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Re: package configuration design



Previously fog@irfmn.mnegri.it wrote:
> 1) let's separate the user interaction from the package configuration.
> This can be done by adding a new control file (let's call it "questions") 
> that asks the user about configuration parameters and stores them in the
> "registry" (eh eh ;).

Ssshhtt! I was carefully trying to avoid that word. But that's what I
already proposed.

> 2) let's have a a way to have the user answer all the questions and 
> then go get a cup of coffe while dpkg installs.

Also already in the proposal, although I probably should say that more
explictely. 

> This can be done by dinstal putting all the "questions" control files
> in a single distribution-wide file (just like the Packages.gz, let's
> call it Questions.gz).

No, for the same reason you can't do that for du-information. It would make
Packages (or Questions.gz) huge, makes the format complicated (remember
that configmodules can also be normal ELF binaries) and hard to change.

But since all packaging tools download all packages before installing them
you could simply extract all configmodules first, ask everything and then
proceed as before.

> Obviously the user should be given the choice to not configure a package.
> I think the best thing in that case is to have dpkg just unpack it
> and log the name of the package.

You mean force the frontend to be non-interactive? That might work, although
some packages will probably refuse to install then.

Wichert.

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