[Pkg-exim4-users] minor comment on exim README.Debian

[Marc Haber]

On Sun, Dec 11, 2005 at 02:45:10PM -0500, Faheem Mitha wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Dec 2005, Marc Haber wrote:
> >I have re-worded the sections. What do you think about this:
> >       Benefits of the split configuration approach:
> >       <itemizedlist>
> >         <listitem>
> >           <simpara>
> >             it means less work for you when upgrading. If we shipped
> >             one big file and modified for example the Maildir
> >             transport in a new version you won't have to do manual
> >             conffile merging unless you had changed exactly
> >             <emphasis>this</emphasis> transport.
> >           </simpara>
> >         </listitem>
> >         <listitem>
> >           <simpara>
> >             It allows other packages (e.g. sa-exim) to modify exim's
> >             configuration by dropping files into
> >             <filename>/etc/exim4/conf.d</filename>. This needs, however
> >             quite exact syncing between the exim4 packages and the other,
> >             cooperating package.
> >           </simpara>
> >         </listitem>
> >         <listitem>
> >           <simpara>
> >             It is more fragile. If files from different sources
> >             (package, manually changed, or other package) get out of
> >             sync, it is possible for exim to break until you
> >             manually correct this. This can for example happen if we
> >             decide to add a new option to the Debian setup of a
> >             later version, and you have already set this option in a
> >             local file.
> >           </simpara>
> >         </listitem>
> 
> You've got this 'more fragile' item listed under benefits. Maybe create a 
> separate category here called 'Drawbacks'?

You have a point here. Done.

> Perhaps move the last phrase out of there, "at the price...".
> 
> >           </simpara>
> >         </listitem>
> >       </itemizedlist>
> 
> Drawbacks:
> 
> Will require manual intervention in case of an upgrade.

Also done.

> BTW, you say in the README.Debian
> 
> ************************************************************
> If you chose unsplit configuration, "update-exim4.conf" builds the
> configuration from /etc/exim4/exim4.conf.template, which is basically
> the files from /etc/exim4/conf.d/ concatenated together at package
> build time, and thus guarantees consistency on the target system.
> *************************************************************
> 
> Are the files in /etc/exim4/conf.d really only concatenated at package 
> build time?

conf.d is used at package build time to build
/etc/exim4/exim4.conf.template, which in turn use used at daemon start
time to build /var/lib/exim4/config.autogenerated in case of non-split
configuration. In that case, conf.d on the target system is ignored.

The local admin can use update-exim4.conf.template to manually
re-build /etc/exim4/exim4.conf.template if he desires so.

In case of split configuration, conf.d on the target system is used at
daemon start time to buil /var/lib/exim4/config.autogenerated. In that
case, /etc/exim4/exim4.conf.template is ignored.

> What about if a another packages adds a file to 
> /etc/exim4/conf.d?

In case of non-split configuration, it is ignored until manual
intervention of local admin. In case of split configuration, it is
used at the next daemon reload.

Greetings
Marc

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marc Haber         | "I don't trust Computers. They | Mailadresse im Header
Mannheim, Germany  |  lose things."    Winona Ryder | Fon: *49 621 72739834
Nordisch by Nature |  How to make an American Quilt | Fax: *49 621 72739835