Bug#572709: apt: minimial release overrides

[Matt Taggart <taggart@debian.org>]

Package: apt
Version: 0.7.25.3
Severity: wishlist

I prefer to run stable on most machines, pulling additional packages in 
from other releases/locations (mainly backports.org) as required.

If I use

   apt-get install foo/lenny-backports

this means to install the version of foo from lenny-backports, but try to 
resolve dependencies using normal preferences and fail if you can't.

If I use

   apt-get -t lenny-backports install foo

this sets backports to be the default release meaning not just foo but all 
the dependencies will be pulled from backports (if they exist, if not then 
the next preferred release).

What I would like is a way to say "install foo from backports, and use 
normal preferences for dependencies when possible, but if needed for 
version/existance reasons pull in other backports".

Is this possible currently or if not could it be added?

(I suppose this bug applies to aptitude too? I don't know if aptitude has 
it's own implementation of this or somehow depends on apt. Clone the bug if 
necessary.)

Thanks,

-- 
Matt Taggart
taggart@debian.org