Hi,

Given a file name (e.g. "/etc/dhclient.conf") and a distribution name
(e.g. "etch"), I would like to programmatically retrieve the file's
latest version for that distribution.

If the local machine is running the distribution in question, the start
is probably relatively simple. I can find out which package the file
belongs to (e.g. "dhcp-client") using dpkg -S. I could then download the
file with apt-get -d install (But there probably is a more suitable
utility, as I would like to download it to a temporary directory.) And
finally, I can extract the file I need by using dpkg-deb --fsys-tarfile.

But what if the the local machine is running a different distribution
(e.g. "lenny")? And how do I make sure I get the "latest" version
distributed, including security updates?

Hoping for your help,
Malte





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On Sunday 24 January 2010 09:45:08 Malte Forkel wrote:
> Given a file name (e.g. "/etc/dhclient.conf") and a distribution name
> (e.g. "etch"), I would like to programmatically retrieve the file's
> latest version for that distribution.

Not possible in general because of the alternatives system and diversions.
Plus, there's also the Replaces dependency in dpkg/apt. A single file may be
provided by multiple packages within even a single release. In addition a
file may be present on your system, and "installed" by a package, but not be
listed in either the contents of conffiles of the package.

That said, getting 90% there is probably better than nothing and normally good
enough.

> dpkg -S

You might use apt-file instead. It uses the Contents file in the repositories
to search for files you don't have installed. I'm not sure, but I think you
can point it at an alternative source.list file -- for example for release you
are not yet running.

> including security updates?

security.debian.org doesn't build/host Contents files, so apt-file won't
return any hits for those packages, but they should have the same content as
their version in the matching non-security repository.
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