Bug#89674: [PROPOSAL] Clarify ldconfig usage

[Julian Gilbey <J.D.Gilbey@qmw.ac.uk>]

Package: debian-policy
Version: 3.5.2.0
Severity: wishlist

Proposed patch:

     Any package installing shared libraries in a directory that's listed
     in `/etc/ld.so.conf' or in one of the default library directories of
     `ld.so' (currently, these are `/usr/lib' and `/lib') must call
     `ldconfig' in its `postinst' script if and only if the first argument
-    is `configure'.  However, it is important not to call `ldconfig' in
+    is `configure', and should call `ldconfig' in its `postrm' if and
+    only if the first argument is `remove'.  Packages must not call
+    `ldconfig' in
     the postrm or preinst scripts in the case where the package is being
     upgraded (see Section 6.5, `Details of unpack phase of installation or
     upgrade'), as `ldconfig' will see the temporary names that `dpkg' uses
     for the files while it is installing them and will make the shared
     library links point to them, just before `dpkg' continues the
     installation and removes the links!

This clarifies how ldconfig should/must be used.

   Julian

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         Julian Gilbey, Dept of Maths, Queen Mary, Univ. of London
       Debian GNU/Linux Developer,  see http://people.debian.org/~jdg
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