Bug#747191: apt: downgrade does nothing + confusing output

To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>
Subject: Bug#747191: apt: downgrade does nothing + confusing output
From: Vincent Lefevre <vincent@vinc17.net>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2014 11:17:02 +0200
Message-id: <[🔎] 20140506091702.GA9403@ypig.lip.ens-lyon.fr>
Reply-to: Vincent Lefevre <vincent@vinc17.net>, 747191@bugs.debian.org
Package: apt
Version: 1.0.3
Severity: normal

ypig:~> apt-show-versions -a gdm3
gdm3:amd64 3.8.4-7 install ok installed
gdm3:amd64 3.4.1-8  wheezy       ftp.fr.debian.org
gdm3:amd64 3.8.4-6  testing      ftp.fr.debian.org
gdm3:amd64 3.8.4-7  unstable     ftp.fr.debian.org
gdm3:amd64 3.12.0-1 experimental ftp.fr.debian.org
gdm3:amd64/unstable 3.8.4-7 uptodate

# apt-get install gdm3/testing
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Selected version '3.8.4-6' (Debian:testing [amd64]) for 'gdm3'
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-doc-3.10 linux-doc-3.12 linux-image-3.10-3-amd64
  linux-image-3.12-1-amd64
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  gdm3
Suggested packages:
  gnome-orca
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 21 not upgraded.

I'm wondering why it says:

Selected version '3.8.4-6' (Debian:testing [amd64]) for 'gdm3'

and

The following extra packages will be installed:
  gdm3

since it does nothing. Adding the --reinstall option has no effect
at all.

Similar problem with "-t testing" and with "gdm3=3.8.4-6".

According to

  http://askubuntu.com/questions/138284/how-to-downgrade-a-package-via-apt-get

it should work.

-- Package-specific info:

