Re: Backup package and dpkg (was Re: dpkg-disappear-replace.txt)

[rdm@tad.micro.umn.edu]

Bill Mitchell:
   >        dpkg --install textutils.deb
   >        dpkg --install --force-conflicts elv-fmt.deb
   >        dpkg --install textutils.deb
...
   textutils provides /usr/bin/fmt.  It is (or was?) somewhat broken.
   elv-fmt provides a less broken version.  On this particular
   example, the thread went something like: "solution: fix the
   textutils version", "but what to do while we're waiting for the
   upstream maintainer to get it fixed?".

Ok, but I still don't understand.  What would be different if you had
installed textutils.deb only the second time?

   The reason behind a file from one package being overwritten by that
   same file from another package is immaterial.  The point is that it
   can happen.

My point is, if there is an interface to identify the files which may
have ambiguously originated from one of several packages, it's a
simple matter to explicitly back up these files so that it doesn't
really matter what order dpkg installs the packages.

-- 
Raul