On 02/02/2025 01:24, Roger Price wrote:
I find the instructions for synaptic at https://wiki.debian.org/Backports are
incorrect
and misleading. It seems to me now that synaptic is not the correct tool for
managing backported packages, apt on the command line is much preferable.
The page does not suggest to set "Prefer Version From", so I do not see
anything obviously incorrect. There is nothing wrong in adding backports
repository, just do not set preferred version. I admit, the article
might be outdated a bit in respect to screenshots or labels for actions.
Again, I do not use synaptic, so it is just my impression. I suspect
there should be a way to install specific version of package e.g.
through a context menu (of course, after "apt update" - reload?).
Are there synaptic users who have no problem with installing backports
packages?
I grepped through /etc/apt/apt.conf and /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ and found no cases
of APT::Default-Release.
It is rather strange. Fri, 31 Jan 2025 22:52:18 +0100 (CET)
<https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/2ef170ef-3144-c48d-2a47-245e961bf...@rogerprice.org>:
apt -t bookworm-backports install yt-dlp youtubedl-gui
and got the error message
Reading package lists... Done
E: The value 'bookworm-backports' is invalid for APT::Default-Release as such a
release is not available in the sources
Can you reproduce this error message? My hypothesis was that you
(wrongly) set "Prefer Version From" to backports, but did not pull
repository info by "apt update" or a similar action.
If synaptic really sets APT::Default-Release then somebody should report
a bug.
I only need backports for one package, yt-dlp (to download a Bahco service
manual in a .mkv file). I will now remove backports from sources.list, and
re-run apt update.
You need backports in your sources.list since yt-dlp is updated
frequently. Just check that repository priority is not overridden and
low enough to not install packages from there by default
apt policy
...
150 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/non-free-firmware
amd64 Packages
release o=Debian
Backports,a=stable-backports,n=bookworm-backports,l=Debian
Backports,c=non-free-firmware,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
150 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/contrib amd64 Packages
release o=Debian
Backports,a=stable-backports,n=bookworm-backports,l=Debian
Backports,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
150 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/non-free amd64
Packages
release o=Debian
Backports,a=stable-backports,n=bookworm-backports,l=Debian
Backports,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
150 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/main amd64 Packages
release o=Debian
Backports,a=stable-backports,n=bookworm-backports,l=Debian
Backports,c=main,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
