NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       dpkg-scanpackages - create Packages files

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

       dpkg-scanpackages binarydir overridefile [pathprefix] > Packages

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       dpkg-scanpackages  sorts  through  a tree of Debian binary packages and
       creates a Packages file, used by dselect(8) to tell the user what packages
 are available for installation.  These Packages files are the same
       as those found on Debian archive sites  and  CD-ROMs.   You  might  use
       dpkg-scanpackages  yourself  if making a directory of local packages to
       install on a cluster of machines.

       binarydir is the name of the binary tree to process (for example,  con-
       trib/binary-i386).  It is best to make this relative to the root of the
       Debian archive, because every Filename field in the new	Packages  file
       will start with this string.

       overridefile  is  the name of a file to read which contains information
       about how the package fits into the distribution; see below.

       pathprefix is an optional  string  to  be  prepended  to  the  Filename
       fields.

THE OVERRIDE FILE    [Toc]    [Back]

       While  most  information  about	a  package can be found in the control
       file, some must be filled in by the distribution czars rather  than  by
       the  maintainer,  because  they	relate to the arrangement of files for
       release rather than the actual  dependencies  and  description  of  the
       package.  This information is found in the override file.

       The  override  file has a simple whitespace-delimited format.  Comments
       are allowed (denoted with a #).

	    package priority section [maintainerinfo]

       package is the name of the package.  Entries in the override  file  for
       packages not found in the binary tree are ignored.

       priority  and  section place the package within the release tree; these
       ought not to be found in the control file.  If the package is found  in
       a subdirectory of binarydir, that will be checked against section.

       maintainerinfo,	if present, can be either the name of a maintainer for
       an unconditional override, or else oldmaintainer  =>  newmaintainer  to
       perform a substitution.

       The  override  files  used  to  make the official Packages lists may be
       found in the indices directory on any Debian mirror.

DIAGNOSTICS    [Toc]    [Back]

       dpkg-scanpackages outputs the usual self-explanatory errors.   It  also
       warns  about  packages  that  are in the wrong subdirectory, are duplicated,
 have a Filename field in their control file,  are  missing  from
       the  override  file, or have maintainer substitutions which do not take
       effect.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

       dpkg(8), dselect(8).



Debian project			  1996-07-08		  DPKG-SCANPACKAGES(8)