[SOLVED] Install more recent WM version than the 1 in Debian's repositories?

Wombat Pete · 04-24-2010, 02:32 PM

1. I'm trying out ratpoison (a windows manager).
It's cool, but a few commands weren't working - I now think that it's because Debian delivered ratpoison 1.4.3 (Feb 2008), while development has issued two more releases (the latest being 1.4.5).
Should I (or should I not) install the later release?

2. IF I do, I need to figure out how to convert the tar.gz to a debian package - I'm sure I'll figure it out, but I wouldn't reject advice, if any were offered!

craigevil · 04-24-2010, 04:13 PM

$ apt-cache policy ratpoison
ratpoison:
Installed: (none)
Candidate: 1.4.5-2
Version table:
1.4.5-2 0
990 http://ftp.debian.org sid/main Packages

1.4.5 is in Testing and in sid. Keep in mind that Debian Stable is just that stable it does not get newer versions. If you want newer packages then you run either testing or Sid.

Wombat Pete · 04-24-2010, 04:19 PM

craigevil, thank you. Yes, I am well aware of that policy and I'm content with it.
Here I'm looking only for specific advice as to a particular situation in which I might want to move to the newer version.

OK, so I could install the 'testing' version of 1.4.5-2?

AlucardZero · 04-24-2010, 04:36 PM

apt-get build-dep ratpoison
add a deb-src line for testing to sources.list
apt-get source -b -t testing ratpoison
Hope you can compile 1.4.5 on Lenny

Wombat Pete · 04-24-2010, 05:02 PM

Thank you.
If it doesn't work, I can always go back - isn't that so?

mark_alfred · 04-24-2010, 06:05 PM

Either the older documentation, or the newer, should work. From the newer documentation, when it states "$ apt-get build-dep foo" ("foo", in your case, would be "ratpoison"), I find that this only works as root, rather than as regular user. Also, I recommend ignoring the "$ dch -i" step (it's only to rename it, which isn't necessary, and just confuses things). Otherwise, the instructions should work. If not, try the instructions from the older documentation -- they'll also work to port the newer ratpoison unto your system.