[Digikam-users] Re: Newb discovers the perils of "endorsed" PPAs!

[Mark Greenwood]

On Wednesday 22 Dec 2010 15:53:33 Hevï Guy wrote:
> @ any other fellow Newbs who've experienced the same upheaval:  
> 
> I went into Synaptic Update Manager where I was greeted with a warning
> about broken dependencies. I followed the process to sort it out. 
> 
> Upon restart of digiKam, the familiar "Tip of the day" wasn't empty this
> time. Neither were my folder views; All thumbnails re-appeared. However,
> when I checked my component information, I was shocked to see that
> exiv2 .19 managed to sneak its way back. The damn thing is like a
> zombie: it can't be killed! Nevertheless, I tried: 
> 
> I reinstalled libkexiv2-8_4.5.1-0ubuntu3_i386.deb and
> libkexiv2-dev_4.5.1-0ubuntu3_i386.deb which had been laboriously
> downloaded 2 days ago and were both still in my src folder.
> 
> I fired-up digiKam again, reviewed "Components" and found that exiv2 .20
> had succeeded the buggy .19. Is the latter truly dead now or just
> silently sucking the brains out of something else behind the scenes?
> 
> Although things are working again (digiKam is - I still have problems
> with my screen) the program appears to be running slower and utilizing
> more resources.
> 
> I feel that my box's functional integrity is now being held together
> with bubble gum and rubber bands :-(
> 

This can happen - the package manager can get confused if you install self-built packages.

You can if you like try to 'pin' the versions of libexiv and libkexiv to the versions you have installed, this will prevent the package manager from ever updating them. Google for 'pinning deb packages' or 'synaptic pin' should help you out here.

I'd still reccomend you try a purge of the repository. And if you want to try updates in the future I always find it safer to use the command line:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If you're interested in trying a different distro - one that keeps more up to date without the need to use potentially dodgy PPAs - you could try Arch linux, although I'm not reccomending it as I've never used it myself. Had this been a year ago I'd have reccomended Mandriva, but that's a bit dead in the water these days.

Mark

> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, 2010-12-22 at 08:48 -0600, Hevï Guy wrote:
> 
> > Marvelous Absolutely marvelous. Not.
> > 
> > Whereas digiKam was finally working that way that I wanted it to,
> > today after a update from the PPA that I had used, it has all gone to
> > hell in a hand basket. Something seemed out of the ordinary as soon as
> > the "daily hint" appeared. Well, it didn't really appear at all, since
> > the dialogue box was content-less. And all thumbnails had disappeared.
> > Furthermore, it seems that my nvidia stuff is now acting up as well:
> > The Panel drop-downs remain on the screen after being activated. 
> > 
> > I now have a "dead" digiKam 1,7.0.
> > 
> > Belatedly, I just read Sputnik's warning not to use Phillip Johnsson's
> > repository http://www.digikam.org/drupal/node/556 
> > 
> > Yup, I've gotten myself into a fine mess. I suppose that I need to
> > dump everything (after backing-up my Home directory to an external
> > source, right) and start from Absolute Ground Zero, right? I am
> > utterly LIVID (at myself). 
> > 
> > So, can anybody give me some directions as to how I should Nuke my
> > dual-boot box and start over? However, if I do this, I'll just find
> > myself right back where I started: Trying to compile my own version of
> > digiKam. Bloody hell   X-(  Should I try a different distro all
> > together? I know that it's a personal preference but, which one is
> > recommended?
> > 
> > As many would probably be happy to hear, I'm seriously considering
> > tucking my tail between my balls and skulking back to Windoze.
>