Hi,

I've struggled with this issue for hours and gotten no help from
Manpages, nor IRC. So if someone could help me and CC me on their reply
(as I am not subscribed), I would be very grateful.


I am running a Debian Squeeze system. I want to install selected
packages from debian-multimedia and grml on it. Furthermore, I don't
trust Opera Software ASA completely, and therefore want to make sure no
packages of theirs are installed over packages available from anywhere
else. As a secondary goal, I want to use my ISP's mirror whereever
possible, to avoid unnecessary internet traffic. Allow me to post my
attempts to configure this:


=== Begin /etc/apt/sources.list ===
deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/debian sid main
deb http://deb.opera.com/opera/ squeeze non-free
deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/debian-multimedia.org squeeze main
deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/www.grml.org/deb.grml.org/ grml-testing main
=== End /etc/apt/sources.list ===
=== Begin /etc/apt/preferences ===
Package: *
Pin: release o=The grml project
Pin-Priority: 400

Package: *
Pin: release o=Unofficial Multimedia Packages
Pin-Priority: 400

Package: *
Pin: origin deb.opera.com
Pin-Priority: 300
=== End /etc/apt/preferences ===
=== Begin output of apt-cache policy ===
Package files:
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
release a=now
400 http://mirror.netcologne.de grml-testing/main Packages
release o=The grml project,a=grml-testing,n=grml-testing,l=grml,c=main
origin mirror.netcologne.de
500 http://mirror.netcologne.de squeeze/main Translation-en_US
990 http://mirror.netcologne.de squeeze/main Packages
release v=None,o=Unofficial Multimedia
Packages,a=testing,n=squeeze,l=Unofficial Multimedia Packages,c=main

origin mirror.netcologne.de
990 http://deb.opera.com squeeze/non-free Packages
release o=Opera Software ASA,a=testing,n=squeeze,l=The Opera web
browser,c=non-free

origin deb.opera.com
500 http://mirror.netcologne.de sid/main Packages
release o=Debian,a=unstable,n=sid,l=Debian,c=main
origin mirror.netcologne.de
990 http://mirror.netcologne.de squeeze/non-free Packages
release o=Debian,a=testing,n=squeeze,l=Debian,c=non-free
origin mirror.netcologne.de
990 http://mirror.netcologne.de squeeze/contrib Packages
release o=Debian,a=testing,n=squeeze,l=Debian,c=contrib
origin mirror.netcologne.de
990 http://mirror.netcologne.de squeeze/main Packages
release o=Debian,a=testing,n=squeeze,l=Debian,c=main
origin mirror.netcologne.de
Pinned packages:
=== End output of apt-cache policy ===

As you can see, I failed miserably. The very same method that works fine
for the grml packages, fails for the debian-multimedia packages. I have
also tried "l=" instead of "o=", as well as copy&pasting the complete
release line from the output of apt-cache policy. I have tried using
double quote characters. I have tried changing the order of grml and
debian-multimedia in the preferences file. I have run aptitude update or
apt-get update after every change. Nothing works.


For Opera, I have not invested quite as much effort, especially since I
specifically want the "origin" feature, not the "release" feature, to
work here; however, "release o=Opera Software ASA" also does not work,
nor does adding double-quotes around "deb.opera.com".


So if anyone understands APT pinning... please help me!

Regards,
Michael

PS Again, please CC me, I am not subscribed to this list.


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On Wednesday 27 January 2010 14:41:00 Michael Goetze wrote:
> I've struggled with this issue for hours and gotten no help from
> Manpages, nor IRC. So if someone could help me and CC me on their reply
> (as I am not subscribed), I would be very grateful.

Try here: http://wiki.debian.org/AptPreferences
And then review my personal setup: http://iguanasuicide.net/node/4

(apt-cache policy) is good for reviewing your active pinning and gives some
information you might find useful for writing the best "Pin:" line.

(apt-cache policy $package) is also good for individual packages.

Any specific questions after that, you can contact me via PM and I also watch
the list.
--
Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. ,= ,-_-. =.
bss@iguanasuicide.net ((_/)o o(\_))
ICQ: 514984 YM/AIM: DaTwinkDaddy `-'(. .)`-'
http://iguanasuicide.net/ \_/

On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 9:41 PM, Michael Goetze <mgoetze@mgoetze.net> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've struggled with this issue for hours and gotten no help from Manpages,
> nor IRC. So if someone could help me and CC me on their reply (as I am not
> subscribed), I would be very grateful.
>
> I am running a Debian Squeeze system. I want to install selected packages
> from debian-multimedia and grml on it. Furthermore, I don't trust Opera
> Software ASA completely, and therefore want to make sure no packages of
> theirs are installed over packages available from anywhere else. As a
> secondary goal, I want to use my ISP's mirror whereever possible, to avoid
> unnecessary internet traffic. Allow me to post my attempts to configure
> this:
>
> === Begin /etc/apt/sources.list ===
> deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
> deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/debian sid main
> deb http://deb.opera.com/opera/ squeeze non-free
> deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/debian-multimedia.org squeeze main
> deb http://mirror.netcologne.de/www.grml.org/deb.grml.org/ grml-testing main
> === End /etc/apt/sources.list ===
> === Begin /etc/apt/preferences ===
> Package: *
> Pin: release o=The grml project
> Pin-Priority: 400
>
> Package: *
> Pin: release o=Unofficial Multimedia Packages
Does help Pin: release o=Unofficial* ?

I don't sure, maybe this is a space character issue ? Did you test with quotes ?

Regards,


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Hi Boyd,

Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. wrote:
Any specific questions after that, you can contact me via PM and I also watch
the list.


I'm sorry to say your answer didn't help me. I thought the questions in
my original message were already quite specific and demonstrated that I
had understood the basic principles set forth in your answer. Perhaps
you could have another look at what I wrote previously and give me some
more specific advice?


Thanks,
Michael


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Hi Javier,

> Does help Pin: release o=Unofficial* ?
>
> I don't sure, maybe this is a space character issue ? Did you test
with quotes ?


Unfortunately, the suggested line doesn't help. As I already wrote:

> I have also tried "l=" instead of "o=", as well as copy&pasting the
> complete release line from the output of apt-cache policy. I have
> tried using double quote characters.

Regards,
Michael

PS Please CC me on replies...


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In <4B60A4DC.2030405@mgoetze.net>, Michael Goetze wrote:
>I've struggled with this issue for hours and gotten no help from
>Manpages, nor IRC. So if someone could help me and CC me on their reply
>(as I am not subscribed), I would be very grateful.
>
>=== Begin /etc/apt/preferences ===
[...]
>Package: *
>Pin: release o=Unofficial Multimedia Packages
>Pin-Priority: 400
>
>Package: *
>Pin: origin deb.opera.com
>Pin-Priority: 300
>=== End /etc/apt/preferences ===
>=== Begin output of apt-cache policy ===
>Package files:
[...]
> 990 http://mirror.netcologne.de squeeze/main Packages
> release v=None,o=Unofficial Multimedia
>Packages,a=testing,n=squeeze,l=Unofficial Multimedia Packages,c=main
> origin mirror.netcologne.de
> 990 http://deb.opera.com squeeze/non-free Packages
> release o=Opera Software ASA,a=testing,n=squeeze,l=The Opera web
>browser,c=non-free
> origin deb.opera.com
[...]
>=== End output of apt-cache policy ===
>
>As you can see, I failed miserably. The very same method that works fine
>for the grml packages, fails for the debian-multimedia packages. I have
>also tried "l=" instead of "o=", as well as copy&pasting the complete
>release line from the output of apt-cache policy. I have tried using
>double quote characters. I have tried changing the order of grml and
>debian-multimedia in the preferences file. I have run aptitude update or
>apt-get update after every change. Nothing works.

>For Opera, I have not invested quite as much effort, especially since I
>specifically want the "origin" feature, not the "release" feature, to
>work here; however, "release o=Opera Software ASA" also does not work,
>nor does adding double-quotes around "deb.opera.com".

I think in both these cases you are being bit by having APT:efault-Release
"testing" in /etc/apt/apt.conf(.d). The relevant quote from man 5
apt_preferences is "The target release can be set on the apt-get command line
or in the APT configuration file /etc/apt/apt.conf. Note that this has
precedence over any general priority you set in the /etc/apt/preferences file
described later, but not over specifically pinned packages."

Both the repositories you are having problems with use "a=testing" as part of
their release.
--
Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. ,= ,-_-. =.
bss@iguanasuicide.net ((_/)o o(\_))
ICQ: 514984 YM/AIM: DaTwinkDaddy `-'(. .)`-'
http://iguanasuicide.net/ \_/

Hi Boyd,

I think in both these cases you are being bit by having APT:efault-Release
"testing" in /etc/apt/apt.conf(.d). The relevant quote from man 5
apt_preferences is "The target release can be set on the apt-get command line
or in the APT configuration file /etc/apt/apt.conf. Note that this has
precedence over any general priority you set in the /etc/apt/preferences file
described later, but not over specifically pinned packages."


thanks for the pointer, which has enabled me to solve my problem.

Regards,
Michael


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