[Debconf-devel] Bug#427091: debconf: Please implement cdebconf's X_LOADTEMPLATE command in debconf

[Manoj Srivastava]

Package: debconf
Version: 1.5.13
Severity: wishlist

       If the debconf database has been removed, or corrupted, debconf
 does not automatically install ucf templates, since usually the calling
 pattern is such that ucf is called from the maintainer script of
 another package. If the other package has already invoked debconf, then
 ucf uses the existing front end, which has already loaded the debconf
 database, installing the templates of that calling package. The ucf
 templates are not loaded automatically, since the front-end script has
 no idea that they should be, it just heuristically loads the templates
 of the package whose maintainer scripts are being run. In this
 scenario, ucf cannot load its templates, since the front-end script
 shall override the database when it exits, and there is no way to tell
 the front-end script to now load ucf templates on the fly.  In this
 case, since the DB was corrupt, debconf can not find ucf templates. 

        In case no debconf front-end is running, though, ucf tries hard
 to load its own templates, as long as the package debconf-utils is
 installed; but this means we recommend a lower priority package.

        The only reliable way to reload ucf templates is to call
 "dpkg-reconfigure ucf", which is an ugly solution. If we implement
 cdebconf's X_LOADTEMPLATE command in debconf, then ucf would be able to
 use the debconf protocol to load its templates.

        thanks, 

        manoj

-- System Information:
Debian Release: lenny/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (990, 'unstable'), (500, 'stable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.21.1-skas3-v8.2 (SMP w/2 CPU cores; PREEMPT)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8) (ignored: LC_ALL set to en_US.UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Versions of packages debconf depends on:
ii  debconf-english               1.5.13     small footprint English-only debco
ii  perl-base                     5.8.8-7    The Pathologically Eclectic Rubbis

Versions of packages debconf recommends:
ii  apt-utils                   0.6.46.4-0.1 APT utility programs

-- debconf information:
  debconf-apt-progress/title:
  debconf-apt-progress/info:
* debconf/priority: low
  debconf-apt-progress/media-change:
  debconf-apt-progress/preparing:
* debconf/frontend: Dialog

-- 
Ignore previous fortune.
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta at acm.org> <http://www.golden-gryphon.com/>
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