Differences between revisions 2 and 51 (spanning 49 versions)
Revision 2 as of 2006-06-02 10:49:29
Size: 2573
Editor: ?panthera
Comment:
Revision 51 as of 2010-03-10 17:52:29
Size: 4802
Comment: minor style clean-up
Deletions are marked like this. Additions are marked like this.
Line 1: Line 1:
From [http://www.backports.org www.backports.org]: #language en
##
##
||<tablestyle="width: 100%;" style="border: 0px hidden">~-[[DebianWiki/EditorGuide#translation|Translation(s)]]: English - [[fr/Backports|Français]]- [[it/Backports|Italiano]]||<style="text-align: right;border: 0px hidden"> (!) [[/Discussion|Discussion]]||
----
You are running [[DebianStable|Debian stable]] because you prefer the stable Debian tree. It runs great, there is just one problem: The software is a little bit outdated compared to other distributions. That is where backports come in.
Line 3: Line 8:
You are running Debian stable, because you prefer the stable Debian tree. It runs great, there is just one problem: the software is a little bit outdated compared to other distributions. That is where backports come in. Backports are recompiled packages from [[DebianTesting|testing]] (mostly) and [[DebianUnstable|unstable]] (in a few cases only, e.g. security updates), so they will run without new libraries (wherever it is possible) on a stable Debian distribution. It is recommended to pick out single backports which fit your needs, and not to use all backports available.
Line 5: Line 10:
Backports are recompiled packages from testing (mostly) and unstable (in a few cases only, e.g. security updates), so they will run without new libraries (wherever it is possible) on a stable Debian distribution. It is recommended to pick out single backports which fits your needs, and not to use all backports available. ----
## If your page gets really long, uncomment this Table of Contents
 <<TableOfContents(3)>>
= Configuring your stable system =
Line 7: Line 15:
Here is a (incomplete) list of rules you should follow to get a package into backports.org. == Verifying backports ==
In order to verify the integrity of downloaded backports before installing them, APT needs the Backports.org archive key.
The package DebPkg:debian-backports-keyring contains this key. So you should install it first.
Line 9: Line 19:
=== Basic rules === == Adding the repository ==
Line 11: Line 21:
1. Backport packages only from testing, not unstable (except when updating already existing backports, backports from unstable are accepted for security fixes). === Using Synaptic ===
 * Open Synaptic
 * Go to:
{{{
   Configuration > Repository}}}
 * Add this repository (Substitute {{{etch-backports}}} with {{{lenny-backports}}} for the latest stable release!):
Line 13: Line 28:
2. Use 'sarge-backports' as distribution, not stable or unstable.  {{attachment:synaptic.png}}
Line 15: Line 30:
3. Reduce the revision by one and append bpo${build_int}, e.g. 1.2.3-4 becomes 1.2.3-3bpo1. === Using the command line ===
Become root and open the file {{{/etc/apt/sources.list}}} in your favorite editor:
{{{
human@debian:~$ su
Password:
debian:/home/human# nano /etc/apt/sources.list}}}
Add the following lines:
{{{
# Backports.org repository
deb http://www.backports.org/debian/ lenny-backports main contrib non-free}}}
If you are a free software enthusiast, you might want to remove the {{{contrib}}} and {{{non-free}}} sections.
(See [[http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/ch-system.de.html#s-stable|Debian sections]] for details.)
Line 17: Line 43:
4. Backport no Build-Depends if not absolutely needed. Now that you have added the repository, update APT's cache to include the backports in the list of available packages:
{{{
debian:/home/human# aptitude update}}}
Done.
Line 19: Line 48:
5. Always build against plain sarge (and include other backports only if absolutely needed). = Using backports =
Line 21: Line 50:
=== Uploading === == Finding backports ==
Line 23: Line 52:
 * If you are a Debian Developer, ask Norbert Tretowski to add your key to the keyring of backports.org in order to upload your package directly. There are a several different ways to find out if a backport of a certain Debian package exists. A pretty convenient one is using Debian's web-based package search ([[http://packages.debian.org|packages.debian.org]]).
If you are running Iceweasel, simply use the built-in search plugin (Deb Search).
Line 25: Line 55:
 * If you are not a Debian Developer, please upload your backport somewhere, post a link to it on backports-user@lists.backports.org and ask for review and upload. Please note, that you are responsible for this backport from the time on when it was accepted on backports.org. This means, you have to keep track of the changes in unstable, update your backport when a new version enters testing and provide security updates when needed. If you are not willing or capable of doing this, you better ask someone else (e.g. on the mentioned mailinglist) to create and maintain the backport.
Line 27: Line 56:
 * After (and sometimes even before) the backport was accepted, it may be a good idea to contact the maintainer of the package in Debian to tell him, that you backported his package. == Installing backports on the command line ==
Line 29: Line 58:
 * If there is already a backport of your package of choice, but it's outdated and you want to update it, inform the person who backported the last accepted version about your intensions. You can get the information from http://www.backports.org/~formorer/ The backports repository is deactivated by default. So, if you want to install a backported package, you will have to state that explicitly.
Line 31: Line 60:
=== Miscellaneous === For example:
{{{
debian:/home/human# aptitude -t lenny-backports install iceweasel}}}
The {{{-t}}} option here specifies {{{lenny-backports}}} as the target release. This would install Iceweasel 3.5 from Backports.org instead of version 3.0 from the Debian stable release.
Line 33: Line 65:
 * Do not convert a package to a lower debhelper version for creating the backport, debhelper 5 is already on backports.org, just use it. == Automatic upgrades ==

