717 lines
37 KiB
HTML
717 lines
37 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
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<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
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<title>The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ - Customizing your installation of Debian GNU/Linux</title>
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<link href="index.en.html" rel="start">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html" rel="prev">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html" rel="next">
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<link href="index.en.html#contents" rel="contents">
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<link href="index.en.html#copyright" rel="copyright">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html" rel="chapter" title="1 Definitions and overview">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html" rel="chapter" title="2 Getting and installing Debian GNU/Linux">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="3 Choosing a Debian distribution">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html" rel="chapter" title="4 Compatibility issues">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html" rel="chapter" title="5 Software available in the Debian system">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html" rel="chapter" title="6 The Debian FTP archives">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html" rel="chapter" title="7 Basics of the Debian package management system">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html" rel="chapter" title="8 The Debian package management tools">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html" rel="chapter" title="9 Keeping your Debian system up-to-date">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html" rel="chapter" title="10 Debian and the kernel">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="11 Customizing your installation of Debian GNU/Linux">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html" rel="chapter" title="12 Getting support for Debian GNU/Linux">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="13 Contributing to the Debian Project">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html" rel="chapter" title="14 Redistributing Debian GNU/Linux in a commercial product">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html" rel="chapter" title="15 Changes expected in the next major release of Debian">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html" rel="chapter" title="16 General information about the FAQ">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisfaq" rel="section" title="1.1 What is this FAQ?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisdebian" rel="section" title="1.2 What is Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-linux" rel="section" title="1.3 OK, now I know what Debian is... what is Linux?!">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-non-linux" rel="section" title="1.4 Does Debian just do GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-difference" rel="section" title="1.5 What is the difference between Debian GNU/Linux and other Linux distributions? Why should I choose Debian over some other distribution?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-gnu" rel="section" title="1.6 How does the Debian project fit in or compare with the Free Software Foundation's GNU project?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-pronunciation" rel="section" title="1.7 How does one pronounce Debian and what does this word mean?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-version" rel="section" title="2.1 What is the latest version of Debian?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-updatestable" rel="section" title="2.2 Are there package upgrades in `stable'?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-boot-floppies" rel="section" title="2.3 Where/how can I get the Debian installation disks?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdrom" rel="section" title="2.4 How do I install the Debian from CD-ROMs?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdimage-symlinks" rel="section" title="2.5 Why does the official stable released CD-ROM contain symlinks for `frozen' and `unstable'? I thought this CD contains just `stable'!">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-remoteinstall" rel="section" title="2.6 Can I get and install Debian directly from a remote Internet site?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-alternativebootinstaller" rel="section" title="2.7 Are there any alternative strategies for booting the system installer?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1" rel="section" title="3.1 Which Debian distribution (stable/testing/unstable) is better for me?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2" rel="section" title="3.2 But what about Knoppix, Linex, Ubuntu, and others?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-arches" rel="section" title="4.1 On what hardware architectures/systems does Debian GNU/Linux run?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherdistribs" rel="section" title="4.2 How compatible is Debian with other distributions of Linux?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherunices" rel="section" title="4.3 How source code compatible is Debian with other Unix systems?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherpackages" rel="section" title="4.4 Can I use Debian packages (".deb" files) on my Red Hat/Slackware/... Linux system? Can I use Red Hat packages (".rpm" files) on my Debian GNU/Linux system?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-non-debian-programs" rel="section" title="4.5 How should I install a non-Debian program?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-termcap" rel="section" title="4.6 Why can't I compile programs that require libtermcap?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-accelx" rel="section" title="4.7 Why can't I install AccelX?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-motifnls" rel="section" title="4.8 Why do my old XFree 2.1 Motif applications crash?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-apps" rel="section" title="5.1 What types of applications and development software are available for Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-softwareauthors" rel="section" title="5.2 Who wrote all that software?