Lost synaptic!

[Harry Giles]

On Tue, 2005-06-28 at 18:22 -0500, David Bandel wrote:
> On 6/28/05, Harry Giles <hg57 at sc.rr.com> wrote:
> > I guess the using unstable thing has bit me in the behind.  Using
> > Synaptic, I did an upgrade (yesterday).  Today, it is gone!  Not to be
> > found in /usr/sbin/ like it should be!
> > 
> > I tried to do a at-get install synaptic, but got:
> > 
> > The following packages have unmet dependencies:
> >   synaptic: Depends: libapt-pkg-libc6.3-5-3.3 but it is not installable
> > E: Broken packages
> 
> Unless you just like a borken system, stop using unstable.  The name
> says it all.
> 
> To fix, either use apt-get to downgrade to testing or go get the
> synaptic deb and use dpkg to install (which should force a downgrade
> of other packages, although you may need to bring them to the system
> yourself).
> 
> > 
> > Is it possible to back up so to speak, using apt-get?  (Man, I am so
> > spoiled by gui's!).
> 
> modify your /etc/apt/preferences file and make testing have the
> largest number (highest priority).  Then you'll only see unstable
> packages if they are the only ones available (and selecting them will
> likely select a bunch of stuff you want to keep for uninstall).
> 


My etc/apt/preferences file contains only the following:


Package: *
Pin: release o=MEPIS,a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 901

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian,a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 800

Would I list testing like this:

Package: *
Pin: release o=MEPIS,a=testing
Pin-Priority: 903

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian,a=testing
Pin-Priority: 902

??

Then do I just add it to what is currently there?  (Never did this
manually before).

Thanks for your input.

Harry G