Bug#617445: source order documentation vs. apt-cache policy
jidanni@jidanni.org writes:
> Package: apt
> Version: 0.8.11.5
> Severity: wishlist
>
> SOURCES.LIST(5):
>
> It is important to list sources in order of preference, with the most
> preferred source listed first. Typically this will result in sorting by
> speed from fastest to slowest (CD-ROM followed by hosts on a local
> network, followed by distant Internet hosts, for example).
>
> Some examples:
>
> deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
> deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
>
> Lies! Proof: apt-cache policy openoffice.org shows a different order,
> and then a even different order when given no package argument.
> Therefore several things are messed up or not documented on that page.
What exactly is your complaint here?
[ ] Version/Pining is more important than the order in sources.list
[ ] apt-cache policy lists sources in reverse order of sources.list
The order of sources.list is important only when package+version that
policy decided to use is available from more than one source. Only then
the source listed first is used. So in the example above packages would
be preferably downloaded from ftp.debian.org if and only if both
ftp.debian.org and security.debian.org have the package.
> cd /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
> cat *.list; apt-cache policy openoffice.org; apt-cache policy
> deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free
> deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian experimental main contrib non-free
> deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
> openoffice.org:
> Installed: (none)
> Candidate: 1:3.3.0-6
> Version table:
> 1:3.3.0-6 0
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ unstable/main i386 Packages
> 1:3.2.1-11+squeeze2 0
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ testing/main i386 Packages
> Package files:
> 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
> release a=now
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ unstable/non-free i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=unstable,n=sid,l=Debian,c=non-free
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ unstable/contrib i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=unstable,n=sid,l=Debian,c=contrib
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ unstable/main i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=unstable,n=sid,l=Debian,c=main
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 1 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ experimental/non-free i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=experimental,n=experimental,l=Debian,c=non-free
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 1 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ experimental/contrib i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=experimental,n=experimental,l=Debian,c=contrib
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 1 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ experimental/main i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=experimental,n=experimental,l=Debian,c=main
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ testing/non-free i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=testing,n=wheezy,l=Debian,c=non-free
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ testing/contrib i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=testing,n=wheezy,l=Debian,c=contrib
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> 500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ testing/main i386 Packages
> release o=Debian,a=testing,n=wheezy,l=Debian,c=main
> origin ftp.us.debian.org
> Pinned packages:
>
> Also APT-CACHE(8):
> policy [ pkg(s) ]
> policy is meant to help debug issues relating to the preferences
> file. With no arguments it will print out the priorities of each
> source. Otherwise it prints out detailed information about the
> priority selection of the named package.
>
> should give more details about why the two's orders might be different.
>
> Also it is a mystery about how plain "apt-cache policy" sorts its
> output!
Seems to be just reverse order of what your sources.list has.
MfG
Goswin
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