synaptic's full state saved to a text file

[wabbalee]

What I often do when I install a Ubuntu system on another computer, I create a full state text file in Synaptic on my own computer that has everything I want on the other system.It is basically a long list of file names of installed packages on my system. I then read this file on the other machine in Synaptic and it marks all the same packages on it for install. Then I click apply and go take the dog for a walk or something, when I come back it is (usually) all done.

this works quiet well for me, but I have never tried to do the same for myself when I upgrade to the next release. I prefer the 'fresh install' approach every time I install a new release as I see there are quiet some threads started by people running into all sorts of probs after doing a distribution upgrade. I find myself digging through the long list of packages that I do and don't want on my system every six months.

the question is: Can this full state file from a previous release be used on the next? that would save me a hell of a lot of time. Or is there an other 'easy' way to do this?

thanks.

[cariboo]

It should work, because the file list isn't version dependant in most cases. The reason most people have problems upgrading from one version to the next, is that they don't read the release notes, and most people never follow the upgrade instructions on the release page. If you make sure all ppa's and third party repositories are diabled and then make sure your current version is fully up-to-date, you shouldn't have any problems upgrading from one version to the next.

[wabbalee]

Thank you for stipulating this, you are tempting me to deviate from my procedure next time when there is a new release. your reply also rises another little question, may be a silly one but could you tell me what a ppa is?