Re: lie to apt
> On Wed, Feb 21, 2001 at 10:13:23AM +0000, Jacob Meuser wrote:
> > Is there a way to manually edit the database that says which packages
> > are installed? I set up a small system, using potato, and am adding
> > several packages from source.
alien can turn tgz's into really wimpy debs. or you could build a real
deb file.
There is a "hello" package which is really an example of packing a deb.
So, you could craft a really cheap package which contained your binaries;
you could probably use something like GUItar (a gtk app for making backups
which claims to have a file manager type interface ... mc won't work, I've
tried that) to actually fill it up with carefully crafted pieces.
It's extra trouble but you could set up a 'debianized' build environmant
and then build debs the "normal" way - that would get you both binary and
source debs if you want them. And if following instructions aimed at
developers is easy for you, probably the easier way. (But maybe not easier
than alien)
> > I added stuff like glib-1.2.8, tcl-8.32,
> > tk8.3.2, etc. How can I tell apt that these packages are installed?
> > Or at least make it think the potato version is installed.
Well, you *could* really install the potato version, then apply your own
redirections on them. That's handled in /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives and if
you install lynx-ssl there is a really nice example of it replacing lynx
(because you might, for some reason, want to use the lynx without ssl.)
I use this trick to redirect the SVGA server when I'm replacing it with
some vendor's hacked version to make their card work... because it's really
annoying to forget that you replaced it and have your card not work anymore
when you take the plunge and upgrade. And if the upgrade *claims* it now
covers your card - you still get the new one to try, so you can run it
explicitly.
> You may want to take a close(r) look at apt-cache. I have no idea if I'm
> correct, or if so, how to use it in this method, but it seems like the
> right tool for the job...
I thought apt-cache was for keeping a batch of debs so a bunch of machines
can share them? Anyways I just did an apt-get update and I don't even see
apt-cache in there.
Jacob, let us know if alien does it for you :>
* Heather Stern * star@ many places...
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