building packages from source (apt-get source)

[Lev Lvovsky <lists1@sonous.com>]

Hello,

Could someone please point me to the documentation for building debs from
source *WITH* changes to the source (via the configure script)?

I'm trying to compile PostgreSQL from source, after having done an "apt-get
source postgresql".  After the download, dpkg-source was automatically run.


Going into the directory:

./configure --with-perl
debian/rules build

While it seems to compile, it also later complains about missing python
(which is functionality that I *DON'T* want built in).

I can think of no other way to keep this from happening other than editing
the "debian/rules" file and removing whatever I don't like....this seems
rather half-assed, so I'm assuming there's a better way.

I've tried man'ing the dpkg-source source management utils, only to be
completely baffled by the cryptic docs...

help?

thanks!
-lev