From 62c26e3f6102e7089ae28572da8e9287eaf14b9c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Frans Pop Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 21:46:08 +0000 Subject: - Finally document how to create a preconfiguration file --- en/appendix/preseed.xml | 106 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------ 1 file changed, 79 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-) (limited to 'en') diff --git a/en/appendix/preseed.xml b/en/appendix/preseed.xml index dd30b76cb..54c0317db 100644 --- a/en/appendix/preseed.xml +++ b/en/appendix/preseed.xml @@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ for version 3 of the ISC DHCP server (the dhcp3-server Debian package). if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 3) = "d-i" { - filename "http://host/preseed.cfg"; + filename "http://host/preseed.cfg"; } @@ -392,8 +392,8 @@ you can use 32 command line options and 32 environment options. For most installations some of the default options in your bootloader -configuration file, like 'vga=normal', may be safely removed which may -allow you to add more options for preseeding. +configuration file, like vga=normal, may be safely +removed which may allow you to add more options for preseeding. @@ -405,41 +405,93 @@ parameters, even if you delimit them with quotes. - + Creating a preseed file The preconfiguration file is in the format used by the -debconf-set-selections command. +debconf-set-selections command. The general format of +a line in a preconfiguration file is: - + +<owner> <template name> <template type> <value> + + + + +There are a few rules to keep in mind when writing a preconfiguration file. - - File format - - - Only single space allowed between template type and value - - - Relation with /var/lib/(c)debconf/templates - - - Types of templates and how to provide values for them - - - Most values need to be in English or codes - - - Using a manual installation as base - - - Finding other possible values - + + Put only a single space or tab between type and value: any additional + whitespace will be interpreted as belonging to the value. + + A line can be split into multiple lines by appending a backslash + (/) as the line continuation character. + A good place to split a line is after the template name; a bad place is + between type and value. + + Most templates need to be preseeded using the values valid in English and + not the translated values. However, there are some templates (for example + in partman where the translated values need to be + used. + + Some templates take a code as value instead of the English text that is + shown during installation. + + + +The easiest way to create a preconfiguration file is to use the example file +linked in as basis and work from there. + + + +An alternative method is to do a manual installation and then, after +rebooting, use the debconf-get-selections from the +debconf-utils package to dump both the debconf +database and the installer's cdebconf database to a single file: + + +$ debconf-get-selections --installer > file +$ debconf-get-selections >> file + + + + +However, a file generated in this manner will have some items that should +not be preseeded, and the example file is a better starting place for most +users. + + + + + +This method relies on the fact that, at the end of the installation, the +installer's cdebconf database is saved to the installed system in +/var/log/installer/cdebconf. However, because the +database may contain sensitive information, by default the files are only +readable by root. + + + +The directory /var/log/installer and all files in it +will be deleted from your system if you purge the package +installation-report. + + + +To check possible values for templates, you can use nano +to examine the files in /var/lib/cdebconf while an +installation is in progress. View templates.dat for +the raw templates and questions.dat for the current +values and for the values assigned to variables. + + + To check if the format of your preseed file is valid before performing an install, you can use the command debconf-set-selections -c preseed.cfg. -- cgit v1.2.3