Re: Clarification of Policy and Packaging manuals requested
Hi,
Thanks, Joey. There is at least some vindication about why I
felt thtat configuration file == conffile, the policy manual
is also confused as well. (so much for it is boviously clear they are
different things)
I still contend, with these as proof, that the original intent
was that conffiles are merely configuraiotn file that dpkg should
handle updates to.
So we are not just clarifying the content of policy; we are
proposing a change of or extention to current policy here.
manoj
>>"Joey" == Joey Hess <joey@kitenet.net> writes:
Joey> 3.4.2:
Joey> These scripts should not fail obscurely when the configuration
Joey> files remain but the package has been removed, as the default in
Joey> dpkg is to leave configuration files on the system after the
Joey> package has been removed. Only when it is executed with the
Joey> `--purge' option will dpkg remove configuration
Joey> files. Therefore, you should include a `test'
Joey> I belive you should s/configuration file/conffile/ on this. Dpkg
Joey> doesn't know about configuartion files.
Joey> 3.5: If a certain job has to be executed more frequently than
Joey> `daily,' the package should install a file
Joey> `/etc/cron.d/<package-name>' tagged as configuration file.
Joey> This should say "tagged as a conffile". It's impossible to tag
Joey> something as a configuration file.
Joey> modified by the local system administrator. In addition, they
Joey> have to be registered as configuration file.
Joey> And again, it should say conffile.
Joey> The scripts in these directories have to check, if all necessary
Joey> programs are installed before they try to execute
Joey> them. Otherwise, problems will arise when a package was removed
Joey> (but not purged), since the configuration files are kept on the
Joey> system in this situation.
Joey> Should say conffile again.
Joey> 3.9:
Joey> Furthermore, as `/etc/profile' is a configuration file of the
Joey> bash package, no other package may put any environment variables
Joey> or other commands into that file.
Joey> Rather, the reason it cannot be edited is because it is a
Joey> conffile.
Joey> 4.2
Joey> The configuration files `/etc/services', `/etc/protocols', and
Joey> `/etc/rpc' are managed by the netbase package and may not be
Joey> modified by other packages.
Joey> If these weren't conffiles, there would be no real reason other
Joey> packages shouldn't modify them. So say "The conffiles ..."
Joey> instead.
Joey> That's all the places I could find that misuse "configuration
Joey> files". But I think the real problem is that the terms
Joey> "conffile" and "configuration files" are too close together. We
Joey> either need some definitions added to the policy document, or
Joey> clearer terms.
--
Those wise men, who are much given to meditation and find pleasure in
the peace of a spiritual way of life, even the devas envy them
perfect Buddhas and recollected as they are. 181
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
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