Chapter 10 - Files

10.1 Binaries

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.1)

10.2 Libraries

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.2)

10.3 Shared libraries

This section has moved to Shared libraries, Chapter 8.

10.4 Scripts

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.4)

10.6 Device files

(Modifies: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.6)

Packages must not include device files in the package file tree.

If a package needs any special device files that are not included in the base system, it must call MAKEDEV in the postinst script, after notifying the user [1].

Packages must not remove any device files in the postrm or any other script. This is left to the system administrator.

Ubuntu uses the serial devices /dev/ttyS*. Programs using the old /dev/cu* devices should be changed to use /dev/ttyS*.

10.7 Configuration files

Editor’s note: This section is considerably similar to the Debian policy. Review is suggested.

10.7.1 Definitions

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.7.1)

10.7.2 Location

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.7.2)

10.7.3 Behavior

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.7.3)

10.7.4 Sharing configuration files

(Modifies: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.7.4)

Packages which specify the same file as a conffile must be tagged as conflicting with each other. (This is an instance of the general rule about not sharing files. Note that neither alternatives nor diversions are likely to be appropriate in this case; in particular, dpkg does not handle diverted conffiles well.)

The maintainer scripts must not alter a conffile of any package, including the one the scripts belong to.

If two or more packages use the same configuration file and it is reasonable for both to be installed at the same time, one of these packages must be defined as owner of the configuration file, i.e., it will be the package which handles that file as a configuration file. Other packages that use the configuration file must depend on the owning package if they require the configuration file to operate. If the other package will use the configuration file if present, but is capable of operating without it, no dependency need be declared.

If it is desirable for two or more related packages to share a configuration file and for all of the related packages to be able to modify that configuration file, then the following should be done:

One of the related packages (the “owning” package) will manage the configuration file with maintainer scripts as described in the previous section.

The owning package should also provide a program that the other packages may use to modify the configuration file.

The related packages must use the provided program to make any desired modifications to the configuration file. They should either depend on the core package to guarantee that the configuration modifier program is available or accept gracefully that they cannot modify the configuration file if it is not. (This is in addition to the fact that the configuration file may not even be present in the latter scenario.)

Sometimes it’s appropriate to create a new package which provides the basic infrastructure for the other packages and which manages the shared configuration files. (The sgml-base package is a good example.)

10.7.5 User configuration files (“dotfiles”)

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.7.5)

10.8 Log files

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.8)

10.9 Permissions and owners

(Shared with Debian, see: Debian Policy Manual, Section 10.9)

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