Bug#291320: dpkg-dev: let "dpkg-deb -b" have some "--owner=root" option
Package: dpkg-dev
Version: 1.10.25
Severity: wishlist
Hello,
It would be nice if dpkg-deb could produce .deb archives where all
files are owned by root:root, ignoring the ownership attributes from
the filesystem.
This seems easy to implement - maybe using "GNUtar --owner...",
or rewriting the headers in the output of tar.
I'd suggest to introduce an option for this, so that in debian/rules
one could call dpkg-deb with this option and not use dh_testroot (thus
allowing non-fakeroot builds).
Moreover, I think this could become the default in the future.
Let me explain why. I claim that *any* package with non-standard file
owners in the .deb is buggy. (Non-standard == not in base-passwd.)
Proof: Policy says that in this case "you must arrange for your package
to create the user or group if necessary using adduser in the preinst or
postinst script". Well, if it's in postinst, then the ownership within
the .deb does not work - the user does not exist when the package is
unpacked. With adduser in preinst, the installation may work. However,
how does one *build* the package? If it's not installed yet, the
username is not in /etc/passwd, and the build breaks. So the package
ends up build-depending on itself. QED.
Background: I am a user who wants custom builds of some packages.
My problem is that it's hard to split the last stage of build
into "make local-install" and "make deb-archive". (The changes
are often needed just between these steps.)
Thank you for consideration,
Sergei
-- System Information:
Debian Release: 3.1
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.4.25
Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=ru_RU.KOI8-R (charmap=KOI8-R)
Versions of packages dpkg-dev depends on:
ii binutils 2.15-5 The GNU assembler, linker and bina
ii cpio 2.5-1.1 GNU cpio -- a program to manage ar
ii make 3.80-9 The GNU version of the "make" util
ii patch 2.5.9-2 Apply a diff file to an original
ii perl [perl5] 5.8.4-5 Larry Wall's Practical Extraction
ii perl-modules 5.8.4-5 Core Perl modules
-- no debconf information
Reply to: