debian-policy,dpkg: Please document maintscript flow with `prerm deconfigure`
Package: debian-policy,dpkg
Severity: wishlist
X-Debbugs-Cc: niels@thykier.net,debian-dpkg@lists.debian.org
Hi
The flow charts at
https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ap-flowcharts.html
unfortunately does not cover the `prerm deconfigure [...]`
This makes it hard to figure whether a package needs to consider
`deconfigure` when it needs to have `prerm` code.
Like if a `prerm deconfigure` will be followed by a `prerm remove` then
doing anything in `prerm deconfigure` is basically redundant (?) as you
can just do it in `prerm remove` instead. Or does `deconfigure` imply a
`remove` (despite the name suggesting it would only move the package to
"configured -> unpacked")
This would also be relevant to understand whether postinst need to react
to `abort-deconfigure` or can one assume that a `configure` will always
(timely) follow an `abort-deconfigure`?
I had a look at `deb-prerm` and `deb-postinst`. Sadly, these does not
answer my questions (they say when the action occurs). However, I am
missing an overview and the terse descriptions do not give me that (nor
tell me what state the package is in after success/failure, which could
have helped in some cases).
Best regards,
Niels
PS: In debhelper, I have liberally sprinkled in `abort-*` cases in to
the postinst and avoided any conditions in the prerm scripts. But it is
not out of understanding but out of assumptions.
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