how to authenticate my local repository

[Derek Broughton]

Bruce Marshall wrote:

> On Tuesday 29 April 2008, Paul S wrote:
>> I've created a "trivial" repository .. just a directory with all the
>> packages in it.  Used apt-ftparchive to create a Packages.gz, added a
>> md5sum.txt file, and added it to my sources.list.
>>
>> After aptitude updating, the local repository gets included in the
>> archive lists (in /var/lib/apt/lists).
>>
>> But, when I go to install from it, aptitude wants to download from the
>> net rather than pull from the local repository.

Pick a package.  Do: apt-cache policy PACKAGE
That should give you a clue.

> Uhh...  am I missing something here?
> 
> What's different about your approach than just leaving the downloaded
> files
> in  /var/cache/apt/archives/   ??     Except that your method sounds like
> a log of work.
> 
> I have a central machine which I usually update via the normal download
> process.  Then I copy the archive files around to various other machines
> and
> do the updates to those.   Only one download  for  'n' many updates.  
> Sounds like this is what you are trying to achieve.
> 
That's exactly what apt-ftparchive does.  If you just copy the .debs around,
you have to use dpkg to install them.  His way, with probably _less_ work
(I use apt-move to do the same thing, and it took 10 minutes to set up and
no more work), apt should find them.
-- 
derek