Re: Package Pre-dependencies

["Joao Luis Meloni Assirati" <assirati@nonada.if.usp.br>]

> Hello everyone,
>
> One quick question:  If package A pre-depends on package B, and package
> C depends on package A, does package C pre-depend on package B?
>
> In other words, is pre-depends transitive across regular dependencies?

C ==(Depends)==> A ==(Pre-Depends)==> B

As you stated the problem, if package C does not explicitly pre-depend on
package B, then in the course of installation of packages A, B and C, the
package C can be unpacked even if B is not unpacked nor configured. Only A
must wait until B is fully configured in order to be unpacked.

Here you can find the policy for these package fields:
http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html

So, no. C does not pre-depend on B unless it is explictly stated in its
Pre-depends field. Here is an example:

bash ==(Depends)==> base-files ==(Pre-Depends)==> awk.

João Luis.