Bug#998828: apt: man apt_preferences.d wrong definition of priorities

[maxime.deroucy@gmail.com]

On Tue, 2021-11-09 at 15:28 +0100, David Kalnischkies wrote:
> > Records defined
> > using patterns in the Pin field other than "*" are treated like
> > specific-form records.
> [… vs …]
> > Records defined
> > using exactly "Package: *" are general-form, all the other are
> > specific-form records.
> 
> Aren't that two different ways of saying the same thing?
> 
> Could you give an example where the existing definition of
> priorities is wrong while yours is correct as per bug title?

The current statment mention the "Pin" field, but I think it's the
"Package" field.

`Pin: *` isn't valid.

Also the term "generic-form" is only used in this paragraf, while this
kind of record is called "general form" or "general-form" everywhere
else (if the "generic-form" is actualy equivalent to "general-form"…
which I am not 100% sure). It's confusing.

In fact, my proposition is maybe inaccurate ; to be safe it should be :

   The first specific-form record matching an available package version
   determines the priority of the package version. Failing that, the
   priority of the package is defined as the maximum of all priorities
   defined by general-form records matching the version. The difference
   between specific and general-form records are in section "The Effect
   of APT Preferences".
-- 
Regards
Maxime de Roucy