So I made the switch to APK version today...Downloaded the Snapshot, Got LUCI working...Installed my software packages. And restored settings...Have everything working (AttendedSysUpgrade had an error so I uninstalled that for now)...What I am trying to figure out is I am trying to reinstall the ARGON Theme and the ARGON Config Theme...I KNOW they are not an official .ipk package but I would appreciate if someone could help me with this...The normal way I am used to installing it is through the package manager just uploading the package (luci-theme-argon_2.3.1_all.ipk AND
luci-app-argon-config_1.0_all.ipk). This does not work now as it complains
ERROR: /tmp/upload.apk: UNTRUSTED signature. Is there something that needs to be disabled in order to upload the Argon Themes in LUCI?? I tried doing it via SSH/CLI using the instructions found here...
https://github.com/jerrykuku/luci-theme-argon using the install untrusted command but it couldn't find the .ipk files so I failed there as well...
Is there anyway to get this working through LUCI...
I'm on snapshot r28062.
there's probably some "allow untrusted" setting in the apk config, look for it.
Well I looked all around via SSH and looked at files (Configs) via WinSCP...
I tried adding the two Argon file descriptions in the World file and then tried uploading again...Nope...Won't accept the Signature...Oh well...For now I'll just use Material or OpenWrt2020...
well there is this cli line:
apk add somepackage --allow-untrusted
but i wonder if thats gonna work with ipk, as of current im still fixing my own builder to see if it may just compile argon as apk compatible, I just don't know things yet 
if not,you may need to make the Makefile compatible or... if you build images yourself use opkg manager again.
It will not work with old *.ipk packages, everything needs to be rebuilt for apk. The good news, this usually doesn't require source (or Makefile-) changes, the biggest potential hurdle might be the version number needing changes to meet apk's stricter syntax. Apart from that, it should be a straight package rebuild.
Well maybe one of you compiling/programming guys can come up with a ipk to apk online coverter that would convert older ipks that are no longer supported by the developer to the requirements for apk. (If that's even possible).
Do you think the files installed can be copied to another router?
+1 for that idea.
.ipk files are just tar.gz archives. You can open them with tar on SSH console and copy files manually to the right places.
How about keeping opkg as an optional package to install and use where necessary for these edge cases?
Using two package managers within the same prefix would cause utter chaos and mayhem. Neither knows the state of the other, dependencies and conflicts can't be resolved, while either thinks it would know. Even alien like approaches wouldn't be that bad.
Ok then, a stripped down opkg that just does opkg install /tmp/mypackage.ipk without caring about dependencies ie an automated version of:
While I won't stop you, I don't think this would find much love. Hint, quite a few frontends (luci) decide which personality to use, based on the presence of apk XOR opkg.
Old packages need to be adapted and fixed, news at 11:00. In this case it's particularly easy, as few (or even no) source or packaging changes are required, beyond version syntax constraints and maybe all <> noarch.
Then call it ipk-installer.apk.
I would strongly agree with that. But it probably won't happen however easy.
Shades of the change from iptables to nftables, although that of course is much harder to do.
I am thinking more of the many "non official" ipk packages that are community developed as the OP tried to use. I know, edge cases, at your own risk, etc..
It does not change the fact that even these do need to be adapted and fixed or become useless - things move on....
Especially a luci theme needs constant attention, or it will break badly. For quite few years, luci development was a bit stagnant l, because the attention was on luci2 as a designated successor - but with that being abandoned in favour if modernizing luci in place, away from router side lua, towards ucode and client-side javascript, development has gotten much more vibrant again in recent years. The cutover from completely cutting the ties with lua has gotten quite close now. All of that has consequences on theming as well, css markup changes and needs fixing, all of which is considerably harder than the rather mechanical 5 minute job of rebuilding the source for apk.
The only constant is change, as you mentioned iptables --> is hard in comparison.
This is what works for me. Hope it helps.
- SSH to your router.
opkg install luci-compat && opkg install luci-lib-ipkgcd /tmpwget --no-check-certificate https://github.com/jerrykuku/luci-theme-argon/releases/download/v2.3.1/luci-theme-argon_2.3.1_all.ipk -O luci-theme-argon_2.3.1_all.ipkopkg install luci-theme-argon*.ipk
Now for the config menu
wget --no-check-certificate https://github.com/jerrykuku/luci-app-argon-config/releases/download/v0.9/luci-app-argon-config_0.9_all.ipk -O luci-app-argon-config_0.9_all.ipkopkg install luci-app-argon-config*.ipk
Thanks for going to the effort of replying, but it pays to read previous posts and the thread title "Argon theme installation with apk".
The op has the latest snapshot where opkg no longer exists and is replaced by the apk package.
Your solution is here:
Thanks...I was able to install the Argon theme quite some time ago. However as pointed out in the thread you provided the Argon Config no longer installs in the .apk version...It did for me for one or two sysupgrade versions but then stopped. The proposed fix of adding @main to /etc/apk/repositories.d/distfeeds.listand add an@main` tag to first line @main https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/qualcommax/ipq807x/packages/packages.adb does not work (at least it did not for me)...
Not a big deal as you can add your background by scp'ing it into
www/luci-static/argon/background.
Ashame that this is such a stepchild since so many people use it...Maybe eventually the author will update it to be compatible with apk and provide a valid signature but if it requires constant attention to be compatible then probably not.
If you read all the way to the bottom of that thread you'll see he provided the config as well. Either way glad you got it to work. Just wanted to clarify for others.
As for trouble upgrading....isn't that just a matter of deselecting the theme before doing a sysupgrade and enable afterward?