# deb-triggers

## NAME



           deb-triggers - package triggers
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **debian/triggers** , **debian/**_binary-package_**.triggers** , **DEBIAN/triggers**
    


## DESCRIPTION



           A package declares its relationship to some trigger(s) by
           including a _triggers_ file in its control archive (i.e.
           _DEBIAN/triggers_ during package creation).
    
           This file contains directives, one per line.  Leading and trailing
           whitespace and everything after the first **#** on any line will be
           trimmed, and empty lines will be ignored.
    
           The trigger control directives currently supported are:
    
           **interest** _trigger-name_
           **interest-await** _trigger-name_
           **interest-noawait** _trigger-name_
               Specifies that the package is interested in the named trigger.
               All triggers in which a package is interested must be listed
               using this directive in the triggers control file.
    
               The “await” variants put the triggering package in
               triggers-awaited state depending on how the trigger was
               activated.  The “noawait” variant does not put the triggering
               packages in triggers-awaited state, even if the triggering
               package declared an “await” activation (either with an
               **activate-await** or **activate** directive, or by using the
               **dpkg-trigger --no-await** command-line option).  The “noawait”
               variant should be used when the functionality provided by the
               trigger is not crucial.
    
           **activate** _trigger-name_
           **activate-await** _trigger-name_
           **activate-noawait** _trigger-name_
               Arranges that changes to this package's state will activate
               the specified trigger.  The trigger will be activated at the
               start of the following operations: unpack, configure, remove
               (including for the benefit of a conflicting package), purge
               and deconfigure.
    
               The “await” variants only put the triggering package in
               triggers-awaited state if the interest directive is also
               “await”.  The “noawait” variant never puts the triggering
               packages in triggers-awaited state.  The “noawait” variant
               should be used when the functionality provided by the trigger
               is not crucial.
    
               If this package disappears during the unpacking of another
               package the trigger will be activated when the disappearance
               is noted towards the end of the unpack.  Trigger processing,
               and transition from triggers-awaited to installed, does not
               cause activations.  In the case of unpack, triggers mentioned
               in both the old and new versions of the package will be
               activated.
    
           Unknown directives are an error which will prevent installation of
           the package.
    
           The “-noawait” variants should always be favored when possible
           since triggering packages are not put in triggers-awaited state
           and can thus be immediately configured without requiring the
           processing of the trigger.  If the triggering packages are
           dependencies of other upgraded packages, it will avoid an early
           trigger processing run and make it possible to run the trigger
           only once as one of the last steps of the upgrade.
    
           The “-noawait” variants are supported since dpkg 1.16.1, and will
           lead to errors if used with an older dpkg.
    
           The “-await” alias variants are supported since dpkg 1.17.21, and
           will lead to errors if used with an older dpkg.
    
           When a package provides an **interest-noawait** directive, any
           activation will set the triggering package into “noawait” mode,
           regardless of the awaiting mode requested by the activation
           (either “await” or “noawait”).  When a package provides an
           **interest** or **interest-await** directive, any activation will set the
           triggering package into “await” or “noawait“ depending on how it
           was activated.
    


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