hi,

i am using fpm to create a Debian package from a PEAR package - i was
looking for a way to keep the debian folder once the package is generated:
is this possible at all or no such folder is used and the package is
assembled directly via some other logic that avoids the usual debian folder
and dpkg-buildpackage or similar tools? i couldn't find an option for this
in the help screen or on the fpm wiki on github.

best
andrea

First, I'll ask the obvious question - why do you want this? Is there
a feature of fpm missing?

Second, fpm implements debian package building without the use of
*any* debian tools. It doesn't use any 'debian' directory, and it
never runs dpkg-buildpackage, debuild, dh_make, or any related tools.
This allows two great benefits - first, that you can build deb
packages on any machine for any platform since there is no requirement
for debian's tools. Second, that because fpm doesn't use debian
tooling, you aren't burdened by the many (possibly invasive and
destructive) 'debian policy' decisions that are enforced and applied
by debian's package tools.

Finally, how to achieve what you ask. Currently the only file fpm will
generate is the 'control' file to put into the package during
building. Under normal circumstances for 'debuild' and
'dpkg-buildpackage' you'll need a 'rules' file and several other
things before it will know how to build a package.

You can certainly save the 'control' file somewhat hackishly using
EDITOR env var to copy the file out during package building:

EDITOR='sh -c "cp \$1 /tmp/control" -' fpm --edit -s dir -t deb -n
example /etc/motd

Example:

% EDITOR='sh -c "cp \$1 /tmp/control" -' fpm --edit -s dir -t deb -n
example /etc/motd
Created deb package {"path":"example_1.0_amd64.deb"}

% cat /tmp/control
Package: example
Version: 1.0
License: unknown
Vendor: jls@pork
Architecture: amd64
Maintainer: <jls@pork>
Installed-Size: 0
#Pre-Depends:
Section: default
Priority: extra
Homepage: http://example.com/no-uri-given
Description: no description given

Let me know if you need any other help! :)

-Jordan

hi Jordan,

thank your detailed reply:

uhm, no - i now realise i was trying to use fpm for the wrong use case,
namely preparing a source PEAR module for packaging for eventual inclusion
in the Debian archives or at least to be used in an Ubuntu PPA for the time
being.

sure, i understand now - in fact, seeing that my package was created almost
instantly i assumed that no debian build toolchain was involved. being able
to quickly build a package on any platform/architecture and with no debian
toolchain (or, even worse, the whole PEAR build thingy) dependencies is
awesom when there is no need to stick to specific policies and all is
needed is a ready to use package file.

[...]

thank you for your help!
best
andrea