[Dbconfig-common-devel] virtual package for database clients

[Matt Brown]

Hi,

I'm wondering about the feasibility of having dbconfig-common provide a
virtual package that depends on the clients for the database types that
dbconfig-common supports.

I currently have the problem with PHPwiki that to make the package
install cleanly via piuparts I need to depend on of (sqlite, mysql or
postgres). I don't want to depend on all three, and I can't see any
logical way to single out one of them to require.

If dbconfig-common were to provide a package (eg.
dbconfig-common-dbclient) that ensured that at least one of the
supported db clients was installed then combined with the suggested fix
in #353617 (quoted below) packages would have a foolproof way of
ensuring that they were always installable with a database.

- during installation (config script), dbconfig-common will examine
   the list of supported database types vs the installed cmdline tools.
- if the intersection of these sets is empty, the admin will be prompted
  with a notice telling them what programs/packages are required, and
  dbconfig-common will exit gracefully.  the package will install as if
  they had opted out of assistance, but if reconfigured later and the
  programs exist, they will have the choice to install as if it were a
  new installation.
- if the intersection is non-empty, but different than the full list of
  supported types, the admin will be prompted with a similar message,
  but they will be given the choice to continue with the intersection
  of supported types.

Thoughts?

-- 
Matt Brown
Debian Developer
mattb at debian.org
Mob +64 21 611 544 www.mattb.net.nz

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