[pkg-ntp] - where does /etc/default/ntpdate come from?

["D. Pathirana" <dpat@syn-net.org>]

Dear mentors!

I am new in Debian Package Maintaining. I try to build some packages for
my own to get a feeling how everything works. I have read a few
docs[1][2] to find a solution for a specific problem that bugs me since
days now...

I would have asked the pkg-ntp-maintainers list for help but Chapter 10
of the Debian New Maintainers' Guide[3] tells me to ask here first.. I
hope it's correct and somebody can help...

So here is my problem:

I've been trying to figure out how the installation process of the
package "ntpdate" works. After installation the configuration file
"/etc/default/ntpdate" is created. But: I can not find any evidence of
it being used throughout the whole debian directory in the source-package.

Actually there IS THE file in "debian/ntpdate.default" but is never
refered in the rules file or elsewhere.

I believe it has something to do with .default suffix but I was not able
to find any docs about what and how it is going on. So where does the
magic happen?

Thanks for any help!

Regards,
 - Darsha


[1] http://www.debian.com/doc/manuals/maint-guide/index.en.html#contents
[2] http://www.debian.com/doc/manuals/maint-guide/index.en.html#contents
[3] http://www.debian.com/doc/manuals/maint-guide/ch-helpme.en.html