NAME

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

SYNOPSIS

       dpkg-divert [option...]  command

DESCRIPTION

       dpkg-divert is the utility used to set up and update the list of diversions.

       File diversions are a way of forcing dpkg(1) not to install a file into its location, but to a diverted
       location. Diversions can be used through the Debian package scripts to move a file away when it causes a
       conflict. System administrators can also use it to override some package's configuration file, or
       whenever some files (which aren't marked as “conffiles”) need to be preserved by dpkg, when installing a
       newer version of a package which contains those files.

COMMANDS

       [--add] file
           Add a diversion for file.  The file is currently not renamed, see --rename.

       --remove file
           Remove a diversion for file.  The file is currently not renamed, see --rename.

       --list glob-pattern
           List diversions matching glob-pattern.

       --listpackage file
           Print the name of the package that diverts file (since dpkg 1.15.0).  Prints LOCAL if file is locally
           diverted and nothing if file is not diverted.

       --truename file
           Print the real name for a diverted file.

OPTIONS

       --admindir directory
           Set the administrative directory to directory.  Defaults to «/var/lib/dpkg».

       --instdir directory
           Set  the  installation  directory,  which refers to the directory where packages get installed (since
           dpkg 1.19.2). Defaults to «/».

       --root directory
           Set the root directory to directory, which sets the installation directory  to  «directory»  and  the
           administrative directory to «directory/var/lib/dpkg» (since dpkg 1.19.2).

       --divert divert-to
           divert-to  is  the  location  where  the  versions  of  file,  as provided by other packages, will be
           diverted.

       --local
           Specifies that all packages' versions of this file are diverted.   This  means,  that  there  are  no
           exceptions,  and whatever package is installed, the file is diverted. This can be used by an admin to
           install a locally modified version.

       --package package
           package is the name of a package whose copy of file will not be diverted. i.e. file will be  diverted
           for all packages except package.

       --quiet
           Quiet mode, i.e. no verbose output.

       --rename
           Actually move the file aside (or back). dpkg-divert will abort operation in case the destination file
           already  exists.   This  is  the  common behavior used for diversions of files from the non-Essential
           package set (see --no-rename for more details).

       --no-rename
           Specifies that the file should not be renamed  while  adding  or  removing  the  diversion  into  the
           database  (since  dpkg  1.19.1).  This is intended for diversions of files from the Essential package
           set, where the temporary disappearance of the original file is not acceptable, as it can  render  the
           system non-functional.  This is the default behavior, but that will change in the dpkg 1.20.x cycle.

       --test
           Test mode, i.e. don't actually perform any changes, just demonstrate.

       -?, --help
           Show the usage message and exit.

       --version
           Show the version and exit.

EXIT STATUS

       0   The requested action was successfully performed.

       2   Fatal or unrecoverable error due to invalid command-line usage, or interactions with the system, such
           as accesses to the database, memory allocations, etc.

ENVIRONMENT

       DPKG_ROOT
           If set and the --instdir or --root options have not been specified, it will be used as the filesystem
           root directory (since dpkg 1.19.2).

       DPKG_ADMINDIR
           If set and the --admindir or --root options have not been specified, it will be used as the dpkg data
           directory.

       DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_PACKAGE
           If  set and the --local and --package options have not been specified, dpkg-divert will use it as the
           package name.

       DPKG_COLORS
           Sets the color mode (since dpkg 1.18.5).  The currently accepted values are: auto  (default),  always
           and never.

FILES

       /var/lib/dpkg/diversions
           File  which  contains  the  current  list  of  diversions  of  the  system. It is located in the dpkg
           administration directory, along with other files important to dpkg, such as status or available.

           Note: dpkg-divert preserves the old copy of this file, with extension -old, before replacing it  with
           the new one.

NOTES

       When  adding,  default  is --local and --divert original.distrib. When removing, --package or --local and
       --divert must match if specified.

       Directories can't be diverted with dpkg-divert.

       Care should be taken when diverting shared libraries, ldconfig(8) creates a symbolic link  based  on  the
       DT_SONAME  field  embedded in the library.  Because ldconfig doesn't honour diverts (only dpkg does), the
       symlink may end up pointing at the diverted library, if a diverted library has the  same  SONAME  as  the
       undiverted one.

EXAMPLES

       To  divert  all copies of a /usr/bin/example to /usr/bin/example.foo, i.e. directs all packages providing
       /usr/bin/example to install it as /usr/bin/example.foo, performing the rename if required:

        dpkg-divert --divert /usr/bin/example.foo --rename /usr/bin/example

       To remove that diversion:

        dpkg-divert --rename --remove /usr/bin/example

       To divert any package trying to install /usr/bin/example to /usr/bin/example.foo, except your own  wibble
       package:

        dpkg-divert --package wibble --divert /usr/bin/example.foo \
           --rename /usr/bin/example

       To remove that diversion:

        dpkg-divert --package wibble --rename --remove /usr/bin/example

SEE ALSO

       dpkg(1).

1.21.1                                             2024-02-23                                     dpkg-divert(1)