[AuckLUG] debian noob, compiling your own package then dealing with dependencies

[Joel van Velden]

On Sun, 2006-11-12 at 14:19 +1300, Robert wrote:
> Hi Guys,
> 
> I wanted to install Sendmail on Debian but because I needed several 
> custom modifications (sql support etc..) than the normal Debian package 
> provides I decided to remove the debian package and install from source.
> 
> So after building  I did checkinstall -D sh Build install  to create my 
> own Debian package everything good so far.
> 
> However now when I go to install anything that has a requirement on 
> email I'm prompted to install Exim as it is a dependency.
> 
> eg:
>  apt-get install libapache2-mod-php4 mysql-server php4-mysql 
> libapache2-mod-auth-mysql
> Reading Package Lists... Done
> Building Dependency Tree... Done
> The following extra packages will be installed:
>   apache2-common apache2-mpm-prefork apache2-utils exim4 exim4-base 
> exim4-config exim4-daemon-light libapr0 libexpat1 libzzip-0-12 mailx
>   php4-common ssl-cert
> Suggested packages:
>   apache2-doc eximon4 exim4-doc-html exim4-doc-info php4-pear
> The following NEW packages will be installed:
>   apache2-common apache2-mpm-prefork apache2-utils exim4 exim4-base 
> exim4-config exim4-daemon-light libapache2-mod-auth-mysql
>   libapache2-mod-php4 libapr0 libexpat1 libzzip-0-12 mailx mysql-server 
> php4-common php4-mysql ssl-cert
> 0 upgraded, 17 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
> Need to get 3311kB/8384kB of archives.
> After unpacking 20.3MB of additional disk space will be used.
> Do you want to continue? [Y/n] n
> 
> So far the only options I can see is:
> a) roll my own package for any mail related application.
> b) remove the custom package I built for Sendmail ?
> 
> I don't fancy either of those there has to be a better way? I realise 
> Exim is the default MTA and I could probably get it to do everything I 
> need but I would rather not use it as I've used Sendmail for years and 
> know it inside out.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Robert

I'm not a Debian package guru, but i'd guess the problem is because your
custom package doesn't satisfy the dependency on the virtual package
'mail-transport-agent'

List of debian virtual packages :
http://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/virtual-package-names-list.txt

Debian has to have an MTA installed, so it requires
'mail-transport-agent' virtual package to be 'installed'. This virtual
package depends on a list of one of exim, sendmail, courier, etc. See
http://packages.debian.org/testing/virtual/mail-transport-agent

Hopefully this may set you on the right track.
Joel van Velden


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