Apt pinning dos not work

[Sam Morris <sam@robots.org.uk>]

Hi folks, I am wondering why I am unable to use apt pinning when I 
specify an exact package name in /etc/apt/preferences.

If I specify the wildcard '*' as the package:

> Package: *
> Pin: origin www.fbriere.net
> Pin-Priority: -1

then I get the desired result:

> $ apt-cache policy vmware
> vmware:
>   Installed: 5.5.1-19175-1
>   Candidate: 5.5.1-19175-1
>   Version table:
>      1:0fbriere.1 0
>          -1 http://www.fbriere.net  Packages
>  *** 5.5.1-19175-1 0
>         100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

However, if I specify 'vmware' as the package name:

> Package: vmware
> Pin: origin www.fbriere.net
> Pin-Priority: -1

then the pin no longer sticks:

> $ apt-cache policy vmware
> vmware:
>   Installed: 5.5.1-19175-1
>   Candidate: 1:0fbriere.1
>   Package pin: 1:0fbriere.1
>   Version table:
>      1:0fbriere.1 -1
>         500 http://www.fbriere.net  Packages
>  *** 5.5.1-19175-1 -1
>         100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

I notice also that the number after the version number of the output of 
apt-cache policy changes to '-1'... the man page for apt-cache does not 
explain what it means. This is the first time I have seen it displaying 
anything other than '0'. Anyone know what this means?

Regards,

--
Sam Morris
http://robots.org.uk/

PGP key id 5EA01078
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