Bug#841135: iso-scan/filename ignored in Debian 8.6.0 => cannot put it on multiboot USB stick

[Alain Knaff <alain@knaff.lu>]

Package: iso-scan
Version: 1.53

Hi,

I'm trying to set up a multiboot USB stick (containing bootable Debian,
Ubuntu, Redhat, etc. distributions on one media)

For this, I am following the instructions at
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Multiboot_USB_drive#Debian

However, despite all attempts to the contrary, iso-scan seems to
steadfastly ignore the iso-scan/filename parameter: it neither takes it
at face value (as the sole qualifying filename for an ISO), nor does it
prompt the user if multiple ISOs are on the stick.

With the result that it tries to install from an Ubuntu ISO that also
happens to be on the stick, and (predictably) fails.

However, modifying the /var/lib/dpkg/info/iso-scan.postinst script as
follows fixes the issue:

Before the "for dir in . ./*; do" loop, insert:

                db_get iso-scan/filename
                if [ -f "./$RET" ] ; then
                        iso=`echo "$RET" | sed 's;^/;;'`
                        log "Found ISO $iso on $dev"
                        ISO_COUNT=$(($ISO_COUNT + 1))
                        add_usable_iso $iso $dev
                else

... and after it, insert:
		fi


I'm also wondering why in Debian we have to download a special hd-media
initrd.gz from
https://mirrors.kernel.org/debian/dists/stable/main/installer-amd64/current/images/hd-media/
at all, rather than having the standard initrd.gz included in the ISO
itself be able to also boot from an USB stick (as is the case in Ubuntu,
and in many other distros)

Thanks for your attention,

Alain