Re: [Synaptic-devel] Synaptic Limitation

[Q]

This is still a problem in other areas too.

If for example I mark several items to install - and one of these has a 
missing dependancy (or some other issue such as a temporarily unavaialble 
repository) instead of simply notifying me that only one of these packages 
cannot be installed, it will refuse to continue to install the rest of my 
selection.

Again the simplest solution would be to generate an error message stating 
that that particular package was unavailable and ask the user if they wanted 
to continue installing the rest of their selection.

I understand what you are saying about using filters but this seems 
unecessarily complex when I have already effectively made my selection.

In any case I did try using a filter in the way you suggested, but it did 
not prove 100% effective.

Also another very useful option would be to allow the user to 'reinstall 
everything' (or at least everything that is avaiable and can be 
reinstalled). This would allow me to rebuild my distro - and specifically 
the package cache if this should become damaged.

I can do this in Gentoo by issuing a single command - it would be very 
useful to be able to do the same in Debian.

GJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sebastian Heinlein" <address@hidden>
To: "raid517" <address@hidden>
Cc: <address@hidden>
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2005 8:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Synaptic-devel] Synaptic Limitation


> Am Montag, den 19.12.2005, 19:13 +0000 schrieb raid517:
> > Hi I need to re-download all of the files that are installed on my
> > current system without reinstalling them, so that I can take the package
> > cache (which I normally choose to delete) to a non networked system that
> > has not been updated for some time - and use this as a local repository.
> >
> > To do this my intention was to mark all of my installed packages for
> > reninstalation and select 'download packages only, do not install'. This
> > would have build a chache/repository of all of the files on my onw
> > currently fully updated system.
> >
> > However as I have had my own system installed for some time, there are
> > several packages I have installed that are no longer avaiable from any
> > of the current Debian repositories.
> >
> > Therefore when I ask Synaptic to redownload everything again, when it
> > encounters a package that is no longer avaiable on any of my listed
> > repositories, it simply gives up and forces me to restart the entire
> > package selection process again.
> >
> > The default actiion in this instance should be:
> >
> > *Quote:*
> > XYZ package is no longer available from any of your listed repositories,
> > should I continue with installing the rest of your selection/s?
> >
> >
> >
> > Instead the default action is:
> >
> > *Quote:*
> > XYZ package is no longer available from any of your listed repositories,
> > so I am simply going to give up and refuse to continue installing the
> > rest of your selections. If you wish to continue, you must reselect all
> > of your preferred packages again.
> >
> >
> > In other words what is needed is that if Synaptic cannot find a package
> > for update/upgrade or reinstallation in your current package list, it
> > should offer to continue to install the rest of your selected packages
> > anyway.
> >
> > This might not seem like a huge problem if there are only one or two
> > missing packages - but when there are dozens - or perhaps even hundreds
> > - it can become frustrating and impractical to use Synaptic for updating
> > and upgrading systems in this way.
> >
> > Can you assist?
> >
> > GJ
>
> Hello GJ,
>
> at first mark all installed packages for reinstall. secondly, use the
> filter "Installed (local or obsolte)" in the section "status" and unmark
> the listed packages. This should remove all non installable packages
> from your download list.
>
> Regards,
>
> Sebastian