Arch Linux

yodo

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2008-02-02

Posts: 71

install old program version with pacman

Hi,
I'm new to Arch, but not to Linux. (2 years Kubuntu, a bit of Debian and Gentoo)
I would like to use kaffeine 0.8.5, because in 0.8.6 somehow the option for changing the record format is missing.
My question is if I can install kaffeine 0.8.5 using pacman, and then use the IgnorePkg option in pacman.conf.
I know that I could download 0.8.5 from the homepage, but I would prefer pacman if it is possible.
Greeting, yodo

mcmillan

Member

Registered: 2006-04-06

Posts: 737

Re: install old program version with pacman

You should be able to install an older version fine. It would be easiest if you still have it in the pacman cache. If so just pacman -U /var/cache/pacman/pkg/[file name]. It's a little trickier if you've cleaned out your cache. Look to the wiki http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Downgrade_packages for more details if you need to do that.

yodo

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2008-02-02

Posts: 71

Re: install old program version with pacman

Thank you, I found an old kaffeine version here: http://ftp.parrswood.manchester.sch.uk/ … a/os/i686/
Looks like this now:

johannes@omega:~$ sudo pacman -Syu
:: Synchronisiere Paketdatenbanken...
 core ist aktuell
 extra ist aktuell
 community ist aktuell
 kdemod ist aktuell
:: Starte komplette Systemaktualisierung...
Warnung: kaffeine: Ignoriere Paket-Aktualisierung (0.8.5-1 => 0.8.6-1)
 Lokale Datenbank ist aktuell
johannes@omega:~$

It's german but I think you can guess what it means...

Is there no way to use this page as an repository and to isntall older versions by typing something like: "pacman -S oldpackages/kaffeine" ?

If I don't find a x.pkg.tar.gz file in the future, how do I create one for myself out of source?
Using "./configure", "make" and "make install" just installs, but you have to keep the directory for uninstalling. It is better to create a pkg.tar.gz, isn't it?
That would be similar to debs and Kubuntu... (it is better to use checkinstall there to create a deb, not "make install")
Using makepkg after "./configure" and "make" does not work, the PKGBUILD file is missing.

Last edited by yodo (2008-02-27 13:58:52)

Allan

Pacman

From: Brisbane, AU

Registered: 2007-06-09

Posts: 11,487

Website

Re: install old program version with pacman

It is better to create a package, then the files will be managed by pacman for you.

Look up about abs and makepkg in the wiki:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ABS
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Makepkg

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PGP Key: F99FFE0FEAE999BD | I develop pacman - buy me a drink!

yodo

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2008-02-02

Posts: 71

Re: install old program version with pacman

Ok, but wih makepkg I need a PKGBUILD file (how they are found in AUR Tarballs).
How do I create a "x.pgk.tar.gz" file out of any source, for instance from this "tar.bz2" file.
(Kaffeine is just an example now, I know that kaffeine 0.8.5 is existing as pkg.tar.gz file.)

eerok

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2005-03-20

Posts: 171

Re: install old program version with pacman

Ok, but wih makepkg I need a PKGBUILD file (how they are found in AUR Tarballs).
How do I create a "x.pgk.tar.gz" file out of any source, for instance from this "tar.bz2" file.
(Kaffeine is just an example now, I know that kaffeine 0.8.5 is existing as pkg.tar.gz file.)

The links Allan gave you provide your answers.  Install base-devel, execute "abs" as root, copy the PKGBUILD over from the /var/abs tree to your local build dir, edit it to reflect the changes you want, then run "makepkg."  If all goes well, install it with "pacman -U."

This is just the general drift of how to compile a different version of an existing package -- it's not a full guide or anything.  Refer to the links for details.

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noobus in perpetuus

yodo

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2008-02-02

Posts: 71

Re: install old program version with pacman

Ok, I know how this works now... but is it possible to make a package of a program when there is no PKGBUILD of that program in abs?

SiC

Member

From: Liverpool, England

Registered: 2008-01-10

Posts: 430

Re: install old program version with pacman

Ok, I know how this works now... but is it possible to make a package of a program when there is no PKGBUILD of that program in abs?

Certainly, first check AUR to see if a PKGBUILD exists in another location, if it does not then you can create a new PKGBUILD file yourself, and then create the package. This will of course take a little more effort. Should work though. Information on creating PKGBUILD files is in the wiki.