First post to list: Make .deb archive available to dselect?

["Robin Collins" <robin.c.collins@cwcom.net>]

Hi,

I've recently started using Debian after some time with SuSE and am finding
lots about Debian I like better, not the least is dpkg/dselect/apt.

One thing I've done is to accumulate a number of updated packages off the
Web which replace those on the potato CD.  I now want to re-install on a
second machine from scratch and wonder how I can have dselect recognise the
accumulated .debs.  As far as I can see I need to create a Package.gz for
dselect's benefit but don't really know where to look for information on how
to do this.

Is it possible?

Cheers,
Robin Collins