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pkglist" rel="section" title="5.3 How can I get a current list of programs that have been packaged for Debian?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-buildenv" rel="section" title="5.4 How can I install a developer's environment to build packages?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-missing" rel="section" title="5.5 What is missing from Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-no-devs" rel="section" title="5.6 Why do I get "ld: cannot find -lfoo" messages when compiling programs? Why aren't there any libfoo.so files in Debian library packages?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-java" rel="section" title="5.7 (How) Does Debian support Java?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-isitdebian" rel="section" title="5.8 How can I check that I am using a Debian system, and what version is it?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonenglish" rel="section" title="5.9 How does Debian support non-English languages?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pine" rel="section" title="5.10 Where is pine?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-qmail" rel="section" title="5.11 Where is qmail/ezmlm/djbdns?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-flash" rel="section" title="5.12 Where is a player for Flash (SWF)?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-googleearth" rel="section" title="5.13 Where is Google Earth?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-voip" rel="section" title="5.14 Where is VoIP software?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonfreewireless" rel="section" title="5.15 I have a wireless network card which doesn't work with Linux. What should I do?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dists" rel="section" title="6.1 How many Debian distributions are there?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-codenames" rel="section" title="6.2 What are all those names like etch, lenny, etc.?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sid" rel="section" title="6.3 What about "sid"?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-stable" rel="section" title="6.4 What does the stable directory contain?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-testing" rel="section" title="6.5 What does the testing distribution contain?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-unstable" rel="section" title="6.6 What does the unstable distribution contain?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dirtree" rel="section" title="6.7 What are all those directories at the Debian FTP archives?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-archsections" rel="section" title="6.8 What are all those directories inside dists/stable/main?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-source" rel="section" title="6.9 Where is the source code?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-pools" rel="section" title="6.10 What's in the pool directory?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-incoming" rel="section" title="6.11 What is "incoming"?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-ownrepository" rel="section" title="6.12 How do I set up my own apt-able repository?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-package" rel="section" title="7.1 What is a Debian package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-deb-format" rel="section" title="7.2 What is the format of a Debian binary package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgname" rel="section" title="7.3 Why are Debian package file names so long?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-controlfile" rel="section" title="7.4 What is a Debian control file?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-conffile" rel="section" title="7.5 What is a Debian conffile?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-maintscripts" rel="section" title="7.6 What is a Debian preinst, postinst, prerm, and postrm script?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-priority" rel="section" title="7.7 What is an Essential, Required, Important, Standard, Optional, or Extra package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-virtual" rel="section" title="7.8 What is a Virtual Package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-depends" rel="section" title="7.9 What is meant by saying that a package Depends, Recommends, Suggests, Conflicts, Replaces, Breaks or Provides another package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pre-depends" rel="section" title="7.10 What is meant by Pre-Depends?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgstatus" rel="section" title="7.11 What is meant by unknown, install, remove, purge and hold in the package status?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-puttingonhold" rel="section" title="7.12 How do I put a package on hold?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcepkgs" rel="section" title="7.13 How do I install a source package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcebuild" rel="section" title="7.14 How do I build binary packages from a source package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-creatingdebs" rel="section" title="7.15 How do I create Debian packages myself?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-pkgprogs" rel="section" title="8.1 What programs does Debian provide for managing its packages?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-updaterunning" rel="section" title="8.2 Debian claims to be able to update a running program; how is this accomplished?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-whatpackages" rel="section" title="8.3 How can I tell what packages are already installed on a Debian system?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-listfiles" rel="section" title="8.4 How to display the files of a package installed?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-filesearch" rel="section" title="8.5 How can I find out what package produced a particular file?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-datapackages" rel="section" title="8.6 Why doesn't get `foo-data' removed when I uninstall `foo'? How do I make sure old unused library-packages get purged?