre-build configuration + routine, the Debianised source package should be + built after this has taken place, so that it can be + built without rerunning the configuration. +

+ +

+ A package may also provide both of the targets + build-arch and build-indep. The + build-arch target, if provided, should + perform all non-interactive configuration and + compilation required for producing all + architecture-dependant binary packages (those packages + for which the body of the Architecture field + in debian/control is not all). + Similarly, the build-indep target, if + provided, should perform all non-interactive + configuration and compilation required for producing + all architecture-independent binary packages (those + packages for which the body of the + Architecture field in debian/control + is all). The build target should + depend on those of the targets build-arch and + build-indep that are provided in the rules + file. +

+ +

+ If one or both of the targets build-arch and + build-indep are not provided, then invoking + debian/rules with one of the not-provided + targets as arguments should produce a exit status code + of 2. Usually this is provided automatically by make + if the target is missing. +

+ +

+ For some packages, notably ones where the same + source tree is compiled in different ways to produce + two binary packages, the build target does + not make much sense. For these packages it is good + enough to provide two (or more) targets + (build-a and build-b or whatever) + for each of the ways of building the package, and a + build target that does nothing. The + binary target will have to build the + package in each of the possible ways and make the + binary package out of each. +

+ +

+ The targets build, build-arch + and build-indep target must not do + anything that might require root privilege. +

+ +

+ The build target may need to run + clean first - see below. +

+ +

+ When a package has a configuration routine that takes + a long time, or when the makefiles are poorly + designed, or when build needs to run + clean first, it is a good idea to touch + build when the build process is complete. This + will ensure that if debian/rules build is run + again it will not rebuild the whole program. +

+ + + binary, binary-arch, + binary-indep + + +

+ The binary target should be all that is + necessary for the user to build the binary + package. All these targets are required to be + non-interactive. It is split into two parts: + binary-arch builds the packages' output + files which are specific to a particular + architecture, and binary-indep builds + those which are not. +

+ +

+ binary should usually be a target with + no commands which simply depends on + binary-arch and + binary-indep. +

+ +

+ Both binary-* targets should depend on + the build target, above, so that the + package is built if it has not been already. It + should then create the relevant binary package(s), + using dpkg-gencontrol to make their + control files and dpkg-deb to build + them and place them in the parent of the top level + directory. +

+ +

+ If one of the binary-* targets has + nothing to do (this will be always be the case if + the source generates only a single binary package, + whether architecture-dependent or not) it + must still exist, but should always + succeed. +

+ +

+ describes how to construct + binary packages. +

+ +

+ The binary targets must be invoked as + root. +

+ + + clean + + +

+ This should undo any effects that the + build and binary targets + may have had, except that it should leave alone any + output files created in the parent directory by a + run of binary. This target is required + to be non-interactive. +

+ +

+ If a build file is touched at the end + of the build target, as suggested + above, it must be removed as the first thing that + clean does, so that running + build again after an interrupted + clean doesn't think that everything is + already done. +

+ +

+ The clean target must be invoked as + root if binary has been invoked since + the last clean, or if + build has been invoked as root (since + build may create directories, for + example). +

+ + + get-orig-source (optional) + + +

+ This target fetches the most recent version of the + original source package from a canonical archive + site (via FTP or WWW, for example), does any + necessary rearrangement to turn it into the original + source tarfile format described below, and leaves it + in the current directory. +

+ +

+ This target may be invoked in any directory, and + should take care to clean up any temporary files it + may have left. +

+ +

+ This target is optional, but providing it if + possible is a good idea. +

+ + + +

+ The build, binary and + clean targets must be invoked with a current + directory of the package's top-level directory. +

+ + +

+ Additional targets may exist in debian/rules, + either as published or undocumented interfaces or for the + package's internal use. +

+ +

+ The architecture we build on and build for is determined by make + variables via dpkg-architecture (see ). You can + get the Debian architecture and the GNU style architecture + specification string for the build machine as well as the host + machine. Here is a list of supported make variables: + + +

DEB_*_ARCH (the Debian architecture)

+ + +

DEB_*_GNU_TYPE (the GNU style architecture + specification string)

+ + +

DEB_*_GNU_CPU (the CPU part of DEB_*_GNU_TYPE)

+ + +

DEB_*_GNU_SYSTEM (the System part of + DEB_*_GNU_TYPE)

+ +

+ +

+ where * is either BUILD for specification of + the build machine or HOST for specification of the machine + we build for. +

+ +

+ Backward compatibility can be provided in the rules file + by setting the needed variables to suitable default + values, please refer to the documentation of + dpkg-architecture for details. +

+ +

+ It is important to understand that the DEB_*_ARCH + string does only determine which Debian architecture we + build on resp. for. It should not be used to get the CPU + or System information, the GNU style variables should be + used for that. +

