Bug#557322: --exclude='ing essential packages

[Goswin von Brederlow <goswin-v-b@web.de>]

Otavio Salvador <otavio@ossystems.com.br> writes:

> Hello Ivan,
>
> On Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 4:00 AM, Ivan Shmakov <ivan@main.uusia.org> wrote:
>>  OS> To you exclude a package you also need to exclude all one that
>>  OS> depends on it otherwise it will be added back into the installation
>>  OS> list by the dependency resolution code.
>>
>>        Is it really the whole problem?  What other package(s) I should
>>        --exclude= as well considering the case above?
>
> It is added when debootstrap adds the required packages.
>
> I've prepared a patch to allow it to be removed on the required list
> however it is added back in dependency resolution code. I didn't play
> with it to check the package that depends on that and will leave it to
> you.

Please also consider the case of virtual packages. E.g. --exclude
exim4 should not add exim4 back in due to dependencies on
mail-transport-agent. Instead some other MTA should be used, idealy
one added with --include.

MfG
        Goswin