APT Pinning not working as expected

kushalkoolwal · 03-09-2006, 07:19 PM

I decided to track stable debian along with etch(testing) and here is my /etc/apt/preferences file:

Code:

Package: *
Pin: release a=sarge
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release a=etch
Pin-Priority: 600

Now, I tried to installed the package 'bootcd' by simply giving
apt-get install bootcd

and next I see is that, apt-get downloads the package from etch rather then stable.

According to this tutotrial, it should have donwloaded from stable
http://jaqque.sbih.org/kplug/apt-pinning.html

The above tutorial says:

Code:

To install a new package, it is just as it ever was, apt-get install <package>. If the package exists in Stable, then that is what it will grab. If the package exists only in Unstable, then from Unstable it will be gotten.

What if the package exists in both Stable and Unstable, but we want the Unstable version? There are two ways we can do that, each with a slightly different syntax, and each with a slightly different effect.
apt-get install <package>/unstable

This will install the unstable version of the package, and try to meet any dependencies from Stable. This may not work, but it will tell you why:

Now the bootcd package is in both stable and testing, then why did it get downloaded from testing??

Thanks

lavluda · 03-09-2006, 11:01 PM

yea, it's true, you are giving priority to stable. But i think the bootcd is much latest in testing then the bootcd of stable. That's why it's taking the bootcd from testing. Can you please inform the booth version of bootcd ?

dracae · 03-09-2006, 11:36 PM

What is the output of
apt-cache policy bootcd

kushalkoolwal · 03-10-2006, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dracae

What is the output of
apt-cache policy bootcd

Following is the output of apt-cache policy bootcd

Code:

bootcd:
  Installed: 2.52
  Candidate: 2.52
  Version Table:
 *** 2.52 0
        500 http://mirrors.kernel.org etch/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.48 0
        500 http://mirrors.kernel.org sarge/main Packages

dracae · 03-10-2006, 06:18 PM

Make sure that the preferences file is spelled correctly and make sure you run apt-get update

Pinning is more for specific packages, to set the default release add to /etc/apt/apt.conf

Code:

APT::Default-Release "sarge";

To install from testing use the -t switch
apt-get -t etch install bootcd

kushalkoolwal · 03-10-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dracae

Make sure that the preferences file is spelled correctly and make sure you run apt-get update

Yes it is spelled correctly and I run apt-get update everytime

Quote:

Pinning is more for specific packages, to set the default release add to /etc/apt/apt.conf

Code:

APT::Default-Release "sarge";

To install from testing use the -t switch
apt-get -t etch install bootcd

Yes I will add those line in the apt.conf file and see if it still downloads packages from etch instead of stable.

EDIT: Also of Pinning is specific to package, then why did the specific package bootcd got installed from etch.

Thanks

kushalkoolwal · 03-11-2006, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kushalkoolwal

Yes it is spelled correctly and I run apt-get update everytime

Yes I will add those line in the apt.conf file and see if it still downloads packages from etch instead of stable.

EDIT: Also of Pinning is specific to package, then why did the specific package bootcd got installed from etch.

Thanks

Well I went one step ahead. I changed all the instances of Sarge with Stable and Etch with testing in the /etc/apt/preferences, /etc/apt/sources.lst, /etc/apt/apt.conf. And now apt-get downloads package from stable instead of testing.

How do you explain this???

According to Debian Doc, Stable is just a pointer to Sarge and it should not matter what name you give?

dracae · 03-12-2006, 01:31 AM

Is it case sensitive?

kushalkoolwal · 03-12-2006, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dracae

Is it case sensitive?

No, I mean in all my 3 files, I had written sarge and etch written everywhere which I changed to stable and testing respectively.

So For e.g. earlier my file /etc/apt/preferences was

Code:

Package: *
Pin: release a=sarge
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release a=etch
Pin-Priority: 600

and now it is

Code:

Package: *
Pin: release a=stable
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 600

I know this should not make any difference theoritically, but it works in this case. I don't know how?

kushalkoolwal · 03-12-2006, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kushalkoolwal

No, I mean in all my 3 files, I had written sarge and etch written everywhere which I changed to stable and testing respectively.

So For e.g. earlier my file /etc/apt/preferences was

Code:

Package: *
Pin: release a=sarge
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release a=etch
Pin-Priority: 600

and now it is

Code:

Package: *
Pin: release a=stable
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 600

I know this should not make any difference theoritically, but it works in this case. I don't know how?

Ok guys, it is confirmed that that /etc/apt/preferences file does not work with aliases "sarge", "etch". It only works if you put stable and testing. This is so strange. Isn't it??

kushalkoolwal · 03-13-2006, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kushalkoolwal

Ok guys, it is confirmed that that /etc/apt/preferences file does not work with aliases "sarge", "etch". It only works if you put stable and testing. This is so strange. Isn't it??

Any takers???