+ + + + debian/control + + +

+ This file contains version-independent details about the + source package and about the binary packages it creates. +

+ +

+ It is a series of sets of control fields, each + syntactically similar to a binary package control file. + The sets are separated by one or more blank lines. The + first set is information about the source package in + general; each subsequent set describes one binary package + that the source tree builds. +

+ +

+ The syntax and semantics of the fields are described below + in . +

+ +

+ The general (binary-package-independent) fields are: + + +

Source (mandatory)

+ + +

Maintainer

+ + +

+ Section and + Priority + (classification, mandatory) +

+ + +

+ Build-Depends et + al. (source package interrelationships) +

+ + +

+ Standards-Version +

+ + + +

+ The per-binary-package fields are: + + +

Package (mandatory)

+ + +

+ Architecture + (mandatory)

+ + +

Description

+ + +

+ Section and + Priority (classification)

+ + +

Essential

+ + +

+ Depends et + al. (binary package interrelationships) +

+ + + +

+ These fields are used by dpkg-gencontrol to + generate control files for binary packages (see below), by + dpkg-genchanges to generate the + .changes file to accompany the upload, and by + dpkg-source when it creates the .dsc + source control file as part of a source archive. +

+ +

+ The fields here may contain variable references - their + values will be substituted by + dpkg-gencontrol, dpkg-genchanges + or dpkg-source when they generate output + control files. See for details. +

+ +

User-defined fields + + +

+ Additional user-defined fields may be added to the + source package control file. Such fields will be + ignored, and not copied to (for example) binary or + source package control files or upload control files. +

+ +

+ If you wish to add additional unsupported fields to + these output files you should use the mechanism + described here. +

+ +

+ Fields in the main source control information file with + names starting X, followed by one or more of + the letters BCS and a hyphen -, will + be copied to the output files. Only the part of the + field name after the hyphen will be used in the output + file. Where the letter B is used the field + will appear in binary package control files, where the + letter S is used in source package control + files and where C is used in upload control + (.changes) files. +

+ +

+ For example, if the main source information control file + contains the field + + XBS-Comment: I stand between the candle and the star. + + then the binary and source package control files will contain the + field + + Comment: I stand between the candle and the star. + +

+ + + + + debian/changelog + + +

+ This file records the changes to the Debian-specific parts of the + package + +

+ Though there is nothing stopping an author who is also + the Debian maintainer from using it for all their + changes, it will have to be renamed if the Debian and + upstream maintainers become different + people. +

+ . +

+ +

+ It has a special format which allows the package building + tools to discover which version of the package is being + built and find out other release-specific information. +

+ +

+ That format is a series of entries like this: + + package (version) distribution(s); urgency=urgency + + * change details + more change details + * even more change details + + -- maintainer name and email address date + +

+ +

+ package and version are the source + package name and version number. +

+ +

+ distribution(s) lists the distributions where + this version should be installed when it is uploaded - it + is copied to the Distribution field in the + .changes file. See . +

+ +

+ urgency is the value for the Urgency + field in the .changes file for the upload. See + . It is not possible to specify an + urgency containing commas; commas are used to separate + keyword=value settings in + the dpkg changelog format (though there is + currently only one useful keyword, + urgency). +

+ +

+ The change details may in fact be any series of lines + starting with at least two spaces, but conventionally each + change starts with an asterisk and a separating space and + continuation lines are indented so as to bring them in + line with the start of the text above. Blank lines may be + used here to separate groups of changes, if desired. +

+ +

+ The maintainer name and email address should not + necessarily be those of the usual package maintainer. + They should be the details of the person doing + this version. The information here will be + copied to the .changes file, and then later used + to send an acknowledgement when the upload has been + installed. +

+ +

+ The date should be in RFC822 format + +

+ This is generated by the 822-date + program. +

+ ; it should include the timezone specified + numerically, with the timezone name or abbreviation + optionally present as a comment. +

+ +

+ The first `title' line with the package name should start + at the left hand margin; the `trailer' line with the + maintainer and date details should be preceded by exactly + one space. The maintainer details and the date must be + separated by exactly two spaces. +

+ +

+ An Emacs mode for editing this format is available: it is + called debian-changelog-mode. You can have this + mode selected automatically when you edit a Debian + changelog by adding a local variables clause to the end of + the changelog. +

+ + Defining alternative changelog formats + + +

+ It is possible to use a different format to the standard + one, by providing a parser for the format you wish to + use. +

+ +

+ In order to have dpkg-parsechangelog run your + parser, you must include a line within the last 40 lines + of your file matching the Perl regular expression: + \schangelog-format:\s+([0-9a-z]+)\W The part in + parentheses should be the name of the format. For + example, you might say: + + @@@ changelog-format: joebloggs @@@ + + Changelog format names are non-empty strings of alphanumerics. +

