So when you make a deb package and you list dependancies, the only time these will be installed automatically is if:

a) the package is being installed from a repository. Installing a deb locally will not even try to install them?

b) The correct repository is installed on the device and updated so that the list of dependant packages can be read?

c) repositories like extras-dev will not fill deps using package manager and any deps from here must be installed manually?

Am I correct in thinking this way?

I am trying to put together a package that has a few deps that need to be installed with it, and while it lists them not being installed it will not install them (when trying to install the package from a local directory). Using apt-get install Libxxx will install them correctly however, so I know the correct Repro's are available.

Thanks!
-John

All the following answers are "as I understand it".

With the Application Manager this is true, but not with apt-get.

Correct.

No, I don't think so. I think that extras-devel works like any other repository.

using dpkg -i it lists the deps as being missing and then errors out.

using apt-get install it errors out saying it can not find the package (which I think is normal for apt-get and local deb packages)

I am beginning to think that either

a) I have created the package incorrectly and it isnt going to install the deps, just list them.

b) it just will not install deps when using a local file and not from a repository.

I am going to try and find a repo to upload it to and test it from there.

Thanks!

-John

When you make a deb package you will need to create several files. The files tend to be kept in a folder called "debian" located inside the folder that configure and make files are in for the package you are creating. Inside the debian folder there should be several files. One is your called "control" This file specifies dependencies of the package that you are creating. These dependencies will be installed if you apt-get to install the package. If you use application manager and dpkg -i to install a package you can then run the command: apt-get -f install to install all of the dependencies which aren't already installed.

Note, you'll also need several other files in the debian folder including a changelog file which will specify the version number of the package and a rules file which will specify how any options when configuring the package.

I always found this thread useful when building debs: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=51003

When a package is depended on, it won't matter what repository that package is in, as long as you have that repository listed in your /etc/apt/sources.list file. If none of the repositories that you have in your sources.list file have a package, then that package won't be installable. But, as long as you have a package and all of it's dependencies (and it's dependencies dependencies..etc) are satisfied you should be able to install it.