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mikewilliamson
Asked: 2012-03-29 08:03:16 +0800 CST

Providing a customized config file for another package

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We use Ubuntu at work and I will need to make the same configuration changes to many systems so I am packaging these. One of the configuration changes I need to make is setting lightdm to autologin. For me to package this change it seems I will need to clobber the existing /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf and replace it with the my customized lightdm.conf. This seems like a bad idea.

How can I do this in a way that is won't cause breakage and is inline with how the rest of the community is working?

packaging

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    This is often done by creating a package that uses dpkg-divert in its maintainer scripts to move the old config file aside:

    • In your preinst, divert the file away.

      dpkg-divert --add --package $your_package_name --rename \
    --divert /path/to/file.disabled \
    /path/to/file

    • In your postrm, divert the file back.

      dpkg-divert --remove --package $your_package_name --rename \
    /path/to/file

    See: http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ap-pkg-diversions.html

    One solution that helps abstract dpkg-divert is the config-package-dev package created and maintained by MIT's Debathena project. They have a thorough tutorial.

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