+ +

+ If such a line exists then dpkg-parsechangelog + will look for the parser as + /usr/lib/dpkg/parsechangelog/format-name + or + /usr/local/lib/dpkg/parsechangelog/format-name; + it is an error for it not to find it, or for it not to + be an executable program. The default changelog format + is dpkg, and a parser for it is provided with + the dpkg package. +

+ +

+ The parser will be invoked with the changelog open on + standard input at the start of the file. It should read + the file (it may seek if it wishes) to determine the + information required and return the parsed information + to standard output in the form of a series of control + fields in the standard format. By default it should + return information about only the most recent version in + the changelog; it should accept a + -vversion option to return changes + information from all versions present strictly + after version, and it should then be an + error for version not to be present in the + changelog. +

+ +

+ The fields are: + + +

Source

+ + +

Version (mandatory)

+ + +

+ Distribution + (mandatory) +

+ + +

Urgency (mandatory)

+ + +

+ Maintainer + (mandatory) +

+ + +

Date

+ + +

+ Changes + (mandatory) +

+ + + +

+ If several versions are being returned (due to the use + of -v), the urgency value should be of the + highest urgency code listed at the start of any of the + versions requested followed by the concatenated + (space-separated) comments from all the versions + requested; the maintainer, version, distribution and + date should always be from the most recent version. +

+ +

+ For the format of the Changes field see . +

+ +

+ If the changelog format which is being parsed always or + almost always leaves a blank line between individual + change notes these blank lines should be stripped out, + so as to make the resulting output compact. +

+ +

+ If the changelog format does not contain date or package + name information this information should be omitted from + the output. The parser should not attempt to synthesise + it or find it from other sources. +

+ +

+ If the changelog does not have the expected format the + parser should exit with a nonzero exit status, rather + than trying to muddle through and possibly generating + incorrect output. +

+ +

+ A changelog parser may not interact with the user at + all.

 + + + debian/substvars + and variable substitutions + + +

+ When dpkg-gencontrol, + dpkg-genchanges and dpkg-source + generate control files they do variable substitutions on + their output just before writing it. Variable + substitutions have the form + ${variable-name}. The optional file + debian/substvars contains variable substitutions + to be used; variables can also be set directly from + debian/rules using the -V option to the + source packaging commands, and certain predefined + variables are available. +

+ +

+ The is usually generated and modified dynamically by + debian/rules targets; in this case it must be + removed by the clean target. +

+ +

+ See for full + details about source variable substitutions, including the + format of debian/substvars.

+ + + debian/files + + +

+ This file is not a permanent part of the source tree; it + is used while building packages to record which files are + being generated. dpkg-genchanges uses it + when it generates a .changes file. +

+ +

+ It should not exist in a shipped source package, and so it + (and any backup files or temporary files such as + files.new + +

+ files.new is used as a temporary file by + dpkg-gencontrol and + dpkg-distaddfile - they write a new + version of files here before renaming it, + to avoid leaving a corrupted copy if an error + occurs +

+ ) should be removed by the + clean target. It may also be wise to + ensure a fresh start by emptying or removing it at the + start of the binary target. +

+ +

+ dpkg-gencontrol adds an entry to this file + for the .deb file that will be created by + dpkg-deb from the control file that it + generates, so for most packages all that needs to be done + with this file is to delete it in clean. +

+ +

+ If a package upload includes files besides the source + package and any binary packages whose control files were + made with dpkg-gencontrol then they should be + placed in the parent of the package's top-level directory + and dpkg-distaddfile should be called to add + the file to the list in debian/files.

+ + + debian/tmp + + +

+ This is the canonical temporary location for the + construction of binary packages by the binary + target. The directory tmp serves as the root of + the filesystem tree as it is being constructed (for + example, by using the package's upstream makefiles install + targets and redirecting the output there), and it also + contains the DEBIAN subdirectory. See . +

+ +

+ If several binary packages are generated from the same + source tree it is usual to use several + debian/tmpsomething directories, for + example tmp-a or tmp-doc. +

+ +

+ Whatever tmp directories are created and used by + binary must of course be removed by the + clean target.

 + + + + Source packages as archives + + +

+ As it exists on the FTP site, a Debian source package + consists of three related files. You must have the right + versions of all three to be able to use them. +

+ +

+ + Debian source control file - .dsc + + +

+ This file contains a series of fields, identified and + separated just like the fields in the control file of + a binary package. The fields are listed below; their + syntax is described above, in . + + +

Source

+ + +

Version

+ + +

Maintainer

+ + +

Binary

+ + +

Architecture

+ + +

+ Build-Depends et + al. (source package interrelationships) +

+ + +

+ Standards-Version

+ + +

Files

+ + + +

+ The source package control file is generated by + dpkg-source when it builds the source + archive, from other files in the source package, + described above. When unpacking it is checked against + the files and directories in the other parts of the + source package, as described below.

