Your message dated Thu, 16 Feb 2023 21:48:21 +0000
with message-id <c7a4268fbcf3662b0b2ce75f376d035d646adb41.ca...@debian.org>
and subject line Re: Bug#704089: tzdata config script prevents non-interactive
(re)configuration
has caused the Debian Bug report #704089,
regarding tzdata config script prevents non-interactive (re)configuration
to be marked as done.
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If this is not the case it is now your responsibility to reopen the
Bug report if necessary, and/or fix the problem forthwith.
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--
704089: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=704089
Debian Bug Tracking System
Contact ow...@bugs.debian.org with problems
--- Begin Message ---
Package: tzdata
Version: 2012j-1
The configuration script of the tzdata package, wich uses debconf, prevents
non-interactive (re)configuration of the package.
To reproduce:
- feed debconf with new values for tzdata keys (ex. debconf-set-selections)
- run 'dpkg-reconfigure -fnoninteractive tzdata'
- configuration is unchanged
I propose the following change which makes non-interactive reconfiguration
possible:
--- /var/lib/dpkg/info/tzdata.config.orig 2013-03-27 18:58:53.000000000
+0100
+++ /var/lib/dpkg/info/tzdata.config 2013-03-27 18:35:53.000000000 +0100
@@ -370,8 +370,10 @@
# Initializes debconf default values from the ones found in
# configuration files
-db_set tzdata/Areas "$AREA"
-db_set tzdata/Zones/$AREA "$ZONE"
+if [ -z "$DEBCONF_RECONFIGURE" ]; then
+ db_set tzdata/Areas "$AREA"
+ db_set tzdata/Zones/$AREA "$ZONE"
+fi
STATE=1
while [ "$STATE" -ge 0 ]; do
Note: the comment could make us believe that keys are initialized with the
current values of the debconf database, but it is not the case. These values
are computed from /etc/timezone.
Thanks,
--
Sebastien Bocahu
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
On Wed, 16 Jan 2019 11:43:57 +0100 Aurelien Jarno <aurel...@aurel32.net> wrote:
> I don't think the patch is correct. Debconf is not a registry, the
> canonical location for the configuration is the configuration files, not
> the debconf database. Quoting debconf-devel(7):
>
> "The issue to watch out for here is that debconf is not intended to be,
> and must not be used as a registry."
>
> I think it also applies when DEBCONF_RECONFIGURE is set.
On Mon, 25 Feb 2019 00:35:51 +0100 Aurelien Jarno <aurel...@aurel32.net> wrote:
> Let's look at another example, the locales package prefers debconf to the
> file configuration, just like to ask for tzdata. People consider that as
> a bug, see for example bug #793368.
>
> It doesn't seem to be possible to support both reconfiguration from
> preseed and from a config file at the same time. It seems some people
> expect one to work the other expect the other. I therefore prefer to not
> change the current behavior and keep the status quo. Also the current
> behavior implemented in tzdata seems to more or less match the "debconf
> ... must not be used as a registry".
I agree with what Aurelien wrote. I am closing this bug, because there
are ways to non-interactively reconfigure tzdata.
Following ways can be used to (re)configure tzdata:
1. If tzdata is not installed yet, feed debconf with values for tzdata
keys and install tzdata afterwards. Example:
```
printf "tzdata tzdata/Areas select Europe\ntzdata tzdata/Zones/Europe select
Berlin\n" | debconf-set-selections
DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install tzdata
```
2. Feed debconf with values for tzdata keys. Remove /etc/localtime and
/etc/timezone and reconfigure tzdata to generate these files again.
Example:
```
printf "tzdata tzdata/Areas select Europe\ntzdata tzdata/Zones/Europe select
Berlin\n" | debconf-set-selections
rm -f /etc/localtime /etc/timezone
dpkg-reconfigure -fnoninteractive tzdata
```
This has a time window where no localtime is configured.
3. Replace /etc/localtime with a symlink to your preferred timezone and
then reconfigure tzdata to update /etc/timezone. Example:
```
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Berlin /etc/localtime
dpkg-reconfigure -fnoninteractive tzdata
```
Note: tzdata in Debian 13 "Trixie" will remove /etc/timezone. Then non-
interactively configuring tzdata will be reduced to just replacing the
/etc/localtime symlink. Calling dpkg-reconfigure will not be needed any
more then. Example:
```
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Berlin /etc/localtime
```
--
Benjamin Drung
Debian & Ubuntu Developer
--- End Message ---
