How to create a "it really works!" local repository of packages

[jamadagni]

You have a collection of deb packages that you trust, archived into a directory (preferably somewhere under your home directory). You would like to create a local repository from these packages (where they are situated).

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Download the attached script. Preferably remove the txt extension (which I appended only for UbuntuForums to accept the file as an attachment).
   
2. Add the executable attribute to the file. You can do this by chmod +x <filename> on the command line or using your favourite file manager.
   
3. Put this script in the directory which contains your archived deb packages.
   
4. Edit the script using your favourite text editor to change the text "My local Ubuntu Dapper repository" to what you desire but do not change anything else!
   
5. Now run this script from the terminal at its directory.
   
6. If you see any warning messages about packages being repeated, you may want to delete the superfluous packages.
   
7. You will most probably see a warning about packages missing from an "override file" followed by a list of packages. You may safely ignore this.
   
8. If you get an error message about a failed signing because no secret key was available, use gpg --gen-key or KGpg Ctrl+N to create a new key pair and then execute the command:

   gpg -bao Release.gpg Release

9. Now export the public key corresponding to the private key used to sign the repo:

   gpg --export -a "Your Name" > public.key

   replacing Your Name (the quotes should remain) by the name you used to create the key.
   
10. Import this public key to apt's list of trusted signatures by:

    apt-key add public.key

11. Follow the instructions given by the script regarding the /etc/apt/sources.list file. You will need administrator privileges to edit the apt sources.list file.
    
12. Run sudo apt-get update or do the equivalent from Synaptic or Adept.
    
13. If you do not get any error messages, then your repository should be attached and available!

If you have any suggestions for improvement of this script, please post them here. Of course, bug reports are welcome too!

Finally, I should add a few words about:

Unsigned repositories:

While executing the script, you may ignore the error message about the failed signing and skip the gpg -bao command, but your repository will be an unsigned one, and hence be untrusted by apt. This means that if the same package lies on an unsigned repository and a signed one, apt will prefer retrieving the package from the signed repository. This further means that apt may download many megabytes of packages from a remote (on the internet) repository though the same package is available in your local (on your computer) repository.

Of course, even if a repository is signed, if the key has not been imported to apt's trusted keys list using apt-key add, then it is as bad as unsigned. Hence it is important to sign the Release file using a gpg key, and also to import it to apt's trusted keys list.

Credits: I have learnt this procedure from many sources. I thank them all.

[blueprats]

Hey,
Thanks for the above information, it is really a good guide to set local repository. Also the script is awesome I liked it. I followed the complete procedure, but unfortunately I am still getting the unmet dependency error while installing any package. By the way thanks for your work.

[jamadagni]

Hello there! I'm glad my howto was of help. I have updated the scripts quite a lot since I wrote this howto almost four years ago and I will see when I can upload them (I'm browsing away from home) -- in the meanwhile it would help if you could outline the exact steps you followed by which you got the error.