Retired

Reason for Retirement: Please confirm if this is still a problem in the latest
version of Smart.

Please reopen this issue in the new bugtracker if it is still an issue.
New Bugtracker : http://bugs.launchpad.net/smart
further details:
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/smart/+spec/bug-reporting-migration.

The problem still exists with the latest FC4 Perl packages (perl-3:5.8.6-24@i386
and perl-3:5.8.6-22@i386), smart 0.41.

Doesn't the data in my previous comment suffice to track this bug?

Here's a summary of the behavior with various priorities and installed versions:

os channel     updates channel    rpm-db channely   version in    result
priority       priority           priority          rpm-db
(3:5.8.6-15)   (3:5.8.6-22)                      

10             10                 1                 -22          -> -15
10             10                 1                 -15          -> -22
10              0                 1                 -15          nothing
10              2                 1                 -15          -> -22
10              2                 3                 -15          nothing
10              4                 3                 -15          -> -22
10              4                 4                 -15          -> -22
10              4                 4                 -15          -> -22
10              4                 5                 -15          nothing
0              10                 1                 -22          nothing
1              10                 1                 -22          nothing
2              10                 1                 -22          -> -15

The first two lines yield the cyclic behavior.

My guess: the installed version gets always gets its priority from the rpm-db
channel, instead of the higher of {rpm-db priority, source channel priority}.

I need that for debugging.

Do you need that for debugging, or as a workaround? For the latter, I'm already
using locking.

Anyway, smart should never demonstrate this sort of cyclic up/downgrade
behavior, regardless of configured priorities. It doesn't make any sense, and is
never what the user intends. If the current semantics of priorities and upgrade
algorithm yield this sort of behavior, then they are broken.

Priority issues?

Considering that -18 and -22 come from different channels, could you try to
raise the priority of the one which has -22? Try making the priority -10 for the
-22 channel and 10 (positive) for the -18, for example.

This is a duplicate of bug 61.

Is any other information needed to track this down?

With smart 0.41 on Fedora Core 4, the "perl" package is cyclically up/downgraded
between two versions very time I run "upgrade".

(RPMforge smart-2.2.fc4.rf, stock FC4 python-2.4.1-2).

Transcript:
----------------------------
smart> upgrade --explain

Downgrading packages (1):
  perl-3:5.8.6-18@i386
    Downgrades:
      perl-3:5.8.6-22@i386 (downgraded)
    Requires:
      perl-3:5.8.6-18@i386 (installed)
    Required By:
      perl-3:5.8.6-18@i386 (installed)

11.5MB of package files are needed. 4.3kB will be freed.

Confirm changes? (Y/n): y

smart> commit

Downgrading packages (1):
  perl-3:5.8.6-18@i386

11.5MB of package files are needed. 4.3kB will be freed.

Confirm changes? (Y/n): y

Preparing...                              
########################################################## [  0%]
   1:Installing perl                      
########################################################## [ 50%]
   2:Cleaning perl                        
########################################################## [100%]

Updating cache...                         
########################################################## [100%]

smart> upgrade --explain

Upgrading packages (1):
  perl-3:5.8.6-22@i386
    Upgrades:
      perl-3:5.8.6-18@i386 (upgraded)
    Requires:
      perl-3:5.8.6-22@i386 (installed)
    Required By:
      perl-3:5.8.6-22@i386 (installed)

11.5MB of package files are needed. 4.3kB will be used.

Confirm changes? (Y/n): y

smart> commit

Upgrading packages (1):
  perl-3:5.8.6-22@i386

11.5MB of package files are needed. 4.3kB will be used.

Confirm changes? (Y/n): y


Fetching packages...
-> http://mirrors.kernel.org/fedora/core/updates/4/i386/perl-5.8.6-22.i386.rpm
perl-5.8.6-22.i386.rpm                    
########################################################## [100%]


Committing transaction...
Preparing...                              
########################################################## [  0%]
   1:Installing perl                      
########################################################## [ 50%]
   2:Cleaning perl                        
########################################################## [100%]

Updating cache...                         
########################################################## [100%]

smart>
----------------------------

/var/lib/smart/config attached.