If you have manually...
NOTE If you have manually removed a configuration file and want to get it back by reinstalling the package, you can do so by passing the force-confmiss option to dpkg. Doing so will not overwrite the other configuration files for that package. If you want to start over with all of the original configuration files, you can also pass the force-confnew option.
The package selection state indicates what state you want the package to be in. Changes to package status through dpkg happen immediately when using the --install, --remove, and --purge options on a package, but other uses and tools will instead set this flag and then process any pending changes in a batch. The package selection state is one of the following:
install -- The package should be installed.
deinstall -- The package files should be removed, with the exception of configuration files.
purge -- All package files and configuration files should be removed.
hold -- dpkg should not do anything with the package unless explicitly told to do so
with the --force-hold argument.
Some packages are designed to enable you to select configuration options as they are being installed. This configuration is managed through the debconf utility. Debconf supports a number of different interfaces, including a command prompt and a menu-based interface. A database of configuration options is also maintained by debconf, allowing it to automatically answer repeated questions, such as those you might encounter while upgrading or reinstalling a package. Examples of how to use these utilities are included in the section "Managing Your Debian System" later in this chapter.
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