gistfile1.json

{
    "name": "jbi/project",
    "description": "",
    "autoload": {
        "psr-0": { "": "src/" }
    },
    "require": {
        "php": ">=5.3.3",
        "symfony/symfony": "2.1.*",
        "doctrine/orm": "2.2.*",
        "doctrine/doctrine-bundle": "dev-master",
        "doctrine/doctrine-fixtures-bundle": "dev-master",
        "twig/extensions": "dev-master",
        "symfony/assetic-bundle": "dev-master",
        "symfony/swiftmailer-bundle": "dev-master",
        "symfony/monolog-bundle": "dev-master",
        "sensio/distribution-bundle": "dev-master",
        "sensio/framework-extra-bundle": "dev-master",
        "sensio/generator-bundle": "dev-master",
        "jms/security-extra-bundle": "1.1.*",
        "jms/di-extra-bundle": "1.0.*",
        "propel/propel-bundle": "1.1.*",
        "willdurand/propel-typehintable-behavior": "dev-master",
        "willdurand/geocoder-bundle": "dev-master",
        "behat/behat": "2.4.*",
        "behat/symfony2-extension": "*",
        "behat/mink-extension":          "*",
        "behat/mink-browserkit-driver":  "*",
        "behat/mink-goutte-driver":     "*",
        "behat/mink-selenium2-driver":  "*",
        "behat/mink-sahi-driver":  "*",
        "knplabs/knp-menu-bundle": "dev-master",
        "mopa/bootstrap-bundle": "dev-master",
        "sonata-project/news-bundle": "dev-master"
    },
    "scripts": {
        "post-install-cmd": [
            "Sensio\\Bundle\\DistributionBundle\\Composer\\ScriptHandler::buildBootstrap",
            "Sensio\\Bundle\\DistributionBundle\\Composer\\ScriptHandler::clearCache",
            "Sensio\\Bundle\\DistributionBundle\\Composer\\ScriptHandler::installAssets"
        ],
        "post-update-cmd": [
            "Sensio\\Bundle\\DistributionBundle\\Composer\\ScriptHandler::buildBootstrap",
            "Sensio\\Bundle\\DistributionBundle\\Composer\\ScriptHandler::clearCache",
            "Sensio\\Bundle\\DistributionBundle\\Composer\\ScriptHandler::installAssets"
        ]
    },
    "config": {
        "bin-dir": "bin"
    },
    "extra": {
        "symfony-app-dir": "app",
        "symfony-web-dir": "web"
    }
}

output

$ php composer.phar update -v
Updating dependencies
Your requirements could not be solved to an installable set of packages.

	Problems:
		- Problem caused by:
			- Installation request for knplabs/knp-menu-bundle == 9999999-dev: Satisfiable by [knplabs/knp-menu-bundle-dev-master, knplabs/knp-menu-bundle-dev-master].
			- -knplabs/knp-menu-bundle-1.1.0.0|-knplabs/knp-menu-bundle-9999999-dev
			- -knplabs/knp-menu-bundle-9999999-dev|-knplabs/knp-menu-bundle-1.1.0.0
			- Package "sonata-project/admin-bundle-9999999-dev" contains the rule sonata-project/admin-bundle requires knplabs/knp-menu-bundle ([> 1.0.9999999.9999999, < 1.1.9999999.9999999]). Any of these packages satisfy the dependency: knplabs/knp-menu-bundle-1.1.0.0.
			- Package "sonata-project/news-bundle-9999999-dev" contains the rule sonata-project/news-bundle requires sonata-project/admin-bundle (== 9999999-dev). Any of these packages satisfy the dependency: sonata-project/admin-bundle-9999999-dev.
			- Installation request for sonata-project/news-bundle == 9999999-dev: Satisfiable by [sonata-project/news-bundle-dev-master].

@casoetan thanks, but I fixed the problem I believe. FYI, I created this Gist to send to Composer devs to ask if the 999999 was a floating point error. However, it's not - it just reflects a very high version number.