Migrating from Packman to the VideoLAN Repo with Myrlyn

[shundhammer]

Migrating from Packman to the VideoLAN Repo with Myrlyn

See also the “Packman discontinued” discussion thread

These are the step-by-step instructions how to replace common packages like the popular vlc media player and the related codecs from Packman with the VideoLAN repo (the original vlc repo) using Myrlyn. There are also instructions for using zypper in the other thread, but some users (including myself) prefer a GUI for this, so here you are:

• Start Myrlyn (with root privileges, of course).

• Add the VideoLAN repo:

  • Menu “Extras” → “Repository Configuration”
  • “Add” → “Community Repository” → “VideoLAN”

• Disable the Packman repo.
  (You can remove it completely once everything is working)

• Restart Myrlyn.

• “View” → “Repositories” → “VideoLAN”

  • “Secondary Filter” → “Installation Summary”

  • Middle-click “Keep” to see only the installed packages.

Uploading: 03-vendor-change.png…

• Force an update of them all:

  “Package” → “All in this list” → “Update unconditionally”

  There will be a dependency problem dialog asking you for a “downgrade” (which isn’t really a downgrade, just a vendor change). Select the first solution (“downgrade”).

• All packages in the list should be in status “update” now.

• Switch to the “versions” tab at the bottom right.

• Go through all packages in the list and verify in the “Versions” tab that you will get the version from the VideoLAN repo.

• Check for orphaned packages and remove them:

  • “View” → “Package Classification” → “Orphaned Packages”

    Those are Packman-only packages; there is no counterpart in the VideoLAN repo.

  • Remove them all with “Package” → “All in this List” → “Delete”.

• Switch to the “Installation Summary” tab at the top to verify that everything looks good.

• Hit “Accept” to start the transaction.

Zypp History

Check for Leftovers

• Re-enable the Packman repo.

• Restart Myrlyn.

• “View” → “Repositories” → “Packman”

• Switch to the “Versions” tab at the bottom right.

• Go through the packages list from top to bottom and check if anything is still left from Packman. Switch those to the OSS repo version or delete them.

• Check the results in the “Installation Summary” view, and if everything looks alright, “Accept”.

• Don’t forget to remove the Packman repo when all is done.

[shundhammer]

Addendum

It might be necessary to set “ffmpeg-7-mini-libs” and maybe also “ffmpeg-8-mini-libs” to “taboo” (to lock it) - not sure:

sudo zypper al 'ffmpeg-7-mini-libs' 'ffmpeg-8-mini-libs'

(or use Myrlyn, of course)

[jonc]

Interesting. zypper seems much simpler,

zypper mr -d Packman
zypper ar -n VideoLan https://download.videolan.org/SuSE/16.0/
zypper dup --allow-vendor-change

I’m using Leap 16.0. Am I leaving something out?

[shundhammer]

@jonc

Am I leaving something out?

I am not sure. Since the version numbers are different in Packman, it complained about that downgrade in my case. That might also be a bogus message if the dependency resolver can also pick a different vendor.

But it might also simply leave the Packman packages alone because there is nothing to upgrade to (because it might consider it a downgrade), or it might pick the versions from the OSS repo rather than those from the VideoLAN repo, especially if there are no repo priorities other than the default “99”.

Better double-check what you get.

Or maybe I am just paranoid (but just because I’m paranoid that doesn’t mean that there is nobody out there to get me ).

But anyway, there are users who prefer to use a GUI so they can see what’s going on. I am one of them.

[knurpht]

Stefan, wunderbar, danke.

[deano_ferrari]

Might have to allow for downgrade scenario. Something like…

sudo zypper mr -d Packman
sudo zypper ar -n VideoLan https://download.videolan.org/SuSE/16.0/
sudo zypper dup --from VideoLan --allow-vendor-change --allow-downgrade

[shundhammer]

@deano_ferrari

sudo zypper dup --from VideoLan --allow-vendor-change --allow-downgrade

I wonder if this also re-installs packages that the VideoLAN repo has, but in the same version as the installed one.

My idea was to force everything that VideoLAN has to be reinstalled from that repo so they all have the same vendor.

[mrmazda]

@shundhammer

Middle-click “Keep” to see only the installed packages.

And for trackball users with no middle button?

[shundhammer]

@mrmazda

And for trackball users with no middle button?

Then you need to click more: First disable all the other status icons, then enable the one that you want (“Keep”). But then, you know that.

[mrmazda]

I do most admin work on the ttys as root, so have used Myrlyn nearly nada. Migration from Packman to VideoLAN could be a good opportunity to get more familiar with it.

[crmrhm]

I also prefer a GUI for this. I went through the procedure on a Leap 16.0 system. It had quite different results from your tumbleweed for what to downgrade, update, delete, add.
I saw it was deleting audacious, but I knew I could put it back later. When I tried to reinstall audacious, it would not because of dependency libFLAC.so.14. I found it in repository https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/Sauerland/openSUSE_Leap_16.0/. I also wanted makemkv, and found it at https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/manfred-h:/Packman:/Multimedia/16.0/
I’m still tinkering with this to get off Packman. I wonder what will happen to the manfred repository when Packman disappears.
Regards,
Howard

[shundhammer]

Packman contains more than just vlc and codecs; that’s the difference between the Packman-Essentials repo and the full Packman repo.

Audacious seems to be one of those packages that are hosted there because it also relies on patent-encumbered codecs like FLAC. And there are probably more. I am not sure if there is a full replacement for them all. But at least vlc and the codecs that it needs are covered.

You could check if there is a flatpak for Audacious.

[Sauerland]

@crmrhm

I also prefer a GUI for this. I went through the procedure on a Leap 16.0 system. It had quite different results from your tumbleweed for what to downgrade, update, delete, add.
I saw it was deleting audacious, but I knew I could put it back later. When I tried to reinstall audacious, it would not because of dependency libFLAC.so.14. I found it in repository https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/Sauerland/openSUSE_Leap_16.0/. I also wanted makemkv, and found it at https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/manfred-h:/Packman:/Multimedia/16.0/
I’m still tinkering with this to get off Packman. I wonder what will happen to the manfred repository when Packman disappears.
Regards,
Howard

audacious is in the multimedia:apps Repo, but that needs multimedia:libs for flac…
And both are factory Repos.
With multimedia:libs and Packman Repo enabled at same time you can get trouble.

Manfred Hollmann is one of the maintainers of Packman. I think he will continue.

Do not use /home Repos (also mine) if you do not know what you are doing.

[susejunky]

@shundhammer

patent-encumbered codecs like FLAC

FLAC = Free Lossless Audio Codec

[susejunky]

@crmrhm

I also wanted makemkv

makemkv includes software to decode commercial DVDs (and Blue-Rays?)!

Their website only offers downloads for MS Windows or MAC.

Their forum website offers downloads for Linux but I have not tried them yet.

[jonc]

The repositories under home: are community repositories. With what happened on Arch, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.

Arch Linux's largest software repo is blocking sign-ups due to a malware crisis

[crmrhm]

@Sauerland

Do not use /home Repos (also mine) if you do not know what you are doing.

What would be a better source of libflac14?
There’s [libFLAC14-1.5.0-1.6.x86_64.rpm] at /opensuse/factory/repo/oss/x86_64/.
Would that work?
Thanks,
Howard