+ + + + Original source archive - + + package_upstream-version.orig.tar.gz + + + + + +

+ This is a compressed (with gzip -9) + tar file containing the source code from + the upstream authors of the program. The tarfile + unpacks into a directory + package-upstream-version.orig, + and does not contain files anywhere other than in + there or in its subdirectories.

+ + + + Debianisation diff - + + package_upstream_version-revision.diff.gz + + + + +

+ This is a unified context diff (diff -u) + giving the changes which are required to turn the + original source into the Debian source. These changes + may only include editing and creating plain files. + The permissions of files, the targets of symbolic + links and the characteristics of special files or + pipes may not be changed and no files may be removed + or renamed. +

+ +

+ All the directories in the diff must exist, except the + debian subdirectory of the top of the source + tree, which will be created by + dpkg-source if necessary when unpacking. +

+ +

+ The dpkg-source program will + automatically make the debian/rules file + executable (see below).

 + + + +

+ If there is no original source code - for example, if the + package is specially prepared for Debian or the Debian + maintainer is the same as the upstream maintainer - the + format is slightly different: then there is no diff, and the + tarfile is named + package_version.tar.gz and + contains a directory + package-version. +

+ + + Unpacking a Debian source package without + dpkg-source + + +

+ dpkg-source -x is the recommended way to unpack a + Debian source package. However, if it is not available it + is possible to unpack a Debian source archive as follows: + + +

+ Untar the tarfile, which will create a .orig + directory.

+ + +

Rename the .orig directory to + package-version.

+ + +

+ Create the subdirectory debian at the top of + the source tree.

+ +

Apply the diff using patch -p0.

+ +

Untar the tarfile again if you want a copy of the original + source code alongside the Debianised version.

+ + + +

+ It is not possible to generate a valid Debian source archive + without using dpkg-source. In particular, + attempting to use diff directly to generate the + .diff.gz file will not work. +

+ + Restrictions on objects in source packages + + +

+ The source package may not contain any hard links + +

+ This is not currently detected when building source + packages, but only when extracting + them. +

+ + +

+ Hard links may be permitted at some point in the + future, but would require a fair amount of + work. +

+ , device special files, sockets or setuid or + setgid files. + +

+ Setgid directories are allowed. +

+ +

+ +

+ The source packaging tools manage the changes between the + original and Debianised source using diff and + patch. Turning the original source tree as + included in the .orig.tar.gz into the debianised + source must not involve any changes which cannot be + handled by these tools. Problematic changes which cause + dpkg-source to halt with an error when + building the source package are: + +

Adding or removing symbolic links, sockets or pipes.

+ +

Changing the targets of symbolic links.

+ +

Creating directories, other than debian.

+ +

Changes to the contents of binary files.

 + Changes which cause dpkg-source to + print a warning but continue anyway are: + + +

+ Removing files, directories or symlinks. + +

+ Renaming a file is not treated specially - it is + seen as the removal of the old file (which + generates a warning, but is otherwise ignored), + and the creation of the new + one.

+ +

+ + +

+ Changed text files which are missing the usual final + newline (either in the original or the modified + source tree). +

+ + + Changes which are not represented, but which are not detected by + dpkg-source, are: + +

Changing the permissions of files (other than + debian/rules) and directories.

 + +

+ +

+ The debian directory and debian/rules + are handled specially by dpkg-source - before + applying the changes it will create the debian + directory, and afterwards it will make + debian/rules world-exectuable. +

+ + + + + Control files and their + fields (from old Packaging Manual) + + +

+ Many of the tools in the dpkg suite manipulate + data in a common format, known as control files. Binary and + source packages have control data as do the .changes + files which control the installation of uploaded files, and + dpkg's internal databases are in a similar + format. +

+ + Syntax of control files + + +

+ A file consists of one or more paragraphs of fields. The + paragraphs are separated by blank lines. Some control files + only allow one paragraph; others allow several, in which + case each paragraph often refers to a different package. +

+ +

+ Each paragraph is a series of fields and values; each field + consists of a name, followed by a colon and the value. It + ends at the end of the line. Horizontal whitespace (spaces + and tabs) may occur before or after the value and is ignored + there; it is conventional to put a single space after the + colon. +

+ +

+ Some fields' values may span several lines; in this case + each continuation line must start with a space or + tab. Any trailing spaces or tabs at the end of individual + lines of a field value are ignored. +

+ +

+ Except where otherwise stated only a single line of data is + allowed and whitespace is not significant in a field body. + Whitespace may never appear inside names (of packages, + architectures, files or anything else), version numbers or + in between the characters of multi-character version + relationships. +

+ +

+ Field names are not case-sensitive, but it is usual to + capitalise the field names using mixed case as shown below. +

+ +

+ Blank lines, or lines consisting only of spaces and tabs, + are not allowed within field values or between fields - that + would mean a new paragraph. +

+ +

+ It is important to note that there are several fields which + are optional as far as dpkg and the related + tools are concerned, but which must appear in every Debian + package, or whose omission may cause problems. When writing + the control files for Debian packages you must read + the Debian policy manual in conjuction with the details + below and the list of fields for the particular file.

