Re: Control File

[Sean 'Shaleh' Perry <shalehperry@attbi.com>]

On Thursday 03 October 2002 11:08, Sven LUTHER wrote:
>
> Mmm, is Provides a superset of Replaces, or do you have to specify both
> ?
>

Replaces says "it is ok to install me when this other package is installed, 
even if we have the same files, I now own those files".  Provides says "for 
all intents and purposes treat me as this other package when doing depends 
checks".

So if package foo has file /etc/bar which used to be in package bar you say 
Replaces: bar.  If package foo or package bar can be installed to satisfy the 
same depends you put a Provides: bar in foo's control file (or you have both 
of them Provide a psuedo package).  If the package foo is not a 100% 
replacement for the bar package AND you intend to take over bar's place in 
the Debian archive you say both replaces and provides.  If you want to remove 
the bar package from a user's machine while doing this you also specify a 
conflicts on bar.

All of this is documented in policy is different (and perhaps better) words.