-- apt-config dump --

APT "";
APT::Architecture "amd64";
APT::Build-Essential "";
APT::Build-Essential:: "build-essential";
APT::Install-Recommends "1";
APT::Install-Suggests "0";
APT::Authentication "";
APT::Authentication::TrustCDROM "true";
APT::NeverAutoRemove "";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^firmware-linux.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-firmware$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-headers-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-headers-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-extra-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-extra-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-signed-image-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-signed-image-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-image-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-image-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-headers-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-headers-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach-image-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach-image-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-modules-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-modules-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-kernel-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-kernel-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-backports-modules-.*-3\.13-1-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-backports-modules-.*-3\.14-1-amd64$";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages "";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-headers";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-image-extra";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-signed-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "kfreebsd-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "kfreebsd-headers";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "gnumach-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-modules";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-kernel";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-backports-modules-.*";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-tools";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections "";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "restricted/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "universe/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "multiverse/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "restricted/oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "universe/oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "multiverse/oldlibs";
APT::Cache-Limit "67108864";
APT::Update "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "test -x /usr/bin/apt-show-versions || exit 0 ; apt-show-versions -i";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "[ ! -f /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket ] || /usr/bin/dbus-send --system --dest=org.debian.apt --type=signal /org/debian/apt org.debian.apt.CacheChanged || true";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "/usr/bin/test -e /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.PackageKit.service && /usr/bin/test -S /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket && /usr/bin/gdbus call --system --dest org.freedesktop.PackageKit --object-path /org/freedesktop/PackageKit --timeout 4 --method org.freedesktop.PackageKit.StateHasChanged cache-update > /dev/null; /bin/echo > /dev/null";
APT::Architectures "";
APT::Architectures:: "amd64";
APT::Architectures:: "i386";
APT::Compressor "";
APT::Compressor::. "";
APT::Compressor::.::Name ".";
APT::Compressor::.::Extension "";
APT::Compressor::.::Binary "";
APT::Compressor::.::Cost "1";
APT::Compressor::gzip "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Name "gzip";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Extension ".gz";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Binary "gzip";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Cost "2";
APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg:: "-9n";
APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::bzip2 "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Name "bzip2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Extension ".bz2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Binary "bzip2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Cost "3";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg:: "-9";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::xz "";
APT::Compressor::xz::Name "xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Extension ".xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Binary "xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Cost "4";
APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg:: "-6";
APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::lzma "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Name "lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Extension ".lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Binary "xz";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Cost "5";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "--format=lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "-9";
APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg:: "--format=lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg:: "-d";
Dir "/";
Dir::State "var/lib/apt/";
Dir::State::lists "lists/";
Dir::State::cdroms "cdroms.list";
Dir::State::mirrors "mirrors/";
Dir::State::extended_states "extended_states";
Dir::State::status "/var/lib/dpkg/status";
Dir::Cache "var/cache/apt/";
Dir::Cache::archives "archives/";
Dir::Cache::srcpkgcache "srcpkgcache.bin";
Dir::Cache::pkgcache "pkgcache.bin";
Dir::Etc "etc/apt/";
Dir::Etc::sourcelist "sources.list";
Dir::Etc::sourceparts "sources.list.d";
Dir::Etc::vendorlist "vendors.list";
Dir::Etc::vendorparts "vendors.list.d";
Dir::Etc::main "apt.conf";
Dir::Etc::netrc "auth.conf";
Dir::Etc::parts "apt.conf.d";
Dir::Etc::preferences "preferences";
Dir::Etc::preferencesparts "preferences.d";
Dir::Etc::trusted "trusted.gpg";
Dir::Etc::trustedparts "trusted.gpg.d";
Dir::Bin "";
Dir::Bin::methods "/usr/lib/apt/methods";
Dir::Bin::solvers "";
Dir::Bin::solvers:: "/usr/lib/apt/solvers";
Dir::Bin::dpkg "/usr/bin/dpkg";
Dir::Bin::bzip2 "/bin/bzip2";
Dir::Bin::xz "/usr/bin/xz";
Dir::Bin::lzma "/usr/bin/xz";
Dir::Media "";
Dir::Media::MountPath "/media/apt";
Dir::Log "var/log/apt";
Dir::Log::Terminal "term.log";
Dir::Log::History "history.log";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently "";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "~$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.disabled$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.bak$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.dpkg-[a-z]+$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.save$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.orig$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.distUpgrade$";
Acquire "";
Acquire::cdrom "";
Acquire::cdrom::mount "/media/cdrom/";
Acquire::Languages "";
Acquire::Languages:: "en";
Acquire::Languages:: "none";
DPkg "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/apt-listbugs apt";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/apt-listbugs apt -T security -s all";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/bin/apt-listchanges --apt";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";
DPkg::Tools "";
DPkg::Tools::Options "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/sbin/apt-listbugs "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/sbin/apt-listbugs::Version "3";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/sbin/apt-listbugs::InfoFD "20";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges::Version "2";
DPkg::Post-Invoke "";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "/usr/bin/test -e /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.PackageKit.service && /usr/bin/test -S /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket && /usr/bin/gdbus call --system --dest org.freedesktop.PackageKit --object-path /org/freedesktop/PackageKit --timeout 4 --method org.freedesktop.PackageKit.StateHasChanged cache-update > /dev/null; /bin/echo > /dev/null";
AptListbugs "";
AptListbugs::Severities "critical,grave,serious";
AptListbugs::IgnoreRegexp "FTBFS";
Aptitude "";
Aptitude::UI "";
Aptitude::UI::Package-Display-Format "%c%a%M %p %Z %24v %24V";
Unattended-Upgrade "";
Unattended-Upgrade::Origins-Pattern "";
Unattended-Upgrade::Origins-Pattern:: "origin=Debian,archive=${distro_codename},label=Debian-Security";
CommandLine "";
CommandLine::AsString "apt-config dump";

-- (no /etc/apt/preferences present) --


-- /etc/apt/sources.list --

# 
# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Squeeze_ - Official Snapshot amd64 NETINST Binary-1 20100103-21:31]/ squeeze main

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Squeeze_ - Official Snapshot amd64 NETINST Binary-1 20100103-21:31]/ squeeze main

deb http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ wheezy main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ wheezy main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free

deb http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free

deb http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free

deb http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ experimental main
deb-src http://ftp.fr.debian.org/debian/ experimental main

#deb http://mozilla.debian.net/ experimental iceweasel-aurora

-- System Information:
Debian Release: jessie/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 3.14-1-amd64 (SMP w/8 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=POSIX, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages apt depends on:
ii  debian-archive-keyring  2012.4
ii  gnupg                   1.4.16-1.1
ii  libapt-pkg4.12          1.0.3
ii  libc6                   2.18-5
ii  libgcc1                 1:4.9.0-2
ii  libstdc++6              4.9.0-2

apt recommends no packages.

Versions of packages apt suggests:
ii  apt-doc     1.0.3
ii  aptitude    0.6.10-1
ii  dpkg-dev    1.17.9
ii  python-apt  0.9.3.6
ii  synaptic    0.81.1

-- no debconf information
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