dpkg-divert

dpkg-divert(1)                    dpkg suite                    dpkg-divert(1)

NAME
       dpkg-divert - override a package's version of a file

SYNOPSIS
       dpkg-divert [option...]  command

DESCRIPTION
       dpkg-divert  is  the  utility  used  to  set  up and update the list of
       diversions.

       File diversions are a way of forcing dpkg(1) not to install a file into
       its  location,  but  to  a  diverted  location.  Diversions can be used
       through the Debian package scripts to move a file away when it causes a
       conflict.  System  administrators  can  also  use  it  to override some
       package's configuration file, or  whenever  some  files  (which  aren't
       marked  as "conffiles") need to be preserved by dpkg, when installing a
       newer version of a package which contains those files.

COMMANDS
       [--add] file
              Add a diversion for file.  The file is  currently  not  renamed,
              see --rename.

       --remove file
              Remove a diversion for file.  The file is currently not renamed,
              see --rename.

       --list glob-pattern
              List diversions matching glob-pattern.

       --listpackage file
              Print the name of the package  that  diverts  file  (since  dpkg
              1.15.0).   Prints  LOCAL if file is locally diverted and nothing
              if file is not diverted.

       --truename file
              Print the real name for a diverted file.

OPTIONS
       --admindir directory
              Set the administrative  directory  to  directory.   Defaults  to
              <</var/lib/dpkg>>.

       --instdir directory
              Set  the  installation  directory, which refers to the directory
              where packages get installed (since dpkg  1.19.2).  Defaults  to
              <</>>.

       --root directory
              Set the root directory to directory, which sets the installation
              directory to <<directory>> and the administrative  directory  to
              <<directory/var/lib/dpkg>> (since dpkg 1.19.2).

       --divert divert-to
              divert-to  is  the  location  where  the  versions  of  file, as
              provided by other packages, will be diverted.

       --local
              Specifies that all packages' versions of this file are diverted.
              This  means,  that there are no exceptions, and whatever package
              is installed, the file is diverted. This can be used by an admin
              to install a locally modified version.

       --package package
              package  is the name of a package whose copy of file will not be
              diverted. i.e. file will be diverted  for  all  packages  except
              package.

       --quiet
              Quiet mode, i.e. no verbose output.

       --rename
              Actually  move  the file aside (or back). dpkg-divert will abort
              operation in case the destination file already exists.  This  is
              the  common  behavior used for diversions of files from the non-
              Essential package set (see --no-rename for more details).

       --no-rename
              Specifies that the file should not be renamed  while  adding  or
              removing  the  diversion  into the database (since dpkg 1.19.1).
              This is intended for diversions  of  files  from  the  Essential
              package  set,  where the temporary disappearance of the original
              file is not  acceptable,  as  it  can  render  the  system  non-
              functional.   This is the default behavior, but that will change
              in the dpkg 1.20.x cycle.

       --test Test  mode,  i.e.  don't  actually  perform  any  changes,  just
              demonstrate.

       -?, --help
              Show the usage message and exit.

       --version
              Show the version and exit.

EXIT STATUS
       0      The requested action was successfully performed.

       2      Fatal  or unrecoverable error due to invalid command-line usage,
              or interactions  with  the  system,  such  as  accesses  to  the
              database, memory allocations, etc.

ENVIRONMENT
       DPKG_ROOT
              If  set  and  the  --instdir  or  --root  options  have not been
              specified, it will be used  as  the  filesystem  root  directory
              (since dpkg 1.19.2).

       DPKG_ADMINDIR
              If  set  and  the  --admindir  or  --root  options have not been
              specified, it will be used as the dpkg data directory.

       DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_PACKAGE
              If set and the --local  and  --package  options  have  not  been
              specified, dpkg-divert will use it as the package name.

       DPKG_COLORS
              Sets the color mode (since dpkg 1.18.5).  The currently accepted
              values are: auto (default), always and never.

FILES
       /var/lib/dpkg/diversions
              File which contains  the  current  list  of  diversions  of  the
              system.  It  is  located  in  the dpkg administration directory,
              along with other files important to  dpkg,  such  as  status  or
              available.
              Note:  dpkg-divert  preserves  the  old  copy of this file, with
              extension -old, before replacing it with the new one.

NOTES
       When adding, default is --local  and  --divert  original.distrib.  When
       removing, --package or --local and --divert must match if specified.

       Directories can't be diverted with dpkg-divert.

       Care  should  be  taken  when  diverting  shared libraries, ldconfig(8)
       creates a symbolic link based on the DT_SONAME field  embedded  in  the
       library.  Because ldconfig doesn't honour diverts (only dpkg does), the
       symlink may end up pointing at the  diverted  library,  if  a  diverted
       library has the same SONAME as the undiverted one.

EXAMPLES
       To  divert  all  copies  of a /usr/bin/example to /usr/bin/example.foo,
       i.e. directs all packages providing /usr/bin/example to install  it  as
       /usr/bin/example.foo, performing the rename if required:

       dpkg-divert --divert /usr/bin/example.foo --rename /usr/bin/example

       To remove that diversion:

       dpkg-divert --rename --remove /usr/bin/example

       To   divert   any   package   trying  to  install  /usr/bin/example  to
       /usr/bin/example.foo, except your own wibble package:

       dpkg-divert --package  wibble  --divert  /usr/bin/example.foo  --rename
              /usr/bin/example

       To remove that diversion:

       dpkg-divert --package wibble --rename --remove /usr/bin/example

SEE ALSO
       dpkg(1).

1.19.7                            2022-05-25                    dpkg-divert(1)