Re: Review request: debconf templates for mrtg

Hi Justin,

On Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:43:46 +0100
Justin B Rye <[email protected]> wrote:

> Eriberto wrote:
> > Due #1041332, I needed to change a template. Could you check it for
> > me? I will write it below.
> > 
> > Template: mrtg/move_config_file
> > Type: note
> > _Description: /etc/mrtg.cfg should be moved to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg
> > Older versions of MRTG on Debian had the configuration file /etc/mrtg.cfg.
> > This file should now be located in the directory /etc/mrtg/. The Debian
> > Policy doesn't allow the installation system to change the place of the
> > configuration files already present in the system (see Policy 10.7.3).
> > Please, consider to make the needed adjustments in your system manually.
> 
> 10.7.3 doesn't say you can't *move* a conffile; it says you can't
> blindly overwrite it, discarding user changes.  If mrtg moved its
> existing configuration file to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg like it says it's
> going to, that would be okay; the problem is that dpkg makes that
> tricky to implement.  See Policy 5.3, and dpkg-maintscript-helper(1)
> on the "dpkg-maintscript-helper mv_conffile" function:


You are right. Thanks for this approach.
> 
> # If a conffile is moved from one location to another, you need to
> # make sure you move across any changes the user has made. This may
> # seem a simple change to the preinst script at first, however that
> # will result in the user being prompted by dpkg to approve the
> # conffile edits even though they are not responsible of them.
> 
> (I think dh_installdeb can automate putting dpkg-maintscript-helper
> snippets into maintscripts, but I'm not sure how that works.)


You are right again. However, this is a big effort for a minimum of
machines (or none for now) in this situation. I decided just to show
a message for the users.


> Just for the exercise, I'll review the text anyway.
> 
>   Template: mrtg/move_config_file
>   Type: note
>         ^^^^
> If the new mrtg will ignore /etc/mrtg.cfg, this should probably be
> "Type: warning".


I understand your suggestion, but "warning" is not acceptable for "Type"
in debconf[1].

[1] https://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/debconf_specification.html#id-1.4.4.3.1


>   _Description: /etc/mrtg.cfg should be moved to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg
>   Older versions of MRTG on Debian had the configuration file /etc/mrtg.cfg.
>   This file should now be located in the directory /etc/mrtg/. The Debian
>                                                                ^^^
> Just "Debian Policy", no "The".
> 
>   Policy doesn't allow the installation system to change the place of the
> 
> This isn't true.  Meanwhile, we try to avoid letting debconf talk
> about debconf, and it can be confusing to mention installation in a
> prompt that might be shown during a routine upgrade.
> 
>   configuration files already present in the system (see Policy 10.7.3).
>   Please, consider to make the needed adjustments in your system manually.


I will use "installer". I think is important to say this word.

 
> This seems an unnecessarily gentle suggestion, and it doesn't need to
> mention "in your system" - just say
> 
>   Please make the required adjustments manually.

My new approach is now:

Template: mrtg/move_config_file
Type: note
_Description: /etc/mrtg.cfg should be moved to /etc/mrtg/mrtg.cfg
 Older versions of MRTG on Debian had the configuration file /etc/mrtg.cfg.
 This file should now be located in the directory /etc/mrtg/.
 .
 Debian Policy doesn't allow the installer to move a file from a place to
 another, discarding any user changes (see Policy 10.7.3). Please, make the
 required adjustments manually.


What you think?

Thanks for you work helping non-native English speaker to make better texts.

Regards,

Eriberto