Re: Simple apt-get question

["Robert A. Jacobs" <r.a.jacobs@home.com>]

* Sean 'Shaleh' Perry <shaleh@valinux.com> [171100 17:16]:
> > 
> > I installed PostgreSQL to work with, and I noticed that it
> > said that it was version 6.5 or so, and to just grab the
> > newer package from the unstable tree.  So my question is,
> > how do I go about grabbing just _one_ package, and of
> > course, any dependencies (as few as possible, I hope.  I
> > have a very slow dial-up connection) from the unstable
> > branch when my /etc/apt.sources.list is set up for the
> > stable tree?
> > 
> 
> you don't.  If you want an unstable package you either:
> 
> a) upgrade to unstable
> 
> b) grab the source from unstable and compile it yourself.  This is fairly
> painless these days.  grab the orig.tar.gz, the dsc and the diff.gz file.  do
> dpkg-source -x foo.dsc.  cd foo-ver.  Look in debian/control.  If there is a
> Build-Depends line, install any packages listed there.  Make sure you have
> fakeroot installed.  Then do dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -us -uc -tc.

I'm fairly new to Debian as well...but I run a few packages from unstable and I did not "upgrade to unstable".

All I did was add the following line to my sources.list:

	deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free

I only use this line when I want to get one or two packages.  Most of the 
time I keep it commented out so Apt ignores it.

Do:

	apt-get update
	apt-get -s install <the package you want> 

-s "simulates" an install so you can see what apt is gonna do.  If you are 
okay with its actions, re-run the command without the -s

	apt-get install <the package you want>

rob jacobs <r.a.jacobs@home.com>
~no witty sig required~