Creating a debian stable repository (Step 2)

Now that we have space for the new repository, is time to create it.
For that, I use the reprepro tool because it allow me to create new repositories for "out of the box" specific packages.

To set reprepro you'll need to prepare a directory. I created a "repository" directory, and all the repositorys will be below that.
Since I only use this once, before this time I generated a new dir "apt" below repository, so I can manage multiple configuration.

cd to the place where to generate, and create a directory named conf/ and create a file named "distributions" and fill it like this:

Origin: Debian
Label: Debian
Suite: stable
Version: 3.1r4
Codename: sarge
Architectures: i386
Components: main contrib non-free
Description: Debian 3.1r4 Released 28 October 2006
Update: sarge

For this step I only describe how to mirror a known repository, but is possible to gerante your own repository (I'll talk about that later).
Having a mirror is particulary usefull for times there's no stable internet or just is not possible to everyone to access the internet at the same time to install packages.

This tool is very flexible, so you can manage different repositorys by the input of a new entry. So have in mind that

• Multiple entries are separated with an empty line.
• The codename is used to determine the directory to create.

The Update line is described later. If SignWith is there, it will try to sign it. (Either use "yes" or give something gpg can use to identify the key you want to use).
The other fields are copied into the appropriate Release files generated.

So... I don't want only the sarge repository.. i'd like a etch as well! so my conf/distribution looks like this (and only the i386 part, as you can see).

Origin: Debian
Label: Debian
Suite: stable
Version: 3.1r4
Codename: sarge
Architectures: i386
Components: main contrib non-free
Description: Debian 3.1r4 Released 28 October 2006
Update: sarge

Origin: Debian
Label: Debian
Suite: testing
Codename: etch
Architectures: i386
Components: main contrib non-free
Description: Debian Testing distribution - Not Released
update: etch

Now, that I've defined what I want, I must set the update part.
Each configuration will search its updates in the destinations set at conf/updates. Mine looks just like this:

Name: sarge
Method: http://debian.ua.pt/debian
Architectures: i386
IgnoreRelease: yes

Name: etch
Method: http://debian.ua.pt/debian
Architectures: i386
IgnoreRelease: yes

Now, it's all set. reprepro command must be runned at the path before of conf/
after a ls you should see this

# ls
conf db dists lists pool

To update everything possible do:

reprepro -Vb . update

To only update some distributions do:

reprepro -Vb . update sarge

Note:You can use the VerifyRelease field also, which can be retrieved using

gpg --with-colons --list-keys

I wasn't able to manage with this command, so I just ignore it.
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