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Building .deb packages on Ubuntu/Debian
By admin | July 28, 2008
Ever wanted to create your very own .deb packages for Ubuntu and Debian? Well, here’s a guide to tell you how in 10 easy steps!
- Create the directory to hold the package by using:
mkdir package - Change into the package directory:
cd package/ - Make the package file system. For example, any files you put into the usr folder in this folder will go to /usr when installed. You can create them as necessary.
mkdir usr
mkdir usr/bin
mkdir usr/lib
mkdir etc - Copy the application files to the appropriate directories; For example, if you want file FooBar.sh to be installed in /usr/bin, copy FooBar.sh to the usr/bin folder. Below is a demo, assuming no dependencies.
cp /path/to/files/a.sh usr/bin
cp /path/to/files/a.conf etc
cp /path/to/files/liba-4.so usr/lib - (required) Create the Debian control file. There is a specification file here: http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-controlfields.html
touch DEBIAN/control
editor-of-your-choice DEBIAN/control - (optional) Create the postinstall file. This file is exectuted during the installation. Note that this file should be a shell script.
touch DEBIAN/postinstall
editor-of-your-choice DEBIAN/postinstall - (optional) Create the prerm file. This file is executed during the removal of this package. Note that this file should be a shell script.
touch DEBIAN/prerm
editor-of-your-choice DEBIAN/prerm - You’re almost ready to create the package! Change into the parent directory to begin.
cd .. - Now we can finally begin! This may take from 2 seconds to 24 hours, depending on the size of the package and the speed of your computer.
dpkg-deb –build package - You’re done! The package is package.deb. To install it:
dpkg –install package.deb
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Topics: Linux | 3 Comments »
August 25th, 2010 at 17:36
[…] file DEBIAN/control. The syntax is documented in the Ubuntu man pages and there are overviews at this site and in in the forums. With that documentation, all I really had to do was determine the […]
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