Re: The "Replaces:" Field

[Thomas Wouters <thomas@xs4all.net>]

On Wed, Feb 05, 2003 at 10:56:50AM +0100, Tore Anderson wrote:
> * David Lloyd

>  > I don't know if this is the right forum to ask, but I want to replace:
>  > 
>  > lloy0076@cirith:/usr/share/apps/ksplash/pics$ ls
>  >                        splash_bottom.png        splash_top.png
>  > splash_active_bar.png  splash_inactive_bar.png  splash_top.png.backup
>   (..)
>  > Replaces: kdebase

>   You don't want to do that, then your package would make apt de-install
>  kdebase upon installing your own.

Not according to the Policy Manual. A Replaces: header without a Conflicts:
header tells dpkg that the package replaces some files in the package(s)
listed in the Replaces: header(s).

See:
http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html#s-replaces

>   You're looking for `dpkg-divert'.  Alternatively, you could ask the KDE
>  maintainers to split the ksplash theme into a separate package, then you
>  could conflict with that instead.

I agree that both of these are better solutions.

-- 
Thomas Wouters <thomas@xs4all.net>

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