Ubuntu – Multiarch and Architecture: all packages

multiarch

I have a problem with multiarch: I installed Ubuntu 13.04 amd64 and it works well. Unfortunately I have a Philips LaserMFD 6020 Printer/Scanner and for the scanner part it has only a proprietary i386 linux driver. To use it, I tried a multiarch installation:

I installed sane:i386 (apt-get install sane:i386) for xscanimage, and it works well
I tried to install the more comfortable simple-scan:i386 and xsane:i386, but I can't: both has an unmet dependencies (xsane-common:i386 and gnome-icon-theme:i386).

It is true, there is no such a package as xsane-common:i386 because xsane-common is for all architecture. Is there any way to install an i386 package with dependencies to Architecture: all packages without broke the package management?

Best Answer

The architecture-independent package needs to declare that it can safely satisfy dependencies on any architecture, with Multi-Arch: foreign or Multi-Arch: allowed. So, no, there's not much you can do.

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Does the multiarch feature in 11.10 mean the death of force–architecture installs

There is indeed no need for --force-architecture anymore with multi-arch support with a some notes:

The libraries on which the package depend must support Multi-arch
Even if multi-arch is supported, it's possible for a library package to make the system install either the 32-bit version or the 64-bit one, but not both. So, the package in question should not have a need to depend on such a library unless there is no 64-bit equivalent necessary.
Many packages from third-party websites do not set the necessary dependencies. Before multi-arch, a dirty hack called ia32-libs was created. This would contain the 32-bit libraries for multiple packages, and therefore it was easy for the maintainer to say "just install the ia32-libs package." In most cases, the dependencies are mentioned for the 32-bit sysems, so you should install those, but for the 32-bit architecture by adding :i386 after each package as in:
```
sudo apt-get install libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 libc6:i386
```

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Does the multiarch feature in 11.10 mean the death of force–architecture installs

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