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-howtocurrent" rel="section" title="9.1 How can I keep my Debian system current?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-upgradesingle" rel="section" title="9.2 Must I go into single user mode in order to upgrade a package?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-savedebs" rel="section" title="9.3 Do I have to keep all those .deb archive files on my disk?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-keepingalog" rel="section" title="9.4 How can I keep a log of the packages I added to the system? I'd like to know when which package upgrades and removals have occured!">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-autoupdate" rel="section" title="9.5 Can I automatically update the system?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptproxy" rel="section" title="9.6 I have several machines how can I download the updates only one time?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-non-debian-kernel" rel="section" title="10.1 Can I install and compile a kernel without some Debian-specific tweaking?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-customkernel" rel="section" title="10.2 What tools does Debian provide to build custom kernels?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-custombootdisk" rel="section" title="10.3 How can I make a custom boot floppy?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-modules" rel="section" title="10.4 What special provisions does Debian provide to deal with modules?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-removeoldkernel" rel="section" title="10.5 Can I safely de-install an old kernel package, and if so, how?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-papersize" rel="section" title="11.1 How can I ensure that all programs use the same paper size?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-hardwareaccess" rel="section" title="11.2 How can I provide access to hardware peripherals, without compromising security?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-consolefont" rel="section" title="11.3 How do I load a console font on startup the Debian way?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-appdefaults" rel="section" title="11.4 How can I configure an X11 program's application defaults?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-booting" rel="section" title="11.5 Every distribution seems to have a different boot-up method. Tell me about Debian's.">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-custombootscripts" rel="section" title="11.6 It looks as if Debian does not use rc.local to customize the boot process; what facilities are provided?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-interconffiles" rel="section" title="11.7 How does the package management system deal with packages that contain configuration files for other packages?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-divert" rel="section" title="11.8 How do I override a file installed by a package, so that a different version can be used instead?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-localpackages" rel="section" title="11.9 How can I have my locally-built package included in the list of available packages that the package management system knows about?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-diverse" rel="section" title="11.10 Some users like mawk, others like gawk; some like vim, others like elvis; some like trn, others like tin; how does Debian support diversity?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs" rel="section" title="12.1 What other documentation exists on and for a Debian system?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-onlineresources" rel="section" title="12.2 Are there any on-line resources for discussing Debian?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-searchtools" rel="section" title="12.3 Is there a quick way to search for information on Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-buglogs" rel="section" title="12.4 Are there logs of known bugs?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-bugreport" rel="section" title="12.5 How do I report a bug in Debian?">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contrib" rel="section" title="13.1 How can I become a Debian software developer?">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contribresources" rel="section" title="13.2 How can I contribute resources to the Debian project?">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-supportingorganizations" rel="section" title="13.3 How can I contribute financially to the Debian project?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-sellcds" rel="section" title="14.1 Can I make and sell Debian CDs?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-packagednonfree" rel="section" title="14.2 Can Debian be packaged with non-free software?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-childistro" rel="section" title="14.3 I am making a special Linux distribution for a "vertical market". Can I use Debian GNU/Linux for the guts of a Linux system and add my own applications on top of it?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-commercialdebs" rel="section" title="14.4 Can I put my commercial program in a Debian "package" so that it installs effortlessly on any Debian system?">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-i18n" rel="section" title="15.1 Extended support for non-English users">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-dependencybasedboot" rel="section" title="15.2 Faster booting: Dependency based boot sequence">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-di" rel="section" title="15.3 Improvements in the Debian Installer">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morearches" rel="section" title="15.4 More architectures">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morekernels" rel="section" title="15.5 More kernels">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors" rel="section" title="16.1 Authors">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-feedback" rel="section" title="16.2 Feedback">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-latest" rel="section" title="16.3 Availability">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-docformat" rel="section" title="16.4 Document format">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.1" rel="subsection" title="3.1.1 You asked me to install stable, but in stable so and so hardware is not detected/working. What should I do?