+ + + List of fields + + + Package + + +

+ The name of the binary package. Package names consist of + the alphanumerics and + - . + (plus, minus and full stop). + +

+ The characters @ : = + % _ (at, colon, equals, percent + and underscore) used to be legal and are still + accepted when found in a package file, but may not be + used in new packages +

+ +

+ +

+ They must be at least two characters and must start with + an alphanumeric. In current versions of dpkg they are + sort of case-sensitive

This is a + bug.

; use lowercase package names unless + the package you're building (or referring to, in other + fields) is already using uppercase.

+ + + Version + + +

+ This lists the source or binary package's version number - + see . +

+ + + + Architecture + + +

+ This is the architecture string; it is a single word for + the Debian architecture. +

+ +

+ dpkg will check the declared architecture of + a binary package against its own compiled-in value before + it installs it. +

+ +

+ The special value all indicates that the package + is architecture-independent. +

+ +

+ In the main debian/control file in the source + package, or in the source package control file + .dsc, a list of architectures (separated by + spaces) is also allowed, as is the special value + any. A list indicates that the source will build + an architecture-dependent package, and will only work + correctly on the listed architectures. any + indicates that though the source package isn't dependent + on any particular architecture and should compile fine on + any one, the binary package(s) produced are not + architecture-independent but will instead be specific to + whatever the current build architecture is. +

+ +

+ In a .changes file the Architecture + field lists the architecture(s) of the package(s) + currently being uploaded. This will be a list; if the + source for the package is being uploaded too the special + entry source is also present. +

+ +

+ See for information how to get the + architecture for the build process. +

+ + + Maintainer + + +

+ The package maintainer's name and email address. The name + should come first, then the email address inside angle + brackets <> (in RFC822 format). +

+ +

+ If the maintainer's name contains a full stop then the + whole field will not work directly as an email address due + to a misfeature in the syntax specified in RFC822; a + program using this field as an address must check for this + and correct the problem if necessary (for example by + putting the name in round brackets and moving it to the + end, and bringing the email address forward). +

+ +

+ In a .changes file or parsed changelog data this + contains the name and email address of the person + responsible for the particular version in question - this + may not be the package's usual maintainer. +

+ +

+ This field is usually optional in as far as the + dpkg are concerned, but its absence when + building packages usually generates a warning.

+ + + Source + + +

+ This field identifies the source package name. +

+ +

+ In a main source control information or a + .changes or .dsc file or parsed + changelog data this may contain only the name of the + source package. +

+ +

+ In the control file of a binary package (or in a + Packages file) it may be followed by a version + number in parentheses. + +

+ It is usual to leave a space after the package name if + a version number is specified. +

+ This version number may be omitted (and is, by + dpkg-gencontrol) if it has the same value as + the Version field of the binary package in + question. The field itself may be omitted from a binary + package control file when the source package has the same + name and version as the binary package. +

+ + + Package interrelationship fields: + Depends, Pre-Depends, + Recommends Suggests, Conflicts, + Provides, Replaces + + +

+ These fields describe the package's relationships with + other packages. Their syntax and semantics are described + in .

+ + + Description + + +

+ In a binary package Packages file or main source + control file this field contains a description of the + binary package, in a special format. See for details. +

+ +

+ In a .changes file it contains a summary of the + descriptions for the packages being uploaded. The part of + the field before the first newline is empty; thereafter + each line has the name of a binary package and the summary + description line from that binary package. Each line is + indented by one space.

+ + + Essential + + +

+ This is a boolean field which may occur only in the + control file of a binary package (or in the + Packages file) or in a per-package fields + paragraph of a main source control data file. +

+ +

+ If set to yes then dpkg and + dselect will refuse to remove the package + (though it can be upgraded and/or replaced). The other + possible value is no, which is the same as not + having the field at all.

+ + + Section and + Priority + + +

+ These two fields classify the package. The + Priority represents how important that it is that + the user have it installed; the Section + represents an application area into which the package has + been classified. +

+ +

+ When they appear in the debian/control file these + fields give values for the section and priority subfields + of the Files field of the .changes file, + and give defaults for the section and priority of the + binary packages. +

+ +

+ The section and priority are represented, though not as + separate fields, in the information for each file in the + -Filefield of a + .changes file. The section value in a + .changes file is used to decide where to install + a package in the FTP archive. +

+ +

+ These fields are not used by by dpkg proper, + but by dselect when it sorts packages and + selects defaults. See the Debian policy manual for the + priorities in use and the criteria for selecting the + priority for a Debian package, and look at the Debian FTP + archive for a list of currently in-use priorities. +

+ +

+ These fields may appear in binary package control files, + in which case they provide a default value in case the + Packages files are missing the information. + dpkg and dselect will only use + the value from a .deb file if they have no other + information; a value listed in a Packages file + will always take precedence. By default + dpkg-gencontrol does not include the section + and priority in the control file of a binary package - use + the -isp, -is or -ip options to + achieve this effect.

