Installing a directory with a Debian Package

I want to create a Debian Package that installs a bunch of Folders to a system but I can't get it working. The Package gets created without any errors and lintian also says it's okay but installing does nothing.

The rules file looks like this:

<#>!/usr/bin/make -f
logs = $(CURDIR)/shell_logs/
DEST1 = /opt/Pacetutor/
build: build-stamp
build-stamp: dh_testdir touch build-stam
clean: dh_testdir dh_testroot rm -f build-stamp dh_clean
install: build clean $(logs) dh_testdir dh_testroot dh_prep dh_installdirs
mkdir -m 755 -p $(DEST1) <- this is propably optional or not needed ->
cp -r $(logs) $(DEST1) <- using mv works but thats not what I want. ->
binary-indep: build install dh_testdir dh_testroot dh_installchangelogs dh_installdocs dh_installexamples dh_installman dh_link dh_compress dh_fixperms dh_installdeb dh_gencontrol dh_md5sums dh_builddeb
binary-arch: build install
binary: binary-indep binary-arch
.PHONY: build clean binary-indep binary-arch binary install

1 Answer

I assume you want to distribute a folder like this:

/usr/share/myfolder

First make a new folder for the debian package.
Execute this command in Terminal:

mkdir MyDeb

Now create the debian package's control file:

mkdir MyDeb/DEBIAN
gedit MyDeb/DEBIAN/control

Put necessary information in the control file. For example you can paste something like this:

Package: my-awesome-package
Version: 1.0
Architecture: amd64
Maintainer: Chuck Norris <>
Description: Copies some stuff to the disk

Once done, save the control file.

Now, copy the folder you want to distribute with the debian package including it's directory structure, to the MyPackage folder, so the package folder should look like this:

MyPackage
|
+----DEBIAN/control
|
+----usr/share/myfolder

To make the DEB package, open the Terminal and execute this command:

dpkg -b MyPackage