Creating a debian package from binaries

Create directory following the naming $PACKAGE-$VERSION:

mkdir private-tomcat-7.0.42
cd private-tomcat-7.0.42

Copy to this directory the files that you want to be installed.


Create configuration:

#dh_make --createorig

Type of package: single binary, indep binary, multiple binary, library, kernel module, kernel patch?
 [s/i/m/l/k/n] s

Maintainer name  : root
Email-Address    : root@unknown
Date             : Wed, 21 Aug 2013 01:36:59 -0700
Package Name     : private-tomcat
Version          : 7.0.42
License          : blank
Type of Package  : Single
Hit  to confirm: 
Currently there is no top level Makefile. This may require additional tuning.
Done. Please edit the files in the debian/ subdirectory now. You should also
check that the private-tomcat Makefiles install into $DESTDIR and not in / .

Edit the created debian/control file:

Source: private-tomcat
Section: main
Priority: extra
Maintainer: root 
Build-Depends: debhelper (>= 8.0.0)
Standards-Version: 3.9.2
#Vcs-Git: git://git.debian.org/collab-maint/private-tomcat.git
#Vcs-Browser: http://git.debian.org/?p=collab-maint/private-tomcat.git;a=summary

Package: private-tomcat
Replaces: 7.0.35
Architecture: any
Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}
Description: Apache tomcat for internal use in private Project

Edit debian/changelog and remove references to ITP (is not needed)

Rename debian/postinst.ex to postinst

mv postinst.ex postinst

Create the file debian/packagename.install with the following structure:

path/to/file/relative/to/source/root path/to/install/relative/to/system/root

i.e.

apache-tomcat-7.0.42/* opt/

change debian/compat to level 7

echo "7" > debian/compat

Copy the init.d or upstart script for the installed package name it as
debian/$PACKAGENAME.init

then run:

dh_installinit

IF you want to install the init.d package under a different name, please rename the init file to debian/$NAME.init and edit debian/rules and add the following

override_dh_installinit
 dh_installinit --name=tomcat (this is the desired name)

please remember to run dh_prep between runs of dh_installinit, Otherwise, it may cause multiple instances of the same text to be added to maintainer scripts.


from the directory above:

dpkg-buildpackage -b -us -uc

This will build the package and avoid signing errors