DEB: multi-package, ignore installation of some files during packages building

Question

I've overridden dh_auto_install: target in debian/rule file. Now, all my built components installed in debian/tmp.

I prepared package.install for every package of my set but I have this issue:

Package A should contains scripts with two files.

Package B should contains scripts dir too but without two files that will be in package A.

Of cause it's possible to set files in scripts dir in debian/B.install file. But scripts dir contains huge count of files and put every of it will take a more time.

Is it possible to exclude some particular files in package.install file?

Answer 1

Is it possible to exclude some particular files in package.install file?

Not directly, but there are at least three ways of achieving what you’re after. (Since you mention overriding dh_install, I’m guessing you’re using short-dh style rules.)

1. dh_install copies files from debian/tmp to their target. Its predecessor, dh_movefiles, moves them; it’s deprecated but can still be used in this kind of situation. The way to do this is to list package A before package B in debian/control (so it’s processed first, assuming both have the same architecture), rename A.install to A.files, and override dh_install so that it runs dh_movefiles first:

   override_dh_install:
           dh_movefiles
           dh_install
   

   This will move the files for A out of debian/tmp, so your B.install file can then list scripts and B will have all the files that are left in scripts.

   The dh sequences skip dh_movefiles so there’s nothing special to do to avoid its running twice.

2. debhelper configuration files can be executable, so you could replace B.install with a script which lists scripts’ contents and filters out anything that’s in A.install.

3. Another approach would be to add a step after dh_install which removes anything in A from B; something like

   override_dh_install:
           dh_install
           cd debian/A/scripts; find . -type f -exec rm -f ../B/scripts/{} \;
   

   (untested).