[ILUG] good Debian package management overview

[jm at jmason.org]

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also useful:
http://www.hants.lug.org.uk/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?ManagingPackages/Apt

- ------- Forwarded Message
> Date:    Thu, 12 May 2005 04:38:02 +0200
> From:    "Yannick Le Saint (kyncani)" <y.lesaint at gmail.com>
> To:      Ubuntu Help and User Discussions <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com>
> Subject: Re: Searching for packages...
> 
>  ****************************************
>  ***  Debian package management guide ***
>  ***                                  ***
>  *** With a special note at the end   ***
>  *** for migrating from gentoo to     ***
>  *** debian.                          ***
>  ****************************************
> 
>   Useful tools / files :
>   ----------------------
> 
>   - /ETC/APT/SOURCES.LIST
>   
>     List package repositories.
> 
>   - APT-GET
>   
>     High-level package management.
>     install / upgrade / remove packages (a must).
>     
>     Examples :
>       - apt-get update
>         Update package informations using online repositories.
>       - apt-get install ssh
>         Install ssh.
>       - apt-get dist-upgrade
>         Upgrade the entire system.
> 
>   - DPKG
>   
>     Low-level package management.
>     
>     Examples :
>       - dpkg -l ssh
>         show the state of ssh (installed or not, ...)
>       - dpkg -L ssh
>         list files provided by package ssh.
>       - dpkg -i ./openssh-server_1%3a3.9p1-1ubuntu2_i386.deb
>         Install a .deb package file, use apt-get or synaptic instead.
> 
>   - SYNAPTIC, KYNAPTIC
>   
>     Graphical package manager, one for gnome, one for kde.
> 
>   - APT-CACHE
>   
>     Search packages. The packages need not be installed.
>     
>     Examples :
>       - apt-cache search -i http proxy
>         Look for a http proxy
>       - apt-cache search -i webmin
>         Look for webmin-related packages
>       - apt-cache show ssh
>         Show many informations about ssh (description, version, ...)
> 
>   - DEBFOSTER
> 
>     Handle orphaned packages, can keep a system clean of old libraries or
>     remove a package along with all the dependencies it pulled in.
>     
>     Examples :
>       - debfoster
>         Remove orphaned packages, usually old libraries.
>       - debfoster gnome-
>         Remove gnome, along with all its dependencies.
> 
>   - DPKG-RECONFIGURE, GKDEBCONF
> 
>     Reconfigure a package. Gkdebconf is a graphical front-end.
> 
>     Example :
>       - dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
>         Reconfigure xorg.
> 
>   - APT-FILE
>   
>     Find out which package provides some file, the package needs not
>     be installed.
>     
>     Examples :
>       - apt-file search -i bin/scp
>         Look for a package that would provide bin/scp.
>       - apