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Bug#543418: postinst-uses-db-input is not always a bug



Package: lintian
Version: 2.2.14
Severity: wishlist

Lintian currently asserts that using db_input from the postinst is always a
bug:

 W: libpam-runtime: postinst-uses-db-input
 N: 
 N:    It is generally not a good idea for postinst scripts to use debconf
 N:    commands like db_input. Typically, they should restrict themselves to
 N:    db_get to request previously acquired information, and have the config
 N:    script do the actual prompting.
 N:    
 N:    Severity: normal, Certainty: certain
 N: 

This is not the case.  It's legitimate to use db_input in the postinst for
error templates, to notify the user of a problem with the install.

I think it should be possible for lintian to detect the type of the template
in the common case, as well as parsing the postinst script enough to know
that db_input is called conditionally, and not show this (incorrect) warning
in that case.

If that's not possible, then at least the warning should not be presented as
"Certainty: certain", and the description should mention this exception to
the rule.

-- 
Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer                   to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer                                    http://www.debian.org/
slangasek@ubuntu.com                                     vorlon@debian.org

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