Re: apt-get dist-upgrade wants to remove non-installed packages

[hugo vanwoerkom <hvw59601@care2.com>]

hugo vanwoerkom wrote:
> Vincent Lefevre wrote:
<snip>
> I don't understand it either. I have as only entry in preferences:
>
> Package: *
> Pin: origin schuldei.org
> Pin-Priority: 999
>
> My X packages come from there:
>
> deb /http://www.schuldei.org/debian/bruby/ ./
>
> Yet, here too, apt-get dist-upgrade -s gets:
>
> [...]
> Inst x-window-system [4.3.0-0pre1v3] (4.3.0-7 Debian:testing)
> [...]
>
> But apt-cache policy gets:
>
> Package Files:
>  100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
>      release a=now
>  500 http://security.debian.org stable/updates/contrib Packages
>      release v=3.0,o=Debian,a=stable,l=Debian-Security,c=updates/contrib
>      origin security.debian.org
>  500 http://security.debian.org stable/updates/main Packages
>      release v=3.0,o=Debian,a=stable,l=Debian-Security,c=updates/main
>      origin security.debian.org
>  500 /http://www.schuldei.org ./ Packages
>      origin www.schuldei.org
>  500 file: sarge/contrib Packages
>      release o=Debian,a=testing,l=Debian,c=contrib
> [...]
>
> The apt that is installed is:
>
> ii  apt            0.5.23         Advanced front-end for dpkg
>
> However, I did this very thing on the 29th of March and everything went 
> OK. I have a backup of just before that upgrade ;-) gotten burned once 
> too often. I will restore it and see what apt that had...

AND... this is what it had:

1. the same apt:
ii  apt            0.5.23         Advanced front-end for dpkg

2. the same dumb output from apt-get dist-upgrade -s:
[...]
Inst x-window-system-core [4.3.0-0pre1v3] (4.3.0-7 Debian:testing)
[...]

3. the same output from policy:
Package Files:
 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     release a=now
 500 http://security.debian.org stable/updates/contrib Packages
     release v=3.0,o=Debian,a=stable,l=Debian-Security,c=updates/contrib
     origin security.debian.org
 500 http://security.debian.org stable/updates/main Packages
     release v=3.0,o=Debian,a=stable,l=Debian-Security,c=updates/main
     origin security.debian.org
 500 /http://www.schuldei.org ./ Packages
     origin www.schuldei.org
 500 file: sarge/main Packages
     release o=Debian,a=testing,l=Debian,c=main
[...]

But... I DID dist-upgrade and it DID NOT upgrade my X, so it DID NOT 
behave like apt-get dist-upgrade -s and DID behave according to the policy.

Checking bugs in apt... I did not find a bug that says something like 
"apt-get dist-upgrade -s does not really simulate".

My advise ;-) go ahead and do it, but do backup your system beforehand: 
the dist-upgrade WILL NOT upgrade your X.

Hugo