diff --git a/dumpMetadata.py b/dumpMetadata.py
index 396435a..af1f24e 100644
--- a/dumpMetadata.py
+++ b/dumpMetadata.py
@@ -251,7 +251,10 @@ class RpmMetaData:
         fo = os.fdopen(fd, 'rb')
         self.pkgid = self.doChecksumCache(fo)
         fo.seek(0)
-        (self.rangestart, self.rangeend) = byteranges(fo)
+        if rpm.__name__ == "rpm" :
+            (self.rangestart, self.rangeend) = byteranges(fo)
+        else :
+            (self.rangestart, self.rangeend) = (0,0)
         fo.close()
         del fo
         del fd
diff --git a/genpkgmetadata.py b/genpkgmetadata.py
index 22b7c85..50f0075 100755
--- a/genpkgmetadata.py
+++ b/genpkgmetadata.py
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ def usage(retval=1):
      -p, --pretty = output xml files in pretty format.
      --update = update existing metadata (if present)
      -d, --database = generate the sqlite databases.
+     --pkgtype <type> = create repository with packages of type <type>
+                     (only 'deb' is currently supported)
     """)
 
     sys.exit(retval)
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ class MetaDataGenerator:
 
     def checkTimeStamps(self, directory):
         if self.cmds['checkts']:
-            files = self.getFileList(self.cmds['basedir'], directory, '.rpm')
+            files = self.getFileList(self.cmds['basedir'], directory, self.cmds['pkgext'])
             files = self.trimRpms(files)
             for f in files:
                 fn = os.path.join(self.cmds['basedir'], directory, f)
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ class MetaDataGenerator:
             #and scan the old repo
             self.oldData = readMetadata.MetadataIndex(self.cmds['outputdir'],
                                                       basefile, flfile, otherfile, opts)
-        files = self.getFileList(self.cmds['basedir'], directory, '.rpm')
+        files = self.getFileList(self.cmds['basedir'], directory, self.cmds['pkgext'])
         files = self.trimRpms(files)
         self.pkgcount = len(files)
         self.openMetadataDocs()
@@ -346,7 +348,7 @@ class SplitMetaDataGenerator(MetaDataGenerator):
             return
         filematrix = {}
         for mydir in directories:
-            filematrix[mydir] = self.getFileList(self.cmds['basedir'], mydir, '.rpm')
+            filematrix[mydir] = self.getFileList(self.cmds['basedir'], mydir, self.cmds['pkgext'])
             self.trimRpms(filematrix[mydir])
             self.pkgcount += len(filematrix[mydir])
 
@@ -414,6 +416,7 @@ def parseArgs(args):
     cmds['file-pattern-match'] = ['.*bin\/.*', '^\/etc\/.*', '^\/usr\/lib\/sendmail$']
     cmds['dir-pattern-match'] = ['.*bin\/.*', '^\/etc\/.*']
     cmds['skip-symlinks'] = False
+    cmds['pkgext'] = '.rpm'
 
     try:
         gopts, argsleft = getopt.getopt(args, 'phqVvndg:s:x:u:c:o:CS', ['help', 'exclude=',
@@ -421,7 +424,7 @@ def parseArgs(args):
                                                                   'baseurl=', 'groupfile=', 'checksum=',
                                                                   'version', 'pretty', 'split', 'outputdir=',
                                                                   'noepoch', 'checkts', 'database', 'update',
-                                                                  'skip-symlinks'])
+                                                                  'skip-symlinks', 'pkgtype='])
     except getopt.error, e:
         errorprint(_('Options Error: %s.') % e)
         usage()
@@ -493,6 +496,15 @@ def parseArgs(args):
                 cmds['database'] = True
             elif arg in ['-S', '--skip-symlinks']:
                 cmds['skip-symlinks'] = True
+            elif arg == '--pkgtype':
+                if a == "deb" :
+                    import dpkg2rpm
+                    __builtins__.globals()['rpm'] = dpkg2rpm
+                    __builtins__.globals()['dumpMetadata'].rpm = dpkg2rpm
+                    cmds['pkgext'] = '.deb'
+                else :
+                    errorprint(_('Package system %s not supported') % a)
+                    usage()
                 
     except ValueError, e:
         errorprint(_('Options Error: %s') % e)