+ + + Binary + + +

+ This field is a list of binary packages. +

+ +

+ When it appears in the .dsc file it is the list + of binary packages which a source package can produce. It + does not necessarily produce all of these binary packages + for every architecture. The source control file doesn't + contain details of which architectures are appropriate for + which of the binary packages. +

+ +

+ When it appears in a .changes file it lists the + names of the binary packages actually being uploaded. +

+ +

+ The syntax is a list of binary packages separated by + commas. + +

+ A space after each comma is conventional. +

+ Currently the packages must be separated using + only spaces in the .changes file.

+ + + Installed-Size + + +

+ This field appears in the control files of binary + packages, and in the Packages files. It gives + the total amount of disk space required to install the + named package. +

+ +

+ The disk space is represented in kilobytes as a simple + decimal number.

+ + + Files + + +

+ This field contains a list of files with information about + each one. The exact information and syntax varies with + the context. In all cases the the part of the field + contents on the same line as the field name is empty. The + remainder of the field is one line per file, each line + being indented by one space and containing a number of + sub-fields separated by spaces. +

+ +

+ In the .dsc (Debian source control) file each + line contains the MD5 checksum, size and filename of the + tarfile and (if applicable) diff file which make up the + remainder of the source package. + +

+ That is, the parts which are not the + .dsc. +

+ The exact forms of the filenames are described + in . +

+ +

+ In the .changes file this contains one line per + file being uploaded. Each line contains the MD5 checksum, + size, section and priority and the filename. The section + and priority are the values of the corresponding fields in + the main source control file - see . If no section or priority is + specified then - should be used, though section + and priority values must be specified for new packages to + be installed properly. +

+ +

+ The special value byhand for the section in a + .changes file indicates that the file in question + is not an ordinary package file and must by installed by + hand by the distribution maintainers. If the section is + byhand the priority should be -. +

+ +

+ If a new Debian revision of a package is being shipped and + no new original source archive is being distributed the + .dsc must still contain the Files field + entry for the original source archive + package-upstream-version.orig.tar.gz, + but the .changes file should leave it out. In + this case the original source archive on the distribution + site must match exactly, byte-for-byte, the original + source archive which was used to generate the + .dsc file and diff which are being uploaded.

+ + + + Standards-Version + + +

+ The most recent version of the standards (the + dpkg programmers' and policy manuals and + associated texts) with which the package complies. This + is updated manually when editing the source package to + conform to newer standards; it can sometimes be used to + tell when a package needs attention. +

+ +

+ Its format is the same as that of a version number except + that no epoch or Debian revision is allowed - see .

+ + + + Distribution + + +

+ In a .changes file or parsed changelog output + this contains the (space-separated) name(s) of the + distribution(s) where this version of the package should + be or was installed. Distribution names follow the rules + for package names. (See ). +

+ +

+ Current distribution values are: + + stable + +

+ This is the current `released' version of Debian + GNU/Linux. A new version is released approximately + every 3 months after the development code has + been frozen for a month of testing. Once the + distribution is stable only major bug fixes + are allowed. When changes are made to this + distribution, the release number is increased + (for example: 1.2r1 becomes 1.2r2 then 1.2r3, etc). +

+ + + unstable + +

+ This distribution value refers to the + developmental part of the Debian distribution + tree. New packages, new upstream versions of packages + and bug fixes go into the unstable directory + tree. Download from this distribution at your own + risk.

+ + + contrib + +

+ The packages with this distribution value do not meet + the criteria for inclusion in the main Debian + distribution as defined by the Policy Manual, but meet + the criteria for the contrib + Distribution. There is currently no distinction + between stable and unstable packages in the + contrib or non-free + distributions. Use your best judgement in downloading + from this Distribution.

+ + + non-free + +

+ Like the packages in the contrib seciton, + the packages in non-free do not meet the + criteria for inclusion in the main Debian distribution + as defined by the Policy Manual. Again, use your best + judgement in downloading from this Distribution.

+ + experimental + +

+ The packages with this distribution value are deemed + by their maintainers to be high risk. Oftentimes they + represent early beta or developmental packages from + various sources that the maintainers want people to + try, but are not ready to be a part of the other parts + of the Debian distribution tree. Download at your own + risk.

