Problem with packages - local list doesn't list all packages from a mirror

simopal6 · 09-01-2008, 01:11 AM

Hello,
I've installed Debian on a friend of mine's computer, I have alway used Slackware so far, so I'm trying to learn how the apt mechanism works. I'm using KPackage to manage packages, it seems good, however there's a problem I can't get to solve.
For example, I needed to install flex.
My sources.list is:

Code:

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian etch main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian etch main

deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian etch main
deb-src http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian etch main

Anyway, kpackage didn't list flex anywhere.
I went to packages.debian.org, and there it was, I downloaded it from ftp.de.debian.org.
So, the question is, why doesn't kpackage list that package (and many more) even if the mirror is inside sources.list?
Thank you!

mrcheeks · 09-01-2008, 02:52 AM

I didn't know that kpackage still existed, maybe because I don't use KDE no more.
You could try synaptic or check if kpackage reads its configuration from /etc/apt/sources.list or a custom sources.list file.

vharishankar · 09-01-2008, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simopal6

Hello,
I've installed Debian on a friend of mine's computer, I have alway used Slackware so far, so I'm trying to learn how the apt mechanism works. I'm using KPackage to manage packages, it seems good, however there's a problem I can't get to solve.
For example, I needed to install flex.
My sources.list is:

Code:

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian etch main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian etch main

deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian etch main
deb-src http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian etch main

Anyway, kpackage didn't list flex anywhere.
I went to packages.debian.org, and there it was, I downloaded it from ftp.de.debian.org.
So, the question is, why doesn't kpackage list that package (and many more) even if the mirror is inside sources.list?
Thank you!

Did you do a

Code:

apt-get update

after changing the sources.list file?

Also don't use kpackage as I'm not sure how well it integrates with the package management system. Use synaptic or aptitude (or plain apt-get command line) to install applications.

Also you need to specify "contrib non-free" after "main" to get all available packages.