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I used dh_make to create a basic Debian package install. I added a dependency which is the actual program I want. All I want to do is overwrite the conf file this package installed, with a new file with bunch of custom parameters.

I tried to use the install file which looks like this:

file.conf /etc/destination/file.conf

but repeatedly got an error saying:

dh_install: cp -a debian/tmp/file.conf debian/custom-package//etc/package// returned exit code 1

I can't figure out why it won't find the file. I know debian/tmp is created by the builder, but I don't know why it won't find my file, then it tries to copy not to the directory I want, but it prepends debian/custom-package/.

I also tried to use a Makefile but while it builds and runs, the file isn't copying to the directory. I'm not sure the Makefile is right or is even getting called (dh_make didn't originally include a Makefile, I'm not sure where to call it if it doesn't get called).

The make file just has the install directive and looks like this:

install:
        cp file.conf /etc/destination/

The rules file is the basic file that was built with dh, and as recommended from the Debian guide:

%:
        dh $@
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  • In file.conf /etc/destination/file.conf, what is destination? And what is the exact name of your install file? pkgname.install will try to install in debian/tmp/pkgname/etc/destination/, I think. You don't want both an install file as well as an install rule in make. They both do the same thing - copy stuff to the files under debian/tmp which packages are made from. You probably just want a line in an install file. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 16:32
  • Oh, and include your rules file, please. You should probably also be using dh. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 16:39
  • The rules file is the recommended file from the debian guide, very short, I added it above. I am trying the solution posed by @Stephen Kitt, basically deleting the install file and only using the directive in the Makefile. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 17:21
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    Your package doesn't sound complicated. I suggest you put the whole thing somewhere public, if you can't figure it out. And post a link here, of course. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 17:54
  • I will try and do this later, can't right this minute. I am sure the solution is very close, but I'm just missing some small component. And you are right, it is a very simple package. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 19:12

2 Answers 2

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See the Debian wiki for detailed instructions to create a configuration package. The short version given what you've already got is:

  • delete the install file
  • in your Makefile, specify the install target as follows:
install:
        mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)/etc/destination/
        cp file.conf $(DESTDIR)/etc/destination/
  • in your debian/rules, just run dh:
%:
        dh $@
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  • Is $(DESTDIR) something I need to set manually or is it inherited somewhere? I made these changes and while it had a noticeable effect in that the make process was much less verbose, the .conf file is still not the one I included in my package, nor did I get any errors regarding files not being found or any such thing. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 17:31
  • The above comment is not quite right, lintian did return an error stating: unknown-file-in-debian-source file.conf Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 17:37
  • DESTDIR is defined by the build tools. Where is your file.conf? The lintian error means it's in debian/source, it should be in your package's main directory. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 17:45
  • So I am still seeing the basic .conf file when I install. I moved the file out and don't get any lintian errors but I am also not seeing my modified .conf file anywhere. Do I need to add the file to conffile? I have read that this is not the best practice. I also read that conf files can be placed in etc/ within the build package, but no where is clear on where in the build package the mean. I also tried adding -f to the cp in my Makefile but that did not seem to have any effect either. Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 18:27
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I ended up solving this problem by using a package called config-package-dev.

config-package-dev link

While I didn't realize it at the time, there was a big flaw in what I was trying to do previously. Updates or changes to the package could have overwritten my custom .conf files on update and the system would have been broken.

config-package-dev solved this issue by making symlinks to my custom .conf files, which insulates the configuration to changes (among other things). In addition it accomplished all the things I was trying to do and made the entire process much cleaner. I ended up throwing away my old solution and making an entirely new package with the debian package building tools.

Thanks everyone.

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