Re: dpkg --force-depends causes problems for apt-get later

["D G Teed" <donald.teed@gmail.com>]

Hey, thanks a bunch, Dwayne.

equivs was exactly the sort of solution I hoped
existed.  I knew Debian had a rational fix
for this but had never used equivs before.

First I had to uninstall lgtoclnt so that apt-get
would let me do things.

Then I installed equivs: apt-get install equivs

Then I build a simple controlfile:
====================================
# cat xlibs.ctl
Section: X11
Package: xlibs
Version: 4.1.1
Provides: xlibs
Description: Xlibs dummy package
This package provides dpkg with the information that
there is a xlibs package installed.
.
Now installing lgtoclnt will not push for X support
====================================

Then I build a dummy package:  equivs-build xlibs.ctl
And finally: dpkg -i xlibs_4.1.1_all.deb
dpkg -i lgtoclnt_6.1-2_i386.deb

dpkg -l shows that the package is not real:

# dpkg -l | grep xlib
ii  xlibs          4.1.1          Xlibs dummy package


--Donald Teed


On 8/19/06, Dwayne C. Litzenberger <dlitz@dlitz.net> wrote:
> The --patch option for alien might also help you build a lgtoclnt package
> that doesn't include the X clients.
>
> Alternatively, the 'equivs' package might help.  It will let you build and
> install a fake package that Provides: xlibs.  However, keep in mind that if
> you *do* decide to install X later, you'll have to install the real
> versions of whatever packages you faked with equivs.
>
> On Fri, Aug 18, 2006 at 11:40:58PM -0300, D G Teed wrote:
> >Howdy,
> >
> >I have a package I've installed by alien for
> >legato networker backup client.  It comes
> >with X versions of the client, which I
> >don't need. Therefore I want the install to
> >ignore the xlibs and other dependancies.
> >
> ># dpkg --force-depends -i lgtoclnt_6.1-2_i386.deb
> >(Reading database ... 12716 files and directories currently installed.)
> >Preparing to replace lgtoclnt 6.1-2 (using lgtoclnt_6.1-2_i386.deb) ...
> >Unpacking replacement lgtoclnt ...
> >dpkg: lgtoclnt: dependency problems, but configuring anyway as you request:
> >lgtoclnt depends on libx11-6 | xlibs (>> 4.1.0); however:
> >  Package libx11-6 is not installed.
> >  Package xlibs is not installed.
> >lgtoclnt depends on libxext6 | xlibs (>> 4.1.0); however:
> >  Package libxext6 is not installed.
> >  Package xlibs is not installed.
> >lgtoclnt depends on libxt6 | xlibs (>> 4.1.0); however:
> >  Package libxt6 is not installed.
> >  Package xlibs is not installed.
> >Setting up lgtoclnt (6.1-2) ...
> >
> >That method works, as does doing it with --ignore-depends=xlibs
> >
> >However, later when I want to install anything with apt-get,
> >I get complaints about the previous installation status.
> >e.g.:
> >
> ># apt-get install libncurses4
> >Reading Package Lists... Done
> >Building Dependency Tree... Done
> >You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these:
> >The following packages have unmet dependencies:
> >  lgtoclnt: Depends: libx11-6 but it is not going to be installed or
> >                     xlibs (> 4.1.0) but it is not going to be installed
> >            Depends: libxext6 but it is not going to be installed or
> >                     xlibs (> 4.1.0) but it is not going to be installed
> >            Depends: libxt6 but it is not going to be installed or
> >                     xlibs (> 4.1.0) but it is not going to be installed
> >E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or
> >specify a solution).
> >
> >Of course apt-get -f install would install the whole bloody X-Window
> >system, which I don't want to do on a nice minimal headless server.
> >
> >I'm sure there is a solution to this by hand messaging /etc/apt files
> >or something like it.
> >
> >Anyone with a suggestion other than abusing force and ignore
> >depends switches or installing X?
> >
> >--Donald
> >
> >
> >--
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> >
>
> --
> Dwayne C. Litzenberger <dlitz@dlitz.net>
>
>
> --
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