Because the Backports.org repository is deactivated by default, your installed backports won't recieve upgrades automatically. However, you can use ''pinning'' to cause APT to perform automatic upgrades.
''Pinning'' basically means controlling which version of which package is to be selected for installation. (See the [[http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/apt-howto/ch-apt-get.en.html#s-pin|APT HOWTO]] and {{{man apt_preferences}}} for in-depth explanation.)

In order to make APT perfom automatic upgrades of installed backports, follow these steps:

 1. Open the file {{{/etc/apt/preferences}}} in an editor of your choice.
 1. Insert the text below.
 1. Save and exit.
{{{
# APT PINNING PREFERENCES
Package: *
Pin: release a=lenny-backports
Pin-Priority: 200
}}}
After changing APT's behavior in that file, it will act like this:

If a package was installed from Backports.org and there is a
newer version there, it will be upgraded from there.
Other packages that are available from Backports.org will not be upgraded to the Backports.org version unless explicitly
stated with {{{-t lenny-backports}}}.

= External links =
 * [[http://www.backports.org|Backports.org]] for more information
 * [[http://doc.cliss21.com/index.php?title=Backports|Article about backports on cliss21.com]]: The article contains information on how to backport packages, as well as some step-by-step simple examples to start with.
 * [[http://backports.deb.at/lenny-backports|Diffs between lenny-backports and squeeze]]: A useful comparison of package versions in {{{lenny-backports}}} and {{{squeeze}}}.
----
 CategoryDistributionRelease

Translation(s): English - Français- Italiano

(!) Discussion


You are running Debian stable because you prefer the stable Debian tree. It runs great, there is just one problem: The software is a little bit outdated compared to other distributions. That is where backports come in.

Backports are recompiled packages from testing (mostly) and unstable (in a few cases only, e.g. security updates), so they will run without new libraries (wherever it is possible) on a stable Debian distribution. It is recommended to pick out single backports which fit your needs, and not to use all backports available.


Configuring your stable system

Verifying backports

In order to verify the integrity of downloaded backports before installing them, APT needs the Backports.org archive key. The package debian-backports-keyring contains this key. So you should install it first.

Adding the repository

Using Synaptic

  • Open Synaptic
  • Go to:

   Configuration > Repository
  • Add this repository (Substitute etch-backports with lenny-backports for the latest stable release!):

    synaptic.png

Using the command line

Become root and open the file /etc/apt/sources.list in your favorite editor:

human@debian:~$ su
Password:
debian:/home/human# nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Add the following lines:

# Backports.org repository
deb http://www.backports.org/debian/ lenny-backports main contrib non-free

If you are a free software enthusiast, you might want to remove the contrib and non-free sections. (See Debian sections for details.)

Now that you have added the repository, update APT's cache to include the backports in the list of available packages:

debian:/home/human# aptitude update

Done.

Using backports

Finding backports

There are a several different ways to find out if a backport of a certain Debian package exists. A pretty convenient one is using Debian's web-based package search (packages.debian.org). If you are running Iceweasel, simply use the built-in search plugin (Deb Search).

Installing backports on the command line

The backports repository is deactivated by default. So, if you want to install a backported package, you will have to state that explicitly.

For example:

debian:/home/human# aptitude -t lenny-backports install iceweasel

The -t option here specifies lenny-backports as the target release. This would install Iceweasel 3.5 from Backports.org instead of version 3.0 from the Debian stable release.

Automatic upgrades

Because the Backports.org repository is deactivated by default, your installed backports won't recieve upgrades automatically. However, you can use pinning to cause APT to perform automatic upgrades. Pinning basically means controlling which version of which package is to be selected for installation. (See the APT HOWTO and man apt_preferences for in-depth explanation.)

In order to make APT perfom automatic upgrades of installed backports, follow these steps:

  1. Open the file /etc/apt/preferences in an editor of your choice.

  2. Insert the text below.
  3. Save and exit.

# APT PINNING PREFERENCES
Package: *
Pin: release a=lenny-backports
Pin-Priority: 200

After changing APT's behavior in that file, it will act like this:

If a package was installed from Backports.org and there is a newer version there, it will be upgraded from there. Other packages that are available from Backports.org will not be upgraded to the Backports.org version unless explicitly stated with -t lenny-backports.

External links


  • ?CategoryDistributionRelease