Re: --purge and log/spool files

[Justin Pryzby <justinpryzby@users.sourceforge.net>]

On Tue, Apr 05, 2005 at 01:01:53AM +0200, Michelle Konzack wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I am packing a program which create at its first start the neccessary
> config file /etc/program and two directories /var/log/program/ and
> /var/spool/program/.

> How should the files and directories be handled if I PURGE the Debian
> Package ?
http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-files.html#s10.8

> Should I keep the /var/log/program or 'rm -rf /var/log/program'.

  Log files should be removed when the package is purged (but not when
  it is only removed).

> And then in "prerm" or "postrm" ?

  This should be done by the postrm script when it is called with the
  argument purge.

> Is it possibel that debconf ask, whether the /var/log/program should
> removed or not ?
Probably not, since policy is clear.

Note that there was a relevant thread on -devel around about last
October.  Someone complained that their thesis was in /var/log/apache/
and was deleted when they purged the package.  As such, you might
consider something like rm -f /var/log/apache/{access,error}.log*;
rmdir /var/log/apache/ instead of rm -fr /var/log/apache/.

Justin