+ + + frozen + +

+ From time to time, (currently, every 3 months) the + unstable distribution enters a state of + `code-freeze' in anticipation of release as a + stable version. During this period of testing + (usually 4 weeks) only fixes for existing or + newly-discovered bugs will be allowed. +

+ + You should list all distributions that + the package should be installed into. Except in unusual + circumstances, installations to stable should also + go into frozen (if it exists) and + unstable. Likewise, installations into + frozen should also go into unstable.

+ + + Urgency + + +

+ This is a description of how important it is to upgrade to + this version from previous ones. It consists of a single + keyword usually taking one of the values LOW, + MEDIUM or HIGH) followed by an optional + commentary (separated by a space) which is usually in + parentheses. For example: + + Urgency: LOW (HIGH for diversions users) + +

+ +

+ This field appears in the .changes file and in + parsed changelogs; its value appears as the value of the + urgency attribute in a dpkg-style + changelog (see ). +

+ +

+ Urgency keywords are not case-sensitive.

+ + + Date + + +

+ In .changes files and parsed changelogs, this + gives the date the package was built or last edited.

+ + + Format + + +

+ This field occurs in .changes files, and + specifies a format revision for the file. The format + described here is version 1.5. The syntax of the + format value is the same as that of a package version + number except that no epoch or Debian revision is allowed + - see .

+ + + Changes + + +

+ In a .changes file or parsed changelog this field + contains the human-readable changes data, describing the + differences between the last version and the current one. +

+ +

+ There should be nothing in this field before the first + newline; all the subsequent lines must be indented by at + least one space; blank lines must be represented by a line + consiting only of a space and a full stop. +

+ +

+ Each version's change information should be preceded by a + `title' line giving at least the version, distribution(s) + and urgency, in a human-readable way. +

+ +

+ If data from several versions is being returned the entry + for the most recent version should be returned first, and + entries should be separated by the representation of a + blank line (the `title' line may also be followed by the + representation of blank line).

+ + + Filename and + MSDOS-Filename + + +

+ These fields in Packages files give the + filename(s) of (the parts of) a package in the + distribution directories, relative to the root of the + Debian hierarchy. If the package has been split into + several parts the parts are all listed in order, separated + by spaces.

+ + + Size and MD5sum + + +

+ These fields in Packages files give the size (in + bytes, expressed in decimal) and MD5 checksum of the + file(s) which make(s) up a binary package in the + distribution. If the package is split into several parts + the values for the parts are listed in order, separated by + spaces.

+ + + Status + + +

+ This field in dpkg's status file records + whether the user wants a package installed, removed or + left alone, whether it is broken (requiring + reinstallation) or not and what its current state on the + system is. Each of these pieces of information is a + single word.

+ + + Config-Version + + +

+ If a package is not installed or not configured, this + field in dpkg's status file records the last + version of the package which was successfully + configured.

+ + + Conffiles + + +

+ This field in dpkg's status file contains + information about the automatically-managed configuration + files held by a package. This field should not + appear anywhere in a package!

+ + + Obsolete fields + + +

+ These are still recognised by dpkg but should + not appear anywhere any more. + + + Revision + Package-Revision + Package_Revision + +

+ The Debian revision part of the package version was + at one point in a separate control file field. This + field went through several names.

+ + + Recommended +

Old name for Recommends

+ + + Optional +

Old name for Suggests.

+ + Class +

Old name for Priority.

+ + +

+ + + + + Configuration file handling + (from old Packaging Manual) + + +

+ dpkg can do a certain amount of automatic + handling of package configuration files. +

+ +

+ Whether this mechanism is appropriate depends on a number of + factors, but basically there are two approaches to any + particular configuration file. +

+ +

+ The easy method is to ship a best-effort configuration in the + package, and use dpkg's conffile mechanism to + handle updates. If the user is unlikely to want to edit the + file, but you need them to be able to without losing their + changes, and a new package with a changed version of the file + is only released infrequently, this is a good approach. +

+ +

+ The hard method is to build the configuration file from + scratch in the postinst script, and to take the + responsibility for fixing any mistakes made in earlier + versions of the package automatically. This will be + appropriate if the file is likely to need to be different on + each system. +

+ + Automatic handling of configuration files by + dpkg + + +

+ A package may contain a control area file called + conffiles. This file should be a list of filenames + of configuration files needing automatic handling, separated + by newlines. The filenames should be absolute pathnames, + and the files referred to should actually exist in the + package. +

+ +

+ When a package is upgraded dpkg will process + the configuration files during the configuration stage, + shortly before it runs the package's postinst + script, +

+ +

+ For each file it checks to see whether the version of the + file included in the package is the same as the one that was + included in the last version of the package (the one that is + being upgraded from); it also compares the version currently + installed on the system with the one shipped with the last + version. +

