To write debtags support again: TagDB::outputPatched() -> reads data and merge patched (file:///usr/share/doc/libdebtags-dev/html/classDebtags_1_1TagDB.html) -> use InputMerger as a consumer from libtagcoll (should have it all: file:///usr/share/doc/libtagcoll-dev/html/classTagcoll_1_1InputMerger.html) Synaptic debtags support ------------------------ From version 0.41 on synaptic has experimental support for the debtag system. The debtag system is the work of Erich Schubert and Enrico Zini and has a website at: http://deb-usability.alioth.debian.org/debtags/ The current synaptic implementation is mostly the work of Enrico Zini . Thanks! In a nutshell the system helps to organize the huge collection of debian software by extending the traditional section scheme. Instead of putting a package into a section (base, net, etc), you can put arbitrary "tags" on it. Mutt for example has: "client, mail, mail::imap, mail::pop, net, netcomm, protocols" This makes searching and displaying the packages more flexible. With the new "by tag" tab in the filter editor you can add a filter that search for packages that e.g. inludes the tags "mail, client" and exludes "ui::qt" if you look for a email client that does not use Qt. You can also browse the tag hirarchy (that is actually not a real hirarchy) with the new "tag tree" view. Limitations: ------------ The current debtag support is not complete. You have to update the tag database by hand (using "debtags update") for now. It's in general more experimental than the rest of synaptic. I'm looking for help with the debtags integration. Please help by filling bugreports and sending patches :)