[[debconf]]
=== debconf

The *debconf* package enables us to configure packages during their installation in 2 main ways:

* non-interactively from the *debian-installer* pre-seeding.
* interactively from the menu interface (*dialog*, *gnome*, *kde*, ...)
** the package installation: invoked by the *dpkg* command
** the installed package: invoked by the *dpkg-reconfigure* command

All user interactions for the package installation must be handled by this *debconf* system using the following files.

* *debian/*'binarypackage'*.cofig*
** This is the *debconf* *config* script used for asking any questions necessary to configure the package.
* *debian/*'binarypackage'*.template*
** This is the *debconf* *templates* file used for asking any questions necessary to configure the package.
* package configuration scripts
** *debian/*'binarypackage'*.preinst*
** *debian/*'binarypackage'*.prerm*
** *debian/*'binarypackage'*.postinst*
** *debian/*'binarypackage'*.postrm*

See *dh_installdebconf*(1), *debconf*(7), *debconf-devel*(7) and http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-binary.html#s-maintscriptprompt[3.9.1 Prompting in maintainer scripts] of the ``Debian Policy Manual''.

