How can I Pin apt? [Archive]

bugmenot_user

June 27th, 2007, 12:30 PM

I want to install softwares from backports excliptly by adding -t backports argument to apt-get.(like in Debian). I tried to change priorities but I don't know what value must I set for /etc/apt/apt.conf APT:: Default-Release. Must it be release-updates or release-security or just release? How can I do this?

smartboyathome

June 27th, 2007, 01:40 PM

You can always set the backports update setting in the Repo tool in Synaptic, couldn't you?

bugmenot_user

June 27th, 2007, 06:39 PM

I think I didn't explain my problem correctly. When you enable backports repository, when you upgrade your system or install something, version on the backports (if any) will be installed. That's not I want. In Debian, if you want to install somethings from backports, you must specify this excliptly. ( http://www.backports.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=instructions )
Yeah, I want to do apt pinning.

What Repo tool in Synaptic do is, enabling and disabling backports repository. That's not I want.

Thanks.

smartboyathome

June 27th, 2007, 11:14 PM

I looked in my sources.list and the only way to use backports is to use it like what I explained. You cannot "explicitly" tell it what you want it to install, it will do this automatically to everything.

bugmenot_user

June 28th, 2007, 08:03 AM

How Debian do this? As far as I know, this must be done with apt-pinning. And this can be done in Ubuntu, too.
Apt-pinning is done with some settings in /etc/apt.conf and /etc/apt/preferences. Just sources.list is not enough.
(jaqque.sbih.org/kplug/apt-pinning.html) (http://jaqque.sbih.org/kplug/apt-pinning.html)

Thanks

mlind

June 28th, 2007, 06:59 PM

create /etc/apt/preferences and add the following pinning

Package: *
Pin: release a=feisty-backports
Pin-Priority: 400

now packages from feisty-backports are installed only if you use -t feisty-backports
check man apt_preferences for the reference.

bugmenot_user

June 29th, 2007, 04:22 AM