Daniel Hartwig <mand...@gmail.com> writes: > This is a somewhat common misconception caused by an improper > understanding of the role of -t. I am not sure where such > misunderstanding originates from as the manual is clear that it has a > particular role within an algorithm documented by apt_preferences(5). > Anyway, I'm sure you are aware of that.
Actually, I wasn't, and did have the mistaken understanding of what -t meant that you discussed. I wish I could remember where I got that impression so that I could tell you! Thank you for your explanation. I will try to pay that forward by correcting other people. :) > Even with --no-all-versions the /candidate version/ may not be from > the specified default release. The correct syntax to select from a > particular release is “pkg/release”: > $ apt-cache show webauth-utils/unstable And indeed, that works great. Feel free to close this bug. > Personally, I find that the manuals are clear enough and consistent in > their use of very particular terms (such as “candidate version”). This > facilitates the careful reader who does not make assumptions. The > documentation of -t in apt-get(8) does not particularly mislead about > the options role, though perhaps a short note there — for users who do > not also read apt_preferences(5) — that it is *not* equivalent to the > “pkg/release” syntax: Two things would have helped me: * A note in the -t option description in apt-get saying "if you're trying to install a package from a particular release, you should use the package/release syntax rather than this flag. (It doesn't currently explicitly say that.) * Some note at the top of the apt-cache man page that "pkg" in the various commands can be qualified with /release. > Perhaps otherwise a general discussion on specifying versions (“=ver” > and “/release”) rather than embedding this within the instructions for > “install”. Yes, that would be great. -- Russ Allbery (r...@debian.org) <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/> -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
