Re: /etc/magic: do we need install-magic?
Paolo Molaro <lupus@lettere.unipd.it> wrote:
> I'm packaging lzop, a file compressor/decompressor that comes
> with the magic entries to be used by file(1) and I'm sure some
> other packages come with such entries, so I wanted to add them to
> the /etc/magic file, but...
> /etc/magic is a conffile: shouldn't the file package provide
> a install-magic program? Should I file a whishlist bug report on it?
/etc/magic is a bit different from lots of other programs. You
should be able to identify what kind of file something is even
if the corresponding package is not installed (for instance).
So, it's a good idea to mail whoever does magic about any magic
for your package.
It would be nice to be able to automatically add stuff to /etc/magic.
Because /etc/magic kind of implies a priority (stuff at the begining
is checked first), it's probably safe to add things to the bottom
of it. But automated maintenance of /etc/magic is more than a
little tricky (after a while, you start getting similar but different
magic for the same thing with a few random overlaps with other
entries which maybe weren't thought out very well).
I think an "install magic" should be able to upgrade an entry (needs
a version number concept on the entry itself), but removing entries
should only happen very rarely.
--
Raul
--
TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to
debian-devel-request@lists.debian.org .
Trouble? e-mail to templin@bucknell.edu .
Reply to: