apt pinning confusion
 

Historically, I've always used APT::Default-Release to keep my system
sane with multiple repositories, but recently reinstalled a system
because it was getting very crufty. I'm trying to prevent a similar
recurrence, so I now have:

$ cat /etc/apt/apt.conf
APT::Default-Release "testing";
APT::Cache-Limit "25165824";

$ cat /etc/apt/preferences
Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=testing
Pin-Priority: 800

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=stable
Pin-Priority: 600

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 550

I also have some additional sources (e.g. security.debian.org) which I'm
assuming are handled properly by the apt defaults. My question is, have
I set things up properly to do what I'm expecting?

I'm particularly unclear on whether installing something out of unstable
starts tracking that package out of unstable, or whether it simply adds
the package until an equal or higher version is available in testing.

Lastly, is pinning even really necessary here? How does that help me
over simply setting the default release? In practice, I haven't really
seen a difference yet.

--
"Oh, look: rocks!"
-- Doctor Who, "Destiny of the Daleks"


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apt pinning confusion
 

On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 11:08:38AM -0700, Todd A. Jacobs wrote:
> Historically, I've always used APT::Default-Release to keep my system
> sane with multiple repositories, but recently reinstalled a system
> because it was getting very crufty. I'm trying to prevent a similar
> recurrence, so I now have:
>
> $ cat /etc/apt/apt.conf
> APT::Default-Release "testing";
> APT::Cache-Limit "25165824";
>
> $ cat /etc/apt/preferences
> Package: *
> Pin: release o=Debian, a=testing
> Pin-Priority: 800
>
> Package: *
> Pin: release o=Debian, a=unstable
> Pin-Priority: 700
>
> Package: *
> Pin: release o=Debian, a=stable
> Pin-Priority: 600
>
> Package: *
> Pin: release o=Debian, a=experimental
> Pin-Priority: 550

your numbers seem very high my preferences is
package: *
pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 100


package: *
pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 50


>
> I also have some additional sources (e.g. security.debian.org) which I'm
> assuming are handled properly by the apt defaults. My question is, have
> I set things up properly to do what I'm expecting?
>
> I'm particularly unclear on whether installing something out of unstable
> starts tracking that package out of unstable, or whether it simply adds
> the package until an equal or higher version is available in testing.
>
> Lastly, is pinning even really necessary here? How does that help me
> over simply setting the default release? In practice, I haven't really
> seen a difference yet.
>
> --
> "Oh, look: rocks!"
> -- Doctor Who, "Destiny of the Daleks"
>
>
> --
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-REQUEST@lists.debian.org
> with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org
>
>

--
My favorite sandwich is peanut butter, baloney, cheddar cheese, lettuce
and mayonnaise on toasted bread with catsup on the side.
-- Senator Hubert Humphrey

apt pinning confusion
 

Alex Samad wrote:

On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 11:08:38AM -0700, Todd A. Jacobs wrote:

Historically, I've always used APT::Default-Release to keep my system
sane with multiple repositories, but recently reinstalled a system
because it was getting very crufty. I'm trying to prevent a similar
recurrence, so I now have:

$ cat /etc/apt/apt.conf
APT::Default-Release "testing";
APT::Cache-Limit "25165824";

$ cat /etc/apt/preferences
Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=testing
Pin-Priority: 800

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=stable
Pin-Priority: 600

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian, a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 550


your numbers seem very high my preferences is
package: *
pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 100


package: *
pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 50




I also have some additional sources (e.g. security.debian.org) which I'm
assuming are handled properly by the apt defaults. My question is, have
I set things up properly to do what I'm expecting?


I'm particularly unclear on whether installing something out of unstable
starts tracking that package out of unstable, or whether it simply adds
the package until an equal or higher version is available in testing.

Lastly, is pinning even really necessary here? How does that help me
over simply setting the default release? In practice, I haven't really
seen a difference yet.

--
"Oh, look: rocks!"
-- Doctor Who, "Destiny of the Daleks"


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The number range -1 thru 1000+ is perfectly acceptable. Excerpt from:

# man 5 apt_preferences

P > 1000
causes an instance to be installed even if this constitutes a
downgrade of the package


990 < P <=1000
causes an instance to be installed even if it does not come from
the target release, unless the installed instance is more recent

500 < P <=990
causes an instance to be installed unless there is an instance
available belonging to the target release or the installed version is
more recent


100 < P <=500
causes an instance to be installed unless there is an instance
available belonging to some other distribution or the installed
version is more recent

0 <= P <=100
causes an instance to be installed only if there is no installed
instance of the package

P < 0 prevents the instance from being installed

-

Hope that helps.

Regards,
Jaime


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apt pinning confusion
 

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 01:59:19PM +1000, Jaime Tarrant wrote:
> Alex Samad wrote:
>> On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 11:08:38AM -0700, Todd A. Jacobs wrote:

[snip]

>>>
>>> Package: *
>>> Pin: release o=Debian, a=experimental
>>> Pin-Priority: 550
>>
>> your numbers seem very high my preferences is
>> package: *
>> pin:
>> release a=unstable
>>
>> Pin-Priority: 100
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> package: *
>>
>> pin: release
>> a=experimental
>> Pin-Priority: 50
>>
>>

[snip]

>>> To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-REQUEST@lists.debian.org with a
>>> subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact
>>> listmaster@lists.debian.org
>>>
>>>
>>
>
> The number range -1 thru 1000+ is perfectly acceptable. Excerpt from:
>
> # man 5 apt_preferences
>
> P > 1000
> causes an instance to be installed even if this constitutes a
> downgrade of the package
>
> 990 < P <=1000
> causes an instance to be installed even if it does not come from
> the target release, unless the installed instance is more recent
>
> 500 < P <=990
> causes an instance to be installed unless there is an instance
> available belonging to the target release or the installed version is
> more recent
>
> 100 < P <=500
> causes an instance to be installed unless there is an instance
> available belonging to some other distribution or the installed
> version is more recent
>
> 0 <= P <=100
> causes an instance to be installed only if there is no installed
> instance of the package
>
> P < 0 prevents the instance from being installed
>
> -
>
> Hope that helps.
yeah new about that, my meaning was more along the lines of if you are
trying to follow testing then the number he picked might be a bit high
550 for experimental ?
>
> Regards,
> Jaime
>
>
> --
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-REQUEST@lists.debian.org with a
> subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org
>
>

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I'd put my money where my mouth is, but my mouth keeps moving.
-- Larry Wall in <199704051723.JAA28035@wall.org>

apt pinning confusion
 

Alex Samad wrote:

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 01:59:19PM +1000, Jaime Tarrant wrote:

Alex Samad wrote:

On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 11:08:38AM -0700, Todd A. Jacobs wrote:


[snip]


[snip]

yeah new about that, my meaning was more along the lines of if you are
trying to follow testing then the number he picked might be a bit high
550 for experimental ?

Regards,
Jaime


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Ahh yes, agreed.

Anyway, to answer OP's question about the difference between apt.conf
and the preferences file, basically the target release entry in apt.conf
tells apt to track the specified release (i.e Testing in the OP's
example), and otherwise operate using apts defaults. The preferences
file allows you to override apts default behaviour - at least that's how
I understand it.



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