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Old 06-28-2009   #1 (permalink)
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Question Multiple releases in sources.list
Hello,

I have am running Debian stable (lenny) on my laptop and have set apt up so that when a package is not available it will be downloaded from another suite. For instance skysentials, which Iis only in unstable (sid). To do so, I set a preferred suite in /etc/apt/apt.conf:
Code:
APT::Default-Release "stable";
and my /etc/apt/sourcses.list has entries for both stable, testing and unstable:
Code:
deb http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/ lenny main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/ lenny main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://www.backports.org/debian lenny-backports main contrib non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org lenny main
deb http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/ stable non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian lenny non-free
deb http://rlehy.free.fr/packages/ekee ./ 

deb http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org squeeze main

deb http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/ sid main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/ sid main contrib non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org sid main
Now when I install a package through aptitude (or synaptic or apt-get), it will first see if it's available in lenny. If it is not it will get it from another release.

But what if it is both in testing and unstable? Will it then get the version with the highest version number? That would be from unstable, but if it's also in testing, I would prefer that.

Am I right about apt's behaviour? How would I set things up to get the "most stable" package that is available?
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Old 06-30-2009   #2 (permalink)
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Nice thing about Debian is the Apt-Get package manger. The problem you have, looking at your repo list, is mixing versions. Lets start from the beginning: Stable (Lenny), Testing (Squeeze) , and Unstable (Always Sid). You've mixed Stable with Testing. A sure fire certainty for problems.

It's one or the other. Not both. So if you want something not in the Stable repos, or the Testing repost, depending on what version you are using, get it via a tarball (ugh!!!). Or look for a .deb package. Otherwise, wait until it's in the repos.
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Old 06-30-2009   #3 (permalink)
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Don't know if it will help, but the Apt Manual gives some specific instructions for those wanting to run a mixed system:

APT HOWTO - Managing packages
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Old 06-30-2009   #4 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ozar View Post
Don't know if it will help, but the Apt Manual gives some specific instructions for those wanting to run a mixed system:

APT HOWTO - Managing packages

True enough. But why make things more difficult. My point of view is use one or the other - Stable or Testing. If you really want to be adventurous, jump on Sid!
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Old 07-01-2009   #5 (permalink)
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I need some packages from testing. Why install packages by hand if I can do it more easily through aptitude?

I have created an /etc/apt/preferences:
Code:
Package: *
Pin: release a=stable
Pin-Priority: 990

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 800
aptitude update and aptitude upgrade did nothing.

This shows what I have installed from other releases:
Code:
# apt-show-versions | grep squeeze
flashplugin-nonfree/squeeze uptodate 1:2.6
python-skype/squeeze uptodate 1.0.31.0-1
skysentials/squeeze uptodate 1.0.1-4
# apt-show-versions | grep sid
amarok-konqsidebar/lenny uptodate 1.4.10-2
libnfsidmap2/lenny uptodate 0.20-1
libsidplay1/lenny uptodate 1.36.59-5
tzdata/sid uptodate 2009j-1
Apparently skysentials is from squeeze (testing).

As long as a I keep an eye on things, I think I will be fine (but I will make backup disk images).
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