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

6       dpkg-divert - override a package's version of a file
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SYNOPSIS

9       dpkg-divert [option...]  command
10

DESCRIPTION

12       dpkg-divert is the utility used to set up and update the list of
13       diversions.
14
15       File diversions are a way of forcing dpkg(1) not to install a file into
16       its location, but to a diverted location. Diversions can be used
17       through the Debian package scripts to move a file away when it causes a
18       conflict. System administrators can also use it to override some
19       package's configuration file, or whenever some files (which aren't
20       marked as “conffiles”) need to be preserved by dpkg, when installing a
21       newer version of a package which contains those files.
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COMMANDS

24       [--add] file
25           Add a diversion for file.  The file is currently not renamed, see
26           --rename.
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28       --remove file
29           Remove a diversion for file.  The file is currently not renamed,
30           see --rename.
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32       --list [glob-pattern]
33           List all diversions, or ones matching glob-pattern.
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35       --listpackage file
36           Print the name of the package that diverts file (since dpkg
37           1.15.0).  Prints LOCAL if file is locally diverted and nothing if
38           file is not diverted.
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40       --truename file
41           Print the real name for a diverted file.
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OPTIONS

44       --admindir directory
45           Set the administrative directory to directory.  Defaults to
46           «/var/lib/dpkg» if DPKG_ADMINDIR has not been set.
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48       --instdir directory
49           Set the installation directory, which refers to the directory where
50           packages get installed (since dpkg 1.19.2).  Defaults to «/» if
51           DPKG_ROOT has not been set.
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53       --root directory
54           Set the root directory to directory, which sets the installation
55           directory to «directory» and the administrative directory to
56           «directory/var/lib/dpkg» (since dpkg 1.19.2) if DPKG_ROOT has not
57           been set.
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59       --divert divert-to
60           divert-to is the location where the versions of file, as provided
61           by other packages, will be diverted.
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63       --local
64           Specifies that all packages' versions of this file are diverted.
65           This means, that there are no exceptions, and whatever package is
66           installed, the file is diverted. This can be used by an admin to
67           install a locally modified version.
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69       --package package
70           package is the name of a package whose copy of file will not be
71           diverted. i.e. file will be diverted for all packages except
72           package.
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74       --quiet
75           Quiet mode, i.e. no verbose output.
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77       --rename
78           Actually move the file aside (or back). dpkg-divert will abort
79           operation in case the destination file already exists.  This is the
80           common behavior used for diversions of files from the non-Essential
81           package set (see --no-rename for more details).
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83       --no-rename
84           Specifies that the file should not be renamed while adding or
85           removing the diversion into the database (since dpkg 1.19.1).  This
86           is intended for diversions of files from the Essential package set,
87           where the temporary disappearance of the original file is not
88           acceptable, as it can render the system non-functional.  This is
89           the default behavior, but that will change in the dpkg 1.20.x
90           cycle.
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92       --test
93           Test mode, i.e. don't actually perform any changes, just
94           demonstrate.
95
96       -?, --help
97           Show the usage message and exit.
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99       --version
100           Show the version and exit.
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EXIT STATUS

103       0   The requested action was successfully performed.
104
105       2   Fatal or unrecoverable error due to invalid command-line usage, or
106           interactions with the system, such as accesses to the database,
107           memory allocations, etc.
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ENVIRONMENT

110       DPKG_ROOT
111           If set and the --instdir or --root options have not been specified,
112           it will be used as the filesystem root directory (since dpkg
113           1.19.2).
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115       DPKG_ADMINDIR
116           If set and the --admindir or --root options have not been
117           specified, it will be used as the dpkg data directory.
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119       DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_PACKAGE
120           If set and the --local and --package options have not been
121           specified, dpkg-divert will use it as the package name.
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123       DPKG_COLORS
124           Sets the color mode (since dpkg 1.18.5).  The currently accepted
125           values are: auto (default), always and never.
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FILES

128       /var/lib/dpkg/diversions
129           File which contains the current list of diversions of the system.
130           It is located in the dpkg administration directory, along with
131           other files important to dpkg, such as status or available.
132
133           Note: dpkg-divert preserves the old copy of this file, with
134           extension -old, before replacing it with the new one.
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NOTES

137       When adding, default is --local and --divert original.distrib. When
138       removing, --package or --local and --divert must match if specified.
139
140       Directories can't be diverted with dpkg-divert.
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142       Care should be taken when diverting shared libraries, ldconfig(8)
143       creates a symbolic link based on the DT_SONAME field embedded in the
144       library.  Because ldconfig doesn't honour diverts (only dpkg does), the
145       symlink may end up pointing at the diverted library, if a diverted
146       library has the same SONAME as the undiverted one.
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EXAMPLES

149       To divert all copies of a /usr/bin/example to /usr/bin/example.foo,
150       i.e. directs all packages providing /usr/bin/example to install it as
151       /usr/bin/example.foo, performing the rename if required:
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153        dpkg-divert --divert /usr/bin/example.foo --rename /usr/bin/example
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155       To remove that diversion:
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157        dpkg-divert --rename --remove /usr/bin/example
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159       To divert any package trying to install /usr/bin/example to
160       /usr/bin/example.foo, except your own wibble package:
161
162        dpkg-divert --package wibble --divert /usr/bin/example.foo \
163           --rename /usr/bin/example
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165       To remove that diversion:
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167        dpkg-divert --package wibble --rename --remove /usr/bin/example
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SEE ALSO

170       dpkg(1).
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1741.21.9                            2022-07-01                    dpkg-divert(1)
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