Some quick clarifications.

Osamu Aoki wrote:

>     I think you can do it in combination with dpkg-divert

Directories can't be diverted with dpkg-divert, probably because it is
not immediately obvious what the right semantics would be when
unpacking files within those directories (Bug#30126).

> I see.  It is interesting point.  bind mount is simpler and thus better
> solution.  ("can be done" is not always the best thing to do.  KISS is
> the golden rule.)
>
> 9.3.10. Expansion of usable storage space by mounting another partition
>  --> add "bind mount" reference

I will try to come up with wording within the next week or so, though
no promises (feel free to ping me if I seem to have forgotten, and I
wouldn't be offended if someone else does it instead).

> 9.3.11. Expansion of usable storage space using symlink
> --> add warning to /opt etc.  (It works until base-files are updated.)

It doesn't get stomped on by dpkg in that case, for two reasons:

 - dpkg does not distinguish between directories and symlinks to
   directories;

 - base-files does not include /opt in its files list, anyway.

There is unfortunately a more subtle case where dpkg does remove the
symlink.  Today, if I run

        dpkg -S /opt

I will find that no currently installed package ships any files under
/opt.  If I install such a package (like the Acrobat Reader plugin,
iirc), though, then dpkg will consider the /opt directory or symlink
to be owned by that package.  Later, when the last such package is
removed, if /opt is an empty directory or a symlink then it is removed
(and not replaced by a directory; just missing).

Caveat: I haven't tested the above but am just summarizing what is
said in Bug#182747.

> In general, random tweaking system provided files works until it get
> updated.  

That's true, with a limited exceptions of replacing directories by
symlinks.  A good approach might be to explain that exception along
with limitations (Bug#182747, Bug#626338).

> Similar case is changing permission of system file.  You need
> dpkg-statoverride to do it.

Yes.

Regards,
Jonathan



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