I need to use apt to install a package. I promise never to use apt again for Mandrake but only urpmi if someone will please tell me how to get and install apt for Mandrake. (smile)

Can't you get this package using urpmi? I am sure that Mandrakes version of apt uses the same repositories as urpmi (correct me if I am wrong), so there is no difference whether you use apt or urpmi.

I need to install MythTV which has a bunch of dependencies. I will not be using apt to install MythTV but I want to install an apt package that builds the dependencies. If I can get apt I can do apt-get build-dep mythtv and gather all dependencies at once. The only source I know that has build-dep mythtv is deb-src http://dijkstra.csh.rit.edu/~mdz/debian unstable mythtv.

I see. I am sure there are mythtv rpms somewhere for Mandrake, so doing a search may help.

I believe the MythTV rpms are in the PLF repositories....

And urpmi/rpmdrake handles dependencies like apt-get.

Just so you know you can't acutally install those packages in that link (http://dijkstra.csh.rit.edu/~mdz/debian) on a Mandrake system. They are all debian packages (.deb files), which is completely different from RPM files. Like urpmi the apt on Mandrake is designed to manage repositories of RPM files. The apt on Debian is designed to manage repositories of Debian packages (.deb files). There is a seperation between the repository management tool (urpmi, apt, yum etc.) and the underlying package management system (rpm, dpkg (debian packages) etc)

AFAIK there is no way to install a Debian package on Mandrake or any other RPM based distro.

You can install a debian package on an rpm system an vice versa by converting the packages using "alien". This is not guaranteed to work flawlessly.