make-kpkg(8)

NAME

make-kpkg - build Debian kernel packages from Linux kernel sources

SYNOPSIS

make-kpkg [options] [target [target ...]]

DESCRIPTION

This manual page explains the Debian make-kpkg utility, which is used to create the kernel related Debian packages. This utility needs to be run from a top level Linux kernel source directory.

OPTIONS

--help Print out a usage message.

--revision number: Sets the Debian revision number for the packages produced to the argument number. This has certain constraints: It only has an effect during the configure phase (in other words, if a file called stamp-configure exists, this option has no effect -- run make-kpkg clean or manually remove stamp-configure for it to have an effect). So, if you re-run make-kpkg with a different revision number, you have to reconfigure the kernel. Secondly, it may contain only alphanumerics and the characters + . (full stop, and plus) and must contain a digit. NOTE: No hyphens allowed. (Look at Chapter 5 of the Programmers manual for details). Optionally, you may prepend the revision with a digit followed by a colon (:)

--flavour foo: Sets the kernel flavour to the argument number. The flavour is also appended to the package name. You need a patched Makefile to make this work propperly (see /usr/doc/kernel-package/FLAVOURS.gz). It may contain only alphanumerics and the characters - + . (full stop, hyphen, and plus). Uppercase letter are also not permitted under the Policy for a new package. NOTE: Hyphens are discouraged. (Look at Chapters 4 and 5 of the Programmers manual for details).

--subarch foo: Some architectures (the Alpha, and the m68k) require a different kernel for each subarchitecture. This option provides a way of specifying it as an argument to make-kpkg. Please note that additional support for sub architectures may be required in the kernel sources to actually make this do anything.

--arch_in_name: This option uses an extended name for the kernel image package by embedding the subarchitecture in the image name, so one could write a script to create multiple subarchitectures one after the other. You may also do this by setting the environment variable ARCH_IN_NAME. Please note that only the package name is affected, not modules locations etc.

--pgpsign name: Set the string used to sign the changes file for any external modules in /usr/src/modules/ using PGP. This option will override the builtin default and the site wide customizations stored in the file /etc/kernel-pkg.conf.

--targets: Prints out a list of known targets. See the Section Targets below.

--noexec: Pass a -n option to the make process so that commands are merely printed to the screen but not actually executed. This is very useful for debugging.

--zimage: Makes a zImage kernel rather than a bzImage kernel (the default). Useful for people having problems with bzImage kernels.

--bzimage: Makes a bzImage kernel. Useful for people who want a bzImage kernel on sites where the default is zImage kernels.

--rootcmd: The command that provides a means of gaining super user access (for example, `sudo' or `fakeroot') as needed by dpkg-buildpackages's -r option. This is only relevant for the buildpackage target.

The options maybe shortened to the smallest unique string, and may be entered with either a - or a -- prefix, and you may use a space or an = symbol between an option string and a value.

TARGETS

clean: Cleans the kernel source directory of all files created by target build, and runs a make distclean. (Please look at a Linux kernel Makefile for details). Please note that although we take care of the list of current kernel configuration contained in the file .config, the file include/linux/autoconf.h is not preserved.

buildpackage: This target runs the targets clean, and binary, and produces the complete package using dpkg-buildpackage

binary: This target produces all four Debian kernel packages by running the targets kernel_source, kernel_headers, kernel_doc and kernel_image.

kernel_source: This target produces a debianised package of the Linux kernel sources. The package produced also has scripts called at install and delete times that manage the symbolic link /usr/src/linux and ensure that the link is pointed at the latest source/header package on the system.

kernel_headers: This target produces a Debian package containing the header files included in the Linux kernel. The package produced also has scripts called at install and delete times that manage the symbolic link /usr/src/linux and ensure that the link is pointed at the latest source/header package on the system.

kernel_doc: This target produces a Debian package containing the documentation included in the Linux kernel.

kernel_image: This target produces a Debian package of the Linux kernel source image, and any modules configured in the kernel configuration file .config. If there is no .config file in the kernel source directory, a default configuration is provided similar to the one used to create the Debian boot-floppies. The package produced updates the /boot/psdatabase file at install time, it also update symbolic links in the root directory to point to the new kernel image in /boot. It also offers to run the Linux loader, LILO, creating a configuration file for LILO if needed. It also offers to put the new kernel on a floppy, formatting the floppy if needed. On deletion, the package checks the version of the kernel running, and refuses to delete a running kernel.

build: This target, used by target kernel_image above, compiles the Linux kernel image.

modules: This target allows you to build all add-on modules and packages that are very dependent on the precise kernel version they are compiled for at the same time you build your kernel image. This target expects to find the modules or packages under /usr/src/modules, and, for all such directories, changes to /usr/src/modules/x, and runs the kdist rule in the local debian.rules file. This target should create the Debian module package(s), and may also produce a compressed tar file, and a compressed diff file, with md5sums recorded in a changes file using dpkg-genchanges. The file is signed by the same identity that would be used to sign the kernel packages.

modules_config: This target allows you to configure all packages under /usr/src/modules.

modules_image: This target allows you to build all packages under /usr/src/modules, but does not create the source or diff files, and does not create and sign a changes file.

configure: This target runs configure (actually, oldconfig) early, so you may edit files generated by make config in the kernel source directory and not have them stomped by make-kpkg later.

libc-kheaders: This is a special target for the libc-dev maintainer, who can use ot to create the headers package that libc needs. Please note that it is dangerous to create a libc-kheaders package that is different fomr the headers libc was compiled with; it is known to subtly break systems. Please look at /usr/lib/kernel-package/README.headers for details. Creating and installing a self created libc-kheaders package may break your system unless you know what you are doing. You have been warned.

FILES

Apart from the runtime options, the debian.rules file run by make-kpkg also looks for site-wide defaults in the file /etc/kernel-pkg.conf. The default configuration allows there to be a site wide override for the full name and email address of the person responsible for maintaining the kernel packages on the site, but the /etc/kernel-pkg.conf file is actually a Makefile snippet, and any legal make directives may be included in there. Note: Caution is urged with this file, since you can totally change the way that the make is run by suitable editing this file. Please look at /usr/doc/kernel-package/Problems.gz for a list of known problems while compiling kernel images. Extensive tutorial like documentation is also available in /usr/doc/kernel-package/README.gz and it is recommended that one read that before using this utility.

AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Manoj Srivastava <[email protected]>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system.