Wiki » Feature:BackportsSupport

Summary

Improve backport medias support in rpmdrake and urpmi.

Owner

• Name: boklm
• Email: boklm@mars-attacks.org

Resources

• boklm

Current status

• Targeted release: Mageia 3
• Last updated: 2025/05/05
• Percentage of completion: 0%

Detailed Description

People using the backports media usually don't want to install all available backports, but instead only install some specific backport packages for their needs. So some specific handling is required in urpmi and rpmdrake for backports repository. rpmdrake currently support cherry picking packages from a disabled backports media. There are however a few problems :

• rpmdrake does not automatically update the synthesis for the backports media, because they are not enabled
• rpmdrake handling of backports media is based on media path, this prevent setting any repository as backports media. It also make it less clear that the media has special handling in urpmi/rpmdrake.
• because rpmdrake use disabled backports media, it's not possible to really disable backports media, other than removing them completly
• there is not support for automatically updating installed backports (other than updating all available backports)
• installing backports with urpmi require typing full backports media names

The following changes are planned :

• The backport media option is added to urpmi.cfg config file
• urpmi and rpmdrake are updated to use backports media behaviour for medias flagged as backport. Packages from backport medias are not used, unless specifically asked.
• the urpmi command line switch --backport is added. This switch allows installing packages from backport medias. With --auto-select it also allows updating installed backports.
• MageiaUpdate is updated to allow updating installed backport packages (without installing all available updates from backports)
• rpmdrake automatically update synthesis for enabled backport medias

Why it would be good for Mageia to include it

Having backports media explicitly flagged, with no need to keep those media disabled, and a clear handling of those medias should make usage of urpmi and rpmdrake easier to understand.

Software / Packages Dependencies

urpmi, rpmdrake, maybe perl-URPM

Documentation

Include here any needed information or link to documentation