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Appendix B

Binary packages (from old Packaging

Manual)

The binary package has two main sections. The first part consists of various control infor 

mation files and scripts used by

dpkg

when installing and removing. See `Package control

information files' on the following page.

The second part is an archive containing the files and directories to be installed.

In the future binary packages may also contain other components, such as checksums and

digital signatures. The format for the archive is described in full in the

deb(5)

man page.

B.1 Creating package files  

dpkg deb

All manipulation of binary package files is done by

dpkg deb

; it's the only program that has

knowledge of the format. (

dpkg deb

may be invoked by calling

dpkg

, as

dpkg

will spot that

the options requested are appropriate to

dpkg deb

and invoke that instead with the same

arguments.)

In order to create a binary package you must make a directory tree which contains all the files

and directories you want to have in the file system data part of the package. In Debian format

source packages this directory is usually

debian/tmp

, relative to the top of the package's

source tree.

They should have the locations (relative to the root of the directory tree you're constructing)

ownerships and permissions which you want them to have on the system when they are in 

stalled.

With current versions of

dpkg

the uid/username and gid/groupname mappings for the users

and groups being used should be the same on the system where the package is built and the

one where it is installed.

You need to add one special directory to the root of the miniature file system tree you're creat 

ing:

DEBIAN

. It should contain the control information files, notably the binary package control