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(stow.info)Multiple stow directories

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Multiple stow directories
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   If there are two or more system administrators who wish to maintain
software separately, or if there is any other reason to want two or more
stow directories, it can be done by creating a file named `.stow' in
each stow directory.  The presence of `/usr/local/foo/.stow' informs
Stow that, though `foo' is not the current stow directory, and though
it is a subdirectory of the target directory, nevertheless it is _a_
stow directory and as such Stow doesn't "own" anything in it (Note:
Installing packages).  This will protect the contents of `foo' from a
`stow -D', for instance.

   When multiple stow directories share a target tree, the effectiveness
of Stow is reduced.  If a tree-folding symlink is encountered and needs
to be split open during an installation, but the symlink points into
the wrong stow directory, Stow will report a conflict rather than split
open the tree (because it doesn't consider itself to own the symlink,
and thus cannot remove it).