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.2" rel="subsection" title="3.1.2 Will there be different versions of packages in different distributions?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.3" rel="subsection" title="3.1.3 The stable distributions really contains outdated packages. Just look at Kde, Gnome, Xorg or even the kernel. They are very old. Why is it so?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.4" rel="subsection" title="3.1.4 If I were to decide to change to another distribution, Can I do that?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.5" rel="subsection" title="3.1.5 Could you tell me whether to install testing or unstable?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.6" rel="subsection" title="3.1.6 You are talking about testing being broken. What do you mean by that?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.7" rel="subsection" title="3.1.7 Why is it that testing could be broken for months? Wont the fixes introduced in unstable flow directly down into testing?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.8" rel="subsection" title="3.1.8 From an administrator's point of view, Which distribution requires more attention?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.9" rel="subsection" title="3.1.9 What happens when a new release is made?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.10" rel="subsection" title="3.1.10 I have a working Desktop/cluster with Debian installed. How do I know which distribution I am running?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.11" rel="subsection" title="3.1.11 I am currently tracking stable. Can I change to testing or unstable? If so, How?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.12" rel="subsection" title="3.1.12 I am currently tracking testing (wheezy). What will happen when a release is made? Will I still be tracking testing or will my machine be running the new stable distribution?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.13" rel="subsection" title="3.1.13 I am still confused. What did you say I should install?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.1" rel="subsection" title="3.2.1 I know that Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... is Debian-based. So after installing it on the hard disk, can I use 'apt' package tools on it?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.2" rel="subsection" title="3.2.2 I installed Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... on my hard disk. Now I have a problem. What should I do?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.3" rel="subsection" title="3.2.3 I'm using Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... and now I want to use Debian. How do I migrate?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-oldcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.1 Which other codenames have been used in the past?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sourceforcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.2 Where do these codenames come from?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-frozen" rel="subsection" title="6.5.1 What about "testing"? How is it `frozen'?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg" rel="subsection" title="8.1.1 dpkg">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-apt-get" rel="subsection" title="8.1.2 APT">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-aptitude" rel="subsection" title="8.1.3 aptitude">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-synaptic" rel="subsection" title="8.1.4 synaptic">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-tasksel" rel="subsection" title="8.1.5 tasksel">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-extra" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6 Other package management tools">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dselect" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.1 dselect">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-deb" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.2 dpkg-deb">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-split" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.3 dpkg-split">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptitude-upgrade" rel="subsection" title="9.1.1 aptitude">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-apt" rel="subsection" title="9.1.2 apt-get, dselect and apt-cdrom">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-update_aptitude" rel="subsection" title="9.1.3 aptitude">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-mirror" rel="subsection" title="9.1.4 mirror">
|
|
<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-dpkg-mountable" rel="subsection" title="9.1.5 dpkg-mountable">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.1" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1 Mailing lists">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-mailinglistconduct" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1.1 What is the code of conduct for the mailing lists?">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.2" rel="subsection" title="12.2.2 Web forums">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.3" rel="subsection" title="12.2.3 Wiki">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.4" rel="subsection" title="12.2.4 Maintainers">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.5" rel="subsection" title="12.2.5 Usenet newsgroups">
|
|
<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-SPI" rel="subsection" title="13.3.1 Software in the Public Interest">
|
|
<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-FSF" rel="subsection" title="13.3.2 Free Software Foundation">
|
|
|
|
</head>
|
|
|
|
<body>
|
|
|
|
<p><a name="ch-customizing"></a></p>
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">previous</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">4</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">7</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">9</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ]
|
|
[ 11 ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">next</a> ]
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h1>
|
|
The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ
|
|
<br>Chapter 11 - Customizing your installation of Debian GNU/Linux
|
|
</h1>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-papersize"></a>11.1 How can I ensure that all programs use the same paper size?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Install the <code>libpaper1</code> package, and it will ask you for a
|
|
system-wide default paper size. This setting will be kept in the file
|
|
<samp>/etc/papersize</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Users can override the paper size setting using the <samp>PAPERSIZE</samp>
|
|
environment variable. For details, see the manual page
|
|
<code>papersize(5)</code>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-hardwareaccess"></a>11.2 How can I provide access to hardware peripherals, without compromising security?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Many device files in the <samp>/dev</samp> directory belong to some predefined
|
|
groups. For example, <samp>/dev/fd0</samp> belongs to the <samp>floppy</samp>
|
|
group, and <samp>/dev/dsp</samp> belongs to the <samp>audio</samp> group.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If you want a certain user to have access to one of these devices, just add the
|
|
user to the group the device belongs to, i.e. do:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
adduser user group
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This way you won't have to change the file permissions on the device.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If you do this from within a user's shell or a GUI environment you have to
|
|
logout and login again to become an effective member of that group. To check
|
|
which groups you belong to run <samp>groups</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Notice that, since the introduction of <samp>udev</samp> if you change the
|
|
permissions of a hardware peripheral they might be be adjusted for some devices
|
|
when the system starts, if this happens to the hardware peripherals you are
|
|
instered in you will have to adjust the rules at <samp>/etc/udev</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-consolefont"></a>11.3 How do I load a console font on startup the Debian way?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The <code>kbd</code> and <code>console-tools</code> packages support this, edit
|
|
<samp>/etc/kbd/config</samp> or <samp>/etc/console-tools/config</samp> files.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-appdefaults"></a>11.4 How can I configure an X11 program's application defaults?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Debian's X programs will install their application resource data in the
|
|
<samp>/etc/X11/app-defaults/</samp> directory. If you want to customize X
|
|
applications globally, put your customizations in those files. They are marked
|
|
as configuration files, so their contents will be preserved during upgrades.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-booting"></a>11.5 Every distribution seems to have a different boot-up method. Tell me about Debian's.</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Like all Unices, Debian boots up by executing the program <samp>init</samp>.
|
|
The configuration file for <samp>init</samp> (which is
|
|
<samp>/etc/inittab</samp>) specifies that the first script to be executed
|
|
should be <samp>/etc/init.d/rcS</samp>. This script runs all of the scripts in
|
|
<samp>/etc/rcS.d/</samp> by sourcing or forking subprocess depending on their
|
|
file extension to perform initialization such as to check and to mount file
|
|
systems, to load modules, to start the network services, to set the clock, and
|
|
to perform other initialization. Then, for compatibility, it runs the files
|
|
(except those with a `.'in the filename) in <samp>/etc/rc.boot/</samp> too.
|
|
Any scripts in the latter directory are usually reserved for system
|
|
administrator use, and using them in packages is deprecated.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
After completing the boot process, <samp>init</samp> executes all start scripts
|
|
in a directory specified by the default runlevel (this runlevel is given by the
|
|
entry for <samp>id</samp> in <samp>/etc/inittab</samp>). Like most System V
|
|
compatible Unices, Linux has 7 runlevels:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
0 (halt the system),
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
1 (single-user mode),
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
2 through 5 (various multi-user modes), and
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
6 (reboot the system).
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Debian systems come with id=2, which indicates that the default runlevel will
|
|
be '2' when the multi-user state is entered, and the scripts in
|
|
<samp>/etc/rc2.d/</samp> will be run.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
In fact, the scripts in any of the directories, <samp>/etc/rcN.d/</samp> are
|
|
just symbolic links back to scripts in <samp>/etc/init.d/</samp>. However, the
|
|
<em>names</em> of the files in each of the <samp>/etc/rcN.d/</samp> directories
|
|
are selected to indicate the <em>way</em> the scripts in
|
|
<samp>/etc/init.d/</samp> will be run. Specifically, before entering any
|
|
runlevel, all the scripts beginning with 'K' are run; these scripts kill
|
|
services. Then all the scripts beginning with 'S' are run; these scripts start
|
|
services. The two-digit number following the 'K' or 'S' indicates the order in
|
|
which the script is run. Lower numbered scripts are executed first.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This approach works because the scripts in <samp>/etc/init.d/</samp> all take
|
|
an argument which can be either `start', `stop', `reload', `restart' or
|
|
`force-reload' and will then do the task indicated by the argument. These
|
|
scripts can be used even after a system has been booted, to control various
|
|
processes.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
For example, with the argument `reload' the command
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
/etc/init.d/sendmail reload
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
sends the sendmail daemon a signal to reread its configuration file. (BTW,
|
|
Debian supplies <code>invoke-rc.d</code> as a wrapper for invoking the scripts
|
|
in <samp>/etc/init.d/</samp>.)
