Package: dpkg
Version: 1.13.25
Severity: wishlist
Tags: patch
Hi,
it would be cool if dpkg could use an external program to
merge a new and an old configuration file on package update.
The current situation is a bit suboptimal since you loose
your old changes when installing the new version of a
configuration file (ok there is a backup) and if you keep
your old installation you can miss new configuration
parameters and stuff.

I created a patch to introduce a variable for dpkg
(merge-tools e.g. merge-tools /usr/bin/vimdiff) to enable
this feature.
You can find the patch on: http://nion.modprobe.de/dpkg_allowmerge.patch

This would also close 120152 and 32877 since you can just
specify these programs.
Kind regards
Nico

retitle 413436 [CONFFILE] Cleverer conffile merge
merge 32877 413436
thanks

Hi,

Please in the future attach patches in your bug reports. Also by
skimming over the patch I see this is wrong:

@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ enum conffopt {
   cfof_prompt        =     001,
   cfof_keep          =     002,
   cfof_install       =     004,
+  cfof_merge         =     006,
   cfof_backup        =   00100,
   cfof_newconff      =   00200,
   cfof_isnew         =   00400,

this should be a uniq octal value to be ORed, and this one is a
combination of 002 and 004.

Why did you open a new bug report, knowing that there's already 8
other merged ones, with patches.

regards,
guillem

Hi,
first I didn't get a copy of your mail, I don't know why.

Seems to be a good idea if I look at bugs living > 8 years in the BTS ;)

Thanks, changed. Patch attached.

Cause people tend to forget things sometimes.
Kind regards
Nico

Hi,
you came to any decision wether you include this patch or
not?
I really don't want to see this patch resting here for the
next 8 years.
Kind regards
Nico

Yes, this have been on my TODO list for months, and it's going to be
fixed for lenny. But not with your patch, there are better ones on the
BTS already (as I already stated before).

regards,
guillem

Hi,
* Guillem Jover <guillem@debian.org> [2007-03-28 17:53]:

You didn't state that there is a patch which is better. Why
are the other patches better? Improvements are always
welcome.
Oh and thought about being a bit friendlier to people who'd
like to help you? ;)
Kind regards
Nico

Nico,

There's not only one, in fact there's several in the BTS.

Ok, I agree I was a bit harsh, sorry, but, you are not really helping
here, you filed a bug report for something that has been filed already
8 times in the BTS, those contain several patches and discussions on
possible implementation, which I pointed out previously, you seem to
not have had a look at them. By just skimming over the patch you sent I
found at least one grave error on it. And after 3 weeks you send a prod
about the status of this. We are in deep freeze, granted that development
keeps going in svn and there's a planned upload to experimental, and a
roadmap which I posted on the list. And then also you ask us to explain
what's wrong with your patch or a comparison with the others.

dpkg has around 500 bugs filed, the time to deal with this kind of
"help" is time that we cannot dedicate to actually fixing it. And I'm
aware we are all humans and do mistakes...

thanks,
guillem

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