As root
Mkdir /etc/apt/preferences
vi above using i to insert txt.
Then press Esc Esc
Then press the keys :wq to save

you must be root to write in that location. as far as i've seen note saves as html or txt, so i would use vi or nano as editor.
otherwise install rootsh, open a terminal and do
exactly as i wrote. be careful on what you write, errors as root are dangerous.

/etc/apt/preferences is a file, not a folder

ok...now im confused lol i have leafpad installed as a text editor if that makes a difference

My bad did not even really read last few posts before answering last. Follow erina's post.

Ok, i typed the first line of ernia's instructions, but it said directory is nonexistant, so I created that folder (/etc/apt/preferences) , then typed the first command , then it said /etc/apt/preferences: is a directory

casper27 said to do mkdir (make directory), but i don't think that's right. you just want to create a file with 3 lines of text in it, according to ernia. so delete the directory you created and just type exactly what ernia said, starting with "echo..."

this command (echo text > filename) creates a file called "filename" and puts the text "text" into it. and this command (echo text2 >> filename) appends text to the end of a file that's already been created.

Ok , finally seemed to work, if i wanted to pin the version of emelfm2 i have, would i just repeat the the above process but with emelfm2 and the version i have?

just remember to use >> to append every row you need, if you use > you owerwrite your /etc/apt/preferences file. maybe you could learn to use vi or nano.

Awesome, got it workin... when i first added the emelfm2 entry to the file, it made map come back up on the update screen, then i opened emelfm2 and viewed the preferences file and it put the "package: emelfm2: line right below the pin-priority line of map, i clicked the edit icon in emelfm2 and just inserted a space between the two and it works perfectly! Thanks everyone!