On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 08:16:09 -0500, Rex Dieter wrote:
Michael Schwendt wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 06:51:57 -0500, Rex Dieter wrote:
>> Michael Schwendt wrote:
>> > Making a file %ghost, when multiple packages use the alternatives
>> > system for a shared set of paths, would be wrong.
>> I disagree, I've done it, and it works just fine. I've advocated that
>> all alternatives-using-packages (particularly jpackage ones) use this
>> technique.
> Now you've got N packages which pretend they own a file/symlink.
That's as it should be, imo. You would rather the file/symlink be unowned?
But sure! The link target does not belong into any package, since it is a
configuration value. E.g.
$ rpm -qf /etc/alternatives/mta
file /etc/alternatives/mta is not owned by any package
If packages PKG1 and PKG2 own the link name, none of them owns the link
target. And since the link target is a link itself, only either one can
own the configured file the final link points to. Hence if the final
destination is a file in PKG2, it would be wrong to make PKG1 the owner
of the base link.
> The alternatives symlink is a configuration value and
doesn't belong into
> any package. The admin could also point the symlink to something in
> /usr/local, and you don't want to remove his customisation when an rpm is
> uninstalled.
Stuff done outside of rpm is done by a local admin at their own risk.
Too bad, since the "alternatives" system is a configuration system outside
of RPM: rpm -qf /etc/alternatives/* /var/lib/alternatives/*
man alternatives