On Sun, Oct 26, 2025 at 12:25:43 -0700, Van Snyder wrote:
I would have expected "dpkg --add-architecture i386" followed by "apt
update" and "apt install libgtk2\*" to install the i386 version (and
dependencies). But it didn't.
I had to run "apt install libgtk2\*:i386".
What's the point of "dpkg --add-architecture i386" if it doesn't really
add that architecture?
On a system with multiple architectures available, the vast majority
of your packages are still going to be the ones for your primary
architecture. You wouldn't install multiple versions of coreutils
or bash or whatever. That wouldn't even be possible.
When you install a new package, it'll be for your primary architecture
unless you explicitly request a secondary architecture.
"dpkg --add-architecture" gives you the ability to install packages
for a secondary architecture. It doesn't mean EVERY package you install
from that point onward will be for the secondary arch.
Thanks for that clarification — which I didn't see in any of the usual places online.
If I had not done "dpkg --add-architecture i386" and then did "apt install libgtk2\*:i386", would it have installed?