How risky is this? Updating GTK+ version 3.14 to 3.22

[donv]

I use the Homebank application for home finances management. The Debian package always lags significantly so I typically make and install newest versions locally.

The latest version installation fails at the .configure stage with the error

Code: Select all

Requested 'gtk+-3.0 >= 3.16' but version of GTK+ is 3.14.5

My system is running fully updated LMDE 2. I see Debian stretch has version 3.22.11-1 available.

I note the caution by Xenopeek

Be mindful to use it for applications only and not system libraries (as that could break other things).

in reference to jessie-backports at viewtopic.php?t=212397 .

I really don't want to break my system but how risky would it be to make this GTK+ version jump? If the fix for problems would be to simply downgrade the package again then OK - I just don't want to do any permanent/significant damage. Is there an alternative approach I could/should take on my end?

[xenopeek]

It is a core system library. The long and short of it is: don't try it unless you would be happy to fix things if this does break stuff.

Personally, if you don't have any show stopping bugs in Homebank (in which case, report them to Debian maintainers) I'd just idle and wait for LMDE 3 which will have Homebank 5.0.9. LMDE 3 will be in development after Linux Mint 17.2 is released and of course won't be released till after Debian 9 is released (it looks like there is good progress on that https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page= ... April-2017)

The Debian package always lags significantly

This is true for all programs. When Debian 9 is released its packages will already be many months old versions. Case in point: the Homebank version in Debian 9 is from July last year But with Gtk+ 3.22 you can at least compile something newer.

[Monsta]

The first thing you'll notice after such an upgrade is that every theme is broken.
There were lots of internal changes in GTK+3 during these years, and old themes aren't going to work properly. You'd have to get the themes that are compatible with GTK+ 3.22.