dpkg-maintscript-helper(1) dpkg suite dpkg-maintscript-helper(1) (NAME) dpkg-maintscript-helper - (SYNOPSIS) dpkg-maintscript-helper command [parameter...] -- maint-script-parameter... (COMMANDS AND OPTIONS) supports command rm_conffile conffile [prior-version [package]] mv_conffile old-conffile new-conffile [prior-version [package]] symlink_to_dir pathname old-target [prior-version [package]] dir_to_symlink pathname new-target [prior-version [package]] (DESCRIPTION) (maintainer scripts) dpkg . (preinst postinst prerm postrm) . DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_NAME (--) . dpkg 1.15.7 . (COMMON PARAMETERS) prior-version . prior-version (rebuild) . prior-version (: ). (conffile) prior-version . . 2.0-1 prior-version 2.0-1~ . 1.0-1 1.0-1local1 . ( 1.0-1) ( 2.0-1) 3.0-1 prior-version 3.0-1~ . package () . <> ( [cross-grades] all ). DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_PACKAGE DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_ARCH ( dpkg ) . -- -- . (CONFFILE RELATED TASKS) (conffile - dpkg ) dpkg . . conffile dpkg ( debconf ucf) . dpkg-maintscript-helper . (Removing a conffile) : "remove-on-upgrade" DEBIAN/conffiles ( dpkg 1.20.6 ) deb-conffiles(5) . . . (abort) . preinst postinst postrm : dpkg-maintscript-helper rm_conffile \ conffile prior-version package -- "$@" conffile . : preinst conffile.dpkg-remove conffile.dpkg-backup . postinst conffile.dpkg-bak . postrm . (purge) postrm .dpkg-bak . (Renaming a conffile) . preinst dpkg . preinst postinst postrm : dpkg-maintscript-helper mv_conffile \ old-conffile new-conffile prior-version package -- "$@" old-conffile new-conffile . : preinst old-conffile.dpkg-remove . postinst old-conffile.dpkg-remove old-conffile new-conffile . abort-upgrade abort-install postrm old-conffile.dpkg-remove old-conffile . (SYMLINK AND DIRECTORY SWITCHES) dpkg . (downgrade) . : dpkg (purge) . (Switching a symlink to directory) (unpacking) . preinst . preinst postinst postrm : dpkg-maintscript-helper symlink_to_dir \ pathname old-target prior-version package -- "$@" pathname ( ) old-target pathname . pathname. : preinst old-target pathname.dpkg-backup . postinst pathname.dpkg-backup . abort-upgrade abort-install postrm pathname.dpkg-backup pathname . (Switching a directory to symlink) . preinst (conffiles) . preinst postinst postrm : dpkg-maintscript-helper dir_to_symlink \ pathname new-target prior-version package -- "$@" pathname ( ) new-target pathname . pathname . : preinst (conffiles) pathname.dpkg-backup (staging) pathname dpkg . pathname.dpkg-backup pathname postinst new-target/ pathname new-target pathname.dpkg-backup . abort-upgrade abort-install postrm pathname.dpkg-backup pathname . (INTEGRATION IN PACKAGES) dpkg-maintscript-helper . dh_installdeb(1) . dpkg-maintscript-helper preinst (versioned pre-dependency) dpkg (release) dpkg . : rm_conffile mv_conffile 1.15.7.2 symlink_to_dir dir_to_symlink 1.17.14 . dpkg 1.17.14 symlink_to_dir : Pre-Depends: dpkg (>= 1.17.14) dpkg : if dpkg-maintscript-helper supports command; then dpkg-maintscript-helper command ... fi supports 0 1 . supports dpkg . (ENVIRONMENT) DPKG_ROOT . DPKG_ADMINDIR dpkg . DPKG_COLORS ( dpkg 1.19.1 ). : auto () always never. (SEE ALSO) dh_installdeb(1). 1.23.7-dirty 2026-03-06 dpkg-maintscript-helper(1)