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-custombootscripts"></a>11.6 It looks as if Debian does not use <samp>rc.local</samp> to customize the boot process; what facilities are provided?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Suppose a system needs to execute script <samp>foo</samp> on start-up, or on
|
|
entry to a particular (System V) runlevel. Then the system administrator
|
|
should:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Enter the script <samp>foo</samp> into the directory <samp>/etc/init.d/</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Run the Debian command <samp>update-rc.d</samp> with appropriate arguments, to
|
|
specify which runlevels should start the service, and which runlevels should
|
|
stop the service.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Consider rebooting the system to check that the service starts correctly
|
|
(assuming that you've asked for it to be started in the default runlevel).
|
|
Otherwise, manually start it by running `<samp>/etc/init.d/foo start</samp>'.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
One might, for example, cause the script <samp>foo</samp> to execute at
|
|
boot-up, by putting it in <samp>/etc/init.d/</samp> and running
|
|
<samp>update-rc.d foo defaults 19</samp>. The argument `<samp>defaults</samp>'
|
|
refers to the default runlevels, which means (at least in absence of any LSB
|
|
comment block to the contrary) to start the service in runlevels 2 through 5,
|
|
and to stop the service in runlevels 0, 1 and 6. (Any LSB Default-Start and
|
|
Default-Stop directives in <samp>foo</samp> take precedence when using the
|
|
sysv-rc version of update-rc.d, but are ignored by the current (v0.8.10)
|
|
file-rc version of update-rc.d.) The argument `<samp>19</samp>' ensures that
|
|
<samp>foo</samp> is called after all scripts whose number is less than 19 have
|
|
completed, and before all scripts whose number is 20 or greater.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-interconffiles"></a>11.7 How does the package management system deal with packages that contain configuration files for other packages?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Some users wish to create, for example, a new server by installing a group of
|
|
Debian packages and a locally generated package consisting of configuration
|
|
files. This is not generally a good idea, because <code>dpkg</code> will not
|
|
know about those configuration files if they are in a different package, and
|
|
may write conflicting configurations when one of the initial "group"
|
|
of packages is upgraded.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Instead, create a local package that modifies the configuration files of the
|
|
"group" of Debian packages of interest. Then <code>dpkg</code> and
|
|
the rest of the package management system will see that the files have been
|
|
modified by the local "sysadmin" and will not try to overwrite them
|
|
when those packages are upgraded.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-divert"></a>11.8 How do I override a file installed by a package, so that a different version can be used instead?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Suppose a sysadmin or local user wishes to use a program
|
|
"login-local" rather than the program "login" provided by
|
|
the Debian <code>login</code> package.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Do <strong>not</strong>:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Overwrite <samp>/bin/login</samp> with <samp>login-local</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The package management system will not know about this change, and will simply
|
|
overwrite your custom <samp>/bin/login</samp> whenever <samp>login</samp> (or
|
|
any package that provides <samp>/bin/login</samp>) is installed or updated.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Rather, do
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Execute:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg-divert --divert /bin/login.debian /bin/login
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
in order to cause all future installations of the Debian <code>login</code>
|
|
package to write the file <samp>/bin/login</samp> to
|
|
<samp>/bin/login.debian</samp> instead.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Then execute:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
cp login-local /bin/login
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
to move your own locally-built program into place.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Run <samp>dpkg-divert --list</samp> to see which diversions are currently
|
|
active on your system.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Details are given in the manual page <code>dpkg-divert(8)</code>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-localpackages"></a>11.9 How can I have my locally-built package included in the list of available packages that the package management system knows about?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Execute the command:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg-scanpackages BIN_DIR OVERRIDE_FILE [PATHPREFIX] > my_Packages
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
where:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
BIN-DIR is a directory where Debian archive files (which usually have an
|
|
extension of ".deb") are stored.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
OVERRIDE_FILE is a file that is edited by the distribution maintainers and is
|
|
usually stored on a Debian FTP archive at <samp>indices/override.main.gz</samp>
|
|
for the Debian packages in the "main" distribution. You can ignore
|
|
this for local packages.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
PATHPREFIX is an <em>optional</em> string that can be prepended to the
|
|
<samp>my_Packages</samp> file being produced.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Once you have built the file <samp>my_Packages</samp>, tell the package
|
|
management system about it by using the command:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg --merge-avail my_Packages
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If you are using APT, you can add the local repository to your
|
|
<code>sources.list(5)</code> file, too.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-diverse"></a>11.10 Some users like mawk, others like gawk; some like vim, others like elvis; some like trn, others like tin; how does Debian support diversity?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
There are several cases where two packages provide two different versions of a
|
|
program, both of which provide the same core functionality. Users might prefer
|
|
one over another out of habit, or because the user interface of one package is
|
|
somehow more pleasing than the interface of another. Other users on the same
|
|
system might make a different choice.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Debian uses a "virtual" package system to allow system administrators
|
|
to choose (or let users choose) their favorite tools when there are two or more
|
|
that provide the same basic functionality, yet satisfy package dependency
|
|
requirements without specifying a particular package.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
For example, there might exist two different versions of newsreaders on a
|
|
system. The news server package might 'recommend' that there exist
|
|
<em>some</em> news reader on the system, but the choice of <samp>tin</samp> or
|
|
<samp>trn</samp> is left up to the individual user. This is satisfied by
|
|
having both the <code>tin</code> and <code>trn</code> packages provide the
|
|
virtual package <code>news-reader</code>. <em>Which</em> program is invoked is
|
|
determined by a link pointing from a file with the virtual package name
|
|
<samp>/etc/alternatives/news-reader</samp> to the selected file, e.g.,
|
|
<samp>/usr/bin/trn</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
A single link is insufficient to support full use of an alternate program;
|
|
normally, manual pages, and possibly other supporting files must be selected as
|
|
well. The Perl script <samp>update-alternatives</samp> provides a way of
|
|
ensuring that all the files associated with a specified package are selected as
|
|
a system default.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
For example, to check what executables provide `x-window-manager', run:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
update-alternatives --display x-window-manager
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If you want to change it, run:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
update-alternatives --config x-window-manager
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
And follow the instructions on the screen (basically, press the number next to
|
|
the entry you'd like better).
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If a package doesn't register itself as a window manager for some reason (file
|
|
a bug if it's in error), or if you use a window manager from /usr/local
|
|
directory, the selections on screen won't contain your preferred entry. You
|
|
can update the link through command line options, like this:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-window-manager \
|
|
x-window-manager /usr/local/bin/wmaker-cvs 50
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
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The first argument to `--install' option is the symlink that points to
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/etc/alternatives/NAME, where NAME is the second argument. The third argument
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is the program to which /etc/alternatives/NAME should point to, and the fourth
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|
argument is the priority (larger value means the alternative will more probably
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get picked automatically).
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</p>
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|
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|
<p>
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|
To remove an alternative you added, simply run:
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|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
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|
update-alternatives --remove x-window-manager /usr/local/bin/wmaker-cvs
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</pre>
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|
|
|
<hr>
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|
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<p>
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|
[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">previous</a> ]
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[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">4</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">7</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">9</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ]
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[ 11 ]
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[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ]
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|
[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">next</a> ]
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</p>
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<hr>
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|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<address>
|
|
version 5.0, 27 August 2011<br>
|
|
<br>
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|
Authors are listed at <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">Debian FAQ Authors</a><br>
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|
<br>
|
|
</address>
|
|
<hr>
|
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</body>
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</html>
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