Re: Use of dpkg --set-selections is brain-dead?

[Kevin Buhr <buhr+debian@asaurus.net>]

"Mumia W." <mumia.w.18.spam+nospam@earthlink.net> writes:
>
> The man-page for dpkg suggests that Michael's method should have
> worked:
>
>> dpkg --set-selections
>>        Set package selections using file read from stdin.
>
> Notice that additional parameters are not required, and the input
> comes from stdin.

I was talking about "dpkg --get-selections", not "dpkg
--set-selections".

To be more explicit, "3dchess" is currently purged from my system.
Now, watch and be amazed:

     # dpkg --get-selections | egrep 3dchess
     # dpkg --get-selections 3dchess
     3dchess                                         purge
     # echo '3dchess install' | dpkg --set-selections
     # dpkg --get-selections | egrep 3dchess
     # dpkg --get-selections 3dchess
     3dchess                                         install
     #

You'll note that, even after "3dchess" has been selected for
installation, it will not be listed by:

        dpkg --get-selections

because that doesn't list purged packages, even ones ready to be
installed.  Instead, you must instead explicitly write:

        dpkg --get-selections 3dchess

to verify that the selection status of this package has changed.

-- 
Kevin <buhr+debian@asaurus.net>