dpkg-divert(1) - man - phpman

dpkg-divert(1)                               dpkg suite                               dpkg-divert(1)



NAME
       dpkg-divert - override a package's version of a file

SYNOPSIS
       dpkg-divert [option...]  command

DESCRIPTION
       dpkg-divert is the utility used to set up and update the list of diversions.

       File diversions are a way of forcing dpkg(1) not to install a file into its location, but to
       a diverted location. Diversions can be used through the Debian package scripts to move a file
       away when it causes a conflict. System administrators can also use it to override some
       package's configuration file, or whenever some files (which aren't marked as “conffiles”)
       need to be preserved by dpkg, when installing a newer version of a package which contains
       those files.

COMMANDS
       [--add] file
           Add a diversion for file.  The file is currently not renamed, see --rename.

       --remove file
           Remove a diversion for file.  The file is currently not renamed, see --rename.

       --list glob-pattern
           List diversions matching glob-pattern.

       --listpackage file
           Print the name of the package that diverts file (since dpkg 1.15.0).  Prints LOCAL if
           file is locally diverted and nothing if file is not diverted.

       --truename file
           Print the real name for a diverted file.

OPTIONS
       --admindir directory
           Set the administrative directory to directory.  Defaults to «/var/lib/dpkg».

       --instdir directory
           Set the installation directory, which refers to the directory where packages get
           installed (since dpkg 1.19.2). Defaults to «/».

       --root directory
           Set the root directory to directory, which sets the installation directory to «directory»
           and the administrative directory to «directory/var/lib/dpkg» (since dpkg 1.19.2).

       --divert divert-to
           divert-to is the location where the versions of file, as provided by other packages, will
           be diverted.

       --local
           Specifies that all packages' versions of this file are diverted.  This means, that there
           are no exceptions, and whatever package is installed, the file is diverted. This can be
           used by an admin to install a locally modified version.

       --package package
           package is the name of a package whose copy of file will not be diverted. i.e. file will
           be diverted for all packages except package.

       --quiet
           Quiet mode, i.e. no verbose output.

       --rename
           Actually move the file aside (or back). dpkg-divert will abort operation in case the
           destination file already exists.  This is the common behavior used for diversions of
           files from the non-Essential package set (see --no-rename for more details).

       --no-rename
           Specifies that the file should not be renamed while adding or removing the diversion into
           the database (since dpkg 1.19.1).  This is intended for diversions of files from the
           Essential package set, where the temporary disappearance of the original file is not
           acceptable, as it can render the system non-functional.  This is the default behavior,
           but that will change in the dpkg 1.20.x cycle.

       --test
           Test mode, i.e. don't actually perform any changes, just demonstrate.

       -?, --help
           Show the usage message and exit.

       --version
           Show the version and exit.

EXIT STATUS
       0   The requested action was successfully performed.

       2   Fatal or unrecoverable error due to invalid command-line usage, or interactions with the
           system, such as accesses to the database, memory allocations, etc.

ENVIRONMENT
       DPKG_ROOT
           If set and the --instdir or --root options have not been specified, it will be used as
           the filesystem root directory (since dpkg 1.19.2).

       DPKG_ADMINDIR
           If set and the --admindir or --root options have not been specified, it will be used as
           the dpkg data directory.

       DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_PACKAGE
           If set and the --local and --package options have not been specified, dpkg-divert will
           use it as the package name.

       DPKG_COLORS
           Sets the color mode (since dpkg 1.18.5).  The currently accepted values are: auto
           (default), always and never.

FILES
       /var/lib/dpkg/diversions
           File which contains the current list of diversions of the system. It is located in the
           dpkg administration directory, along with other files important to dpkg, such as status
           or available.

           Note: dpkg-divert preserves the old copy of this file, with extension -old, before
           replacing it with the new one.

NOTES
       When adding, default is --local and --divert original.distrib. When removing, --package or
       --local and --divert must match if specified.

       Directories can't be diverted with dpkg-divert.

       Care should be taken when diverting shared libraries, ldconfig(8) creates a symbolic link
       based on the DT_SONAME field embedded in the library.  Because ldconfig doesn't honour
       diverts (only dpkg does), the symlink may end up pointing at the diverted library, if a
       diverted library has the same SONAME as the undiverted one.

EXAMPLES
       To divert all copies of a /usr/bin/example to /usr/bin/example.foo, i.e. directs all packages
       providing /usr/bin/example to install it as /usr/bin/example.foo, performing the rename if
       required:

        dpkg-divert --divert /usr/bin/example.foo --rename /usr/bin/example

       To remove that diversion:

        dpkg-divert --rename --remove /usr/bin/example

       To divert any package trying to install /usr/bin/example to /usr/bin/example.foo, except your
       own wibble package:

        dpkg-divert --package wibble --divert /usr/bin/example.foo \
           --rename /usr/bin/example

       To remove that diversion:

        dpkg-divert --package wibble --rename --remove /usr/bin/example

SEE ALSO
       dpkg(1).



1.21.1                                       2025-09-09                               dpkg-divert(1)