.TH DH_COMPRESS 1
.SH NAME
dh_compress \- compress files and fix symlinks in package build directories
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B dh_compress
.I "[-v] [-a] [-i] [-ppackage]"
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
dh_compress is a debhelper program that is responsible for compressing
the files in package build directories, and makes sure that any symlinks
that pointed to the files before they were compressed are updated to point
to the new files.
.P
By default, dh_compress compresses files that debian policy mandates should
be compressed, namely all files in usr/info, usr/man, usr/X11R6/man, and
all files in usr/doc that are larger than 4k in size, except
the copyright file, .html files and .gif files.
.P
If a debian/compress file exits, however, it will be ran as a shell script,
and all filenames that the shell script outputs will be compressed instead
of the default files. Note that the shell script will be run from inside the
package build directory.
.SH EXAMPLE
Here is a sample debian/compress file that causes dh_compress to compress
the same files as it would by default. This is a good starting point for
customization of what files are compressed:
.PP
 find usr/info usr/man usr/X11*/man -type f
 find usr/doc -type f -size +4k \\
 	! -name "*.htm*" ! -name "*.gif" \\
 	! -name "copyright"
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.B \-v
Verbose mode; show all commands that modify the package build directory.
.TP
.B \-a
Compress files for all architecture dependent packages.
.TP
.B \-i
Compress files for all architecture independent packages.
.TP
.B \-ppackage
Compress files for the package named "package".
.SH NOTES
The
.B \-a
.B \-i
and
.B \-p
arguments are cumulative. If none are specified, then all packages listed in
the control file will have their files compressed.
.P
The debian/compress file applies to the first binary package listed in your
control file. For the other packages, you can make files named
debian/package.compress, where "package" is the name of the package they 
apply to.
.SH ENVIRONMENT
.TP
.I DH_VERBOSE
Enables verbose mode
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR /usr/doc/debhelper/README
.SH BUGS
Filenames with spaces in them may not properly be compressed.
.SH "CONFORMS TO"
Debian policy, version 2.3.0.0
.SH AUTHOR
Joey Hess <joeyh@master.debian.org>