Feature request: Reset configuration

[Daniel Bock <daniel.bock@web.de>]

Hi,

I recently read this workaround:

If the dpkg-reconfigure foo doesn't work, use this:

1. Remove or rename the broken configuration file.
sudo mv /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf.broken

2. Request replacements from dpkg.
sudo dpkg -i --force-confmiss /path/to/samba-common.deb

This tells dpkg to replace missing configuration files with those from 
the .deb. You might find the original package .deb in 
/var/cache/apt/archives, or you can use a fresh copy of the same version 
from your distribution's repositories.

dpkg -i --force-confnew foo.deb

That flag only forces dpkg to overwrite the config file if it would 
otherwise have asked for permission to do so. It does not make it 
magically recreate pristine config files from the package.

from superuser: How do I get the default configuration from a .deb file? 
<http://superuser.com/questions/69045/how-do-i-get-the-default-configuration-from-a-deb-file> 
(quack quixote♦ and Teddy) and serverfault: Linux: how to restore config 
file using apt-get/aptitude? 
<http://serverfault.com/questions/82801/linux-how-to-restore-config-file-using-apt-get-aptitude> 
(TRS-80)

--

This is the workaround needed to reset the configuration of some debian 
packages who need them. There are also other workarounds (e.g. purge 
first and ignore dependencies and then install again; e.g. Extract 
configuration files from .deb manually), but they are ugly and 
workarounds as well. Or have I overlooked something?

It seems to be an important feature and I propose you to implement this 
option to magically make the configuration of an package pristine. Come 
on, everybody will be happy about such feature.

Regards,
Daniel Bock