transferring packages between devices

[TomRoche]

I'm not sure if this is an Installation & Boot issue or an Update/Upgrade issue, so here goes:

How to transfer, and possibly edit, whatever is the output from Backup software selection (section=D1.3) on one device, in order to make it the input to Restore software selection (section=D3.2) on another device? Why I ask:

I'm setting up a newer laptop (with UP8, by installing LMDE-201403) to replace or at least backup my old "production laptop" (which is still on UP6 for reasons too embarrassing to discuss). (Both are 64-bit.) I'd like to transfer many but not all, and certainly not the same versions, of packages from the old box to the new. (E.g.,

• package=`emacs-snapshot` is not currently maintained, so I need to run package=`emacs24`
• I'm running MATE on the old box, but would prefer to run Cinnamon on the new box.

) One way to do this would be to

1. run `Backup software selection` on the old box
2. get and edit its output
3. transfer the (hopefully edited) output to the new box
4. run `Restore software selection` on the new box

Does the above proposal make sense, or am I missing something?
Is there a Better Way To Do This?
If not, and if the above seems reasonable, how do I get and transfer the necessary data?

[Kalyk]

Hi Tom,
The Software Selection Backup is really just an ASCII list of files that are installed at this moment.
You can edit it all you want (with GEdit, vi, emacs) and if you're not sure about what to put in the list then just leave a package out and install it yourself with synaptic.
You can put this list on a USB or a network share or mail it to yourself or put it in Dropbox or similar.
Then put it on the new system somewhere and use it to Restore Software Selection.
It ask you to tell which file is the Backup selection to restore and then you should be ready to restore.
Kees.

[Kalyk]

One more thing:
Because you go from Mate to Cinnamon go through the list and remove the Mate-stuff.
This might be easier said then done.
You could also edit the list and just keep the thing you know are right
I have no LMDE-experience, but I suppose dependencies will be sorted out during the restore.