Re: Review request: debconf templates for mrtg
Hi Justin,
On Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:43:46 +0100
Justin B Rye <justin.byam.rye@gmail.com> wrote:
> Eriberto wrote:
> > Due #1041332, I needed to change a template. Could you check it for
> > me? I will write it below.
> >
> > Template: mrtg/move_config_file
> > Type: note
> > _Description: /etc/mrtg.cfg should be moved to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg
> > Older versions of MRTG on Debian had the configuration file /etc/mrtg.cfg.
> > This file should now be located in the directory /etc/mrtg/. The Debian
> > Policy doesn't allow the installation system to change the place of the
> > configuration files already present in the system (see Policy 10.7.3).
> > Please, consider to make the needed adjustments in your system manually.
>
> 10.7.3 doesn't say you can't *move* a conffile; it says you can't
> blindly overwrite it, discarding user changes. If mrtg moved its
> existing configuration file to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg like it says it's
> going to, that would be okay; the problem is that dpkg makes that
> tricky to implement. See Policy 5.3, and dpkg-maintscript-helper(1)
> on the "dpkg-maintscript-helper mv_conffile" function:
You are right. Thanks for this approach.
>
> # If a conffile is moved from one location to another, you need to
> # make sure you move across any changes the user has made. This may
> # seem a simple change to the preinst script at first, however that
> # will result in the user being prompted by dpkg to approve the
> # conffile edits even though they are not responsible of them.
>
> (I think dh_installdeb can automate putting dpkg-maintscript-helper
> snippets into maintscripts, but I'm not sure how that works.)
You are right again. However, this is a big effort for a minimum of
machines (or none for now) in this situation. I decided just to show
a message for the users.
> Just for the exercise, I'll review the text anyway.
>
> Template: mrtg/move_config_file
> Type: note
> ^^^^
> If the new mrtg will ignore /etc/mrtg.cfg, this should probably be
> "Type: warning".
I understand your suggestion, but "warning" is not acceptable for "Type"
in debconf[1].
[1] https://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/debconf_specification.html#id-1.4.4.3.1
> _Description: /etc/mrtg.cfg should be moved to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg
> Older versions of MRTG on Debian had the configuration file /etc/mrtg.cfg.
> This file should now be located in the directory /etc/mrtg/. The Debian
> ^^^
> Just "Debian Policy", no "The".
>
> Policy doesn't allow the installation system to change the place of the
>
> This isn't true. Meanwhile, we try to avoid letting debconf talk
> about debconf, and it can be confusing to mention installation in a
> prompt that might be shown during a routine upgrade.
>
> configuration files already present in the system (see Policy 10.7.3).
> Please, consider to make the needed adjustments in your system manually.
I will use "installer". I think is important to say this word.
> This seems an unnecessarily gentle suggestion, and it doesn't need to
> mention "in your system" - just say
>
> Please make the required adjustments manually.
My new approach is now:
Template: mrtg/move_config_file
Type: note
_Description: /etc/mrtg.cfg should be moved to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg
Older versions of MRTG on Debian had the configuration file /etc/mrtg.cfg.
This file should now be located in the directory /etc/mrtg/.
.
Debian Policy doesn't allow the installer to move a file from a place to
another, discarding any user changes (see Policy 10.7.3). Please, make the
required adjustments manually.
What you think?
Thanks for you work helping non-native English speaker to make better texts.
Regards,
Eriberto
Reply to: