Downgrade installed software to the versions available remotely?

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onpon4
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Joined: 05/30/2012

A few months ago, I tried to use the GNU PPA,[1] but found that it broke my packages, so I removed it. Just today, I found that I actually have software updated from that repository still causing breakage. In this case, it's libidn11; the newer version being installed is stopping me from installing the development header files, which I need to compile something. Other than uninstalling and then reinstalling, because a lot of packages depend on this one, is there a way I can get this package (or better, all packages) to downgrade to whatever the highest version currently available remotely is?

[1] https://launchpad.net/~dns/+archive/gnu?field.series_filter=

ZykoticK9
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Joined: 04/07/2011

On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 03:01:04PM +0100, name at domain wrote:

> A few months ago, I tried to use the GNU PPA,[1] but found that it

I don't trust PPAs.

> broke my packages, so I removed it.

You didn't use ppa-purge, which is commonly used in ubuntu, don't know about trisquel.

> Just today, I found that I
> actually have software updated from that repository still causing
> breakage.

apt will never downgrade a package, it doesn't have that feature!

SNIP

> files, which I need to compile something. Other than uninstalling
> and then reinstalling, because a lot of packages depend on this one,
> is there a way I can get this package (or better, all packages) to
> downgrade to whatever the highest version currently available
> remotely is?

IF, ppa-purge is available - you could re-add the PPA then remove it using ppa-purge, to get back all packages to the default repos version.

IF NOT, then no.

Good luck.

onpon4
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Joined: 05/30/2012

I don't trust PPAs normally, but this one was linked to by the GNU Project website.[1]

ZykoticK9 said:
> IF, ppa-purge is available - you could re-add the PPA then remove it using ppa-purge, to get back all packages to the default repos version.

Thanks! That's just what I needed. Worked like a charm.

[1] https://gnu.org/software/software.html

Magic Banana

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I am a translator!

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Joined: 07/24/2010

From the Synaptic Package Manager you can easily force the version of a given package (Ctrl+E or from the menu after selecting it).