+ +

+ If neither the user nor the package maintainer has changed + the file, it is left alone. If one or the other has changed + their version, then the changed version is preferred - i.e., + if the user edits their file, but the package maintainer + doesn't ship a different version, the user's changes will + stay, silently, but if the maintainer ships a new version + and the user hasn't edited it the new version will be + installed (with an informative message). If both have + changed their version the user is prompted about the problem + and must resolve the differences themselves. +

+ +

+ The comparisons are done by calculating the MD5 message + digests of the files, and storing the MD5 of the file as it + was included in the most recent version of the package. +

+ +

+ When a package is installed for the first time + dpkg will install the file that comes with it, + unless that would mean overwriting a file already on the + filesystem. +

+ +

+ However, note that dpkg will not + replace a conffile that was removed by the user (or by a + script). This is necessary because with some programs a + missing file produces an effect hard or impossible to + achieve in another way, so that a missing file needs to be + kept that way if the user did it. +

+ +

+ Note that a package should not modify a + dpkg-handled conffile in its maintainer + scripts. Doing this will lead to dpkg giving + the user confusing and possibly dangerous options for + conffile update when the package is upgraded.

+ + + Fully-featured maintainer script configuration + handling + + +

+ For files which contain site-specific information such as + the hostname and networking details and so forth, it is + better to create the file in the package's + postinst script. +

+ +

+ This will typically involve examining the state of the rest + of the system to determine values and other information, and + may involve prompting the user for some information which + can't be obtained some other way. +

+ +

+ When using this method there are a couple of important + issues which should be considered: +

+ +

+ If you discover a bug in the program which generates the + configuration file, or if the format of the file changes + from one version to the next, you will have to arrange for + the postinst script to do something sensible - usually this + will mean editing the installed configuration file to remove + the problem or change the syntax. You will have to do this + very carefully, since the user may have changed the file, + perhaps to fix the very problem that your script is trying + to deal with - you will have to detect these situations and + deal with them correctly. +

+ +

+ If you do go down this route it's probably a good idea to + make the program that generates the configuration file(s) a + separate program in /usr/sbin, by convention called + packageconfig and then run that if + appropriate from the post-installation script. The + packageconfig program should not + unquestioningly overwrite an existing configuration - if its + mode of operation is geared towards setting up a package for + the first time (rather than any arbitrary reconfiguration + later) you should have it check whether the configuration + already exists, and require a --force flag to + overwrite it.

 + + + Alternative versions of + an interface - update-alternatives (from old + Packaging Manual) + + +

+ When several packages all provide different versions of the + same program or file it is useful to have the system select a + default, but to allow the system administrator to change it + and have their decisions respected. +

+ +

+ For example, there are several versions of the vi + editor, and there is no reason to prevent all of them from + being installed at once, each under their own name + (nvi, vim or whatever). + Nevertheless it is desirable to have the name vi + refer to something, at least by default. +

+ +

+ If all the packages involved cooperate, this can be done with + update-alternatives. +

+ +

+ Each package provides its own version under its own name, and + calls update-alternatives in its postinst to + register its version (and again in its prerm to deregister + it). +

+ +

+ See the manpage for details. +

+ +

+ If update-alternatives does not seem appropriate + you may wish to consider using diversions instead.

+ + + Diversions - overriding a + package's version of a file (from old Packaging Manual) + + +

+ It is possible to have dpkg not overwrite a file + when it reinstalls the package it belongs to, and to have it + put the file from the package somewhere else instead. +

+ +

+ This can be used locally to override a package's version of a + file, or by one package to override another's version (or + provide a wrapper for it). +

+ +

+ Before deciding to use a diversion, read to see if you really want a diversion + rather than several alternative versions of a program. +

+ +

+ There is a diversion list, which is read by dpkg, + and updated by a special program dpkg-divert. + Please see for full + details of its operation. +

+ +

+ When a package wishes to divert a file from another, it should + call dpkg-divert in its preinst to add the + diversion and rename the existing file. For example, + supposing that a smailwrapper package wishes to + install a wrapper around /usr/sbin/smail: + + if [ install = "$1" -o upgrade = "$1" ]; then + dpkg-divert --package smailwrapper --add --rename \ + --divert /usr/sbin/smail.real /usr/sbin/smail + fi + Testing $1 is necessary so that the script + doesn't try to add the diversion again when + smailwrapper is upgraded. The --package + smailwrapper ensures that smailwrapper's + copy of /usr/sbin/smail can bypass the diversion and + get installed as the true version. +

+ +

+ The postrm has to do the reverse: + + if [ remove = "$1" ]; then + dpkg-divert --package smailwrapper --remove --rename \ + --divert /usr/sbin/smail.real /usr/sbin/smail + fi + +

+ +

+ Do not attempt to divert a file which is vitally important for + the system's operation - when using dpkg-divert + there is a time, after it has been diverted but before + dpkg has installed the new version, when the file + does not exist.

+ +