RPM Replace Files In Post scriplet

Question

I am currently writing an RPM which contains both configuration and reversion scripts that will be run manually after the completion of the install.

When I deploy an older package I want to keep my existing reversion scripts, not overwrite them with the old ones. During an upgrade then the reversion scripts folder should be overwritten.

(Simplified: During the upgrade I want to add new scripts, during the downgrade I don't want the newer scripts removed.)

My current approach is to copy the old scripts to a temporary folder during the pre install which is working, and then copy them back to the reversion script folder in the post install which isn't. I can copy the files manually upon completion of the deployment.

I am using the following command:

'cp' -f TempScriptFolder ScriptFolder.

At this point I'm pretty confused by this RPM goop, and not really sure what else to try.

What isn't working about copying the files back during %post? — Etan Reisner

David C. Rankin David C. Rankin · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-07T18:08:34

Your pre- and post- approach to preserving your script files is fine, you just need a bit of help with the logic. Your first problem is you are not copying anything with your command above due to your lack of -r or -a options to cp. cp will not copy recursively without one or the other. Try:

'cp' -af TempScriptFolder ScriptFolder

Second, it would be helpful if you were able to append a version to the script directory name so that you have a reference of which version the scripts came from. (you have the version available in the .spec file, which you could write to a temp .ver file or pass to your pre/post scripts) In pre-install you could use the mv command to accomplish what you need. You could move ScriptFolder to a new folder as follows:

mv -f ScriptFolder ScriptFolder.version

That would preserve the scripts for any version in a separate directory. If you want them all included under the script folder, the mv again is your friend. Just mv -f ScriptFolder.version ScriptFolder to place the versioned directory under the existing ScriptFolder directory.

On the upgrade/downgrade, you could obtain the version again and check ScriptFolde/*.version for an existing set of scripts for that version and then restore to that version with a round-robin mv. Something like:

mv -f ScriptFolder/ScriptFolder.version tmp.version
mv -f ScriptFolder.saveversion
mv -f tmp.version ScriptFolder

You can work out an approach that fits for you.

RPM Replace Files In Post scriplet

1 Answers