[Aptitude-devel] Bug#812444: aptitude: REQUEST: operator to version order test in "aptitude search" query syntax.

[Oleksandr Gavenko]

Package: aptitude
Version: 0.7.2-1
Severity: normal

Package: aptitude
Version: 0.7.2-1
Severity: normal

I have Debian and Kali origins. Kali based on Debian stable.

So Kali follow Debian package naming schema but differ in version numbers.

They also respect Debian version numbering.

So it is possible to make queries to list difference between Debian and Kali
with "aptitude search".

For example to find command packages with same version:

  $ aptitude search '?narrow(?origin(Kali),?origin(Debian))'
  ...

To find packages that in Kali but not in Debian:

  $ aptitude search '?origin(Kali),!?origin(Debian)'
  ...

I would like to find packages that have newer version in Kali than in Debian.

Docs:

  https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/aptitude/ch02s04s05.html

say nothing about direct version comparing.

Some indirect comparing possible via ?upgradable and setting priorities in
debootstrap'ed environment and chrooting and installing packages.

'?narrow' is equal operator for package version.

I need a strict greater operator:

  aptitude search '?gt(?origin(Kali),?origin(Debian))'

- any package version that greater.

Origins of my question come from (Russian text):

  http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.linux.debian.user.russian/123271