Package: dpkg-dev Version: 1.10.25 Severity: wishlist Hello,
It would be nice if dpkg-deb could produce .deb archives where all files are owned by root:root, ignoring the ownership attributes from the filesystem. This seems easy to implement - maybe using "GNUtar --owner...", or rewriting the headers in the output of tar. I'd suggest to introduce an option for this, so that in debian/rules one could call dpkg-deb with this option and not use dh_testroot (thus allowing non-fakeroot builds). Moreover, I think this could become the default in the future. Let me explain why. I claim that *any* package with non-standard file owners in the .deb is buggy. (Non-standard == not in base-passwd.) Proof: Policy says that in this case "you must arrange for your package to create the user or group if necessary using adduser in the preinst or postinst script". Well, if it's in postinst, then the ownership within the .deb does not work - the user does not exist when the package is unpacked. With adduser in preinst, the installation may work. However, how does one *build* the package? If it's not installed yet, the username is not in /etc/passwd, and the build breaks. So the package ends up build-depending on itself. QED. Background: I am a user who wants custom builds of some packages. My problem is that it's hard to split the last stage of build into "make local-install" and "make deb-archive". (The changes are often needed just between these steps.) Thank you for consideration, Sergei -- System Information: Debian Release: 3.1 APT prefers testing APT policy: (500, 'testing') Architecture: i386 (i686) Kernel: Linux 2.4.25 Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=ru_RU.KOI8-R (charmap=KOI8-R) Versions of packages dpkg-dev depends on: ii binutils 2.15-5 The GNU assembler, linker and bina ii cpio 2.5-1.1 GNU cpio -- a program to manage ar ii make 3.80-9 The GNU version of the "make" util ii patch 2.5.9-2 Apply a diff file to an original ii perl [perl5] 5.8.4-5 Larry Wall's Practical Extraction ii perl-modules 5.8.4-5 Core Perl modules -- no debconf information -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]