Re: status (Re: New fixes and new bugs found.)
Adam Di Carlo wrote:
> If we can get debconf into base (oh, and perl rather than perl-base should
> be out of base too), then I am 100% behind using it everywhere we can!
> Then all we gotta do is get one of those post-install root tasks to
> be to run the apt configurator (would the configurator source most likely
> be added to boot-floppies, or as a separate pkg? If in boot-floppies,
> could you import it and maintain it in boot-floppies CVS?)
It would most likely be part of the debconf package. (Unless it gets put
into the apt package, which is the real right place for it..)
Anyway, I'll talk to Darren Stalder and see what we can work up.
> I almost wonder if anXious (from the xviddetect pkg), which is used for
> X11 configuration, should be back-ported also.
That is a possability. Other possibilities include the prompt about shadow
passwords, the prompt about removing pcmcia, etc.
[
In the far future, if everything in base that has an interactive postinst
uses debconf, things would be even easier. When the boot floppies build the
base tarball, they will be able to just run debconf in noninteractive mode
as they install packages into the chroot. No more need for the nasty hack
that pipes 'yes' output into the dpkg -i commands. And then when the new
system boots up, debconf can be asked to reconfigure all currently
installed packages, which will transparently make their postinst questions
be run. I think it's clear the advantages that has in the clean design
department over how these things are handled now..
]
> I assume that debconf, however, would *not* be an appropriate way to
> implement, say, the tasks/profiles selection mechanism? I'm not sure
> what capacities it has...
Debconf is currently limited to the types of UI's you can get using whiptail
or dialog. If list(s) of tasks with checkboxes to select which you want are
sufficient, debconf could be used (I could write that task selection ui
using debonf in a few days). If we want a more complex UI, say one that
displays a task's extended description when you hit f1 or when you just
select that task, debconf cannot be used directly.
It is possible, though, for a more advanced UI like that to store its
results into the debconf database, and query the database first to see if it
should start up at all (or if the install is happening in noninteractive
mode), and what the defaults should be. So debconf could be used as the
backend database for something like this.
--
see shy jo
Reply to: