Package: dpkg-dev
Version: 1.13.21
Severity: minor
Looking at the description for Depends: you'll see:
Depends: <package list>
List of packages that are required for this package to provide a
non-trivial amount of functionality. The package maintenance
software will not allow a package to be installed if the pack-
ages listed in its Depends field aren't installed (at least not
without using the force options), and will run the postinst
scripts of packages listed in Depends: fields before those of
the packages which depend on them, and run prerm scripts before.
The last sentence is very long and incomprehensible. The first half is
clear (up to ...force options),) but then the author tries to explain
something about the order of certain scripts being run.
If I denote with (a) the postinst scripts of the packages in Depends,
with (b) their prerm and (a') for the postints scripts of the package(s)
being installed, and (b') for the prerm scripts of same packages, I
think I get as order:
(b) (a) (a')
but I am not sure. Also this seems to be for installation, but says
nothing about upgrades (with possible new Depends:). I read
file://localhost/usr/share/doc/debian-policy/policy.html/ch-maintainerscripts.html
to understand this, but even there this level of detail is not given
(it mainly talks about the scripts of the package being
installed/upgraded an so on, and only very little about other
packages).
Given that this is a very complex issue, and that this is the only
place in the entire man page the postinst and prerm scripts are
mentioned at all, I suggest removing the second half of this sentence
and add an appropriate reference in the SEE ALSO section to the
debian policy or some other definitive reference.
Alternative, you could start being more verbose also in other places
of the man page regarding these scripts, but I think this would be out
of scope here.
If you'd like a patch for this suggestion, please tell me.
-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.14.6-grsec-cz03
Locale: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] (charmap=ISO-8859-15)
Versions of packages dpkg-dev depends on:
ii binutils 2.17-1 The GNU assembler, linker and bina
ii cpio 2.6-16 GNU cpio -- a program to manage ar
ii dpkg 1.13.21 package maintenance system for Deb
ii make 3.81-2 The GNU version of the "make" util
ii patch 2.5.9-4 Apply a diff file to an original
ii perl [perl5] 5.8.8-4 Larry Wall's Practical Extraction
ii perl-modules 5.8.8-4 Core Perl modules
Versions of packages dpkg-dev recommends:
ii bzip2 1.0.3-3 high-quality block-sorting file co
ii gcc [c-compiler] 4:4.0.3-4 The GNU C compiler
ii gcc-3.3 [c-compiler] 1:3.3.6-13 The GNU C compiler
ii gcc-3.4 [c-compiler] 3.4.6-1 The GNU C compiler
ii gcc-4.0 [c-compiler] 4.0.3-3 The GNU C compiler
ii gcc-4.1 [c-compiler] 4.1.1-5 The GNU C compiler
-- no debconf information
--
Dr. Helge Kreutzmann [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dipl.-Phys. http://www.helgefjell.de/debian.php
64bit GNU powered gpg signed mail preferred
Help keep free software "libre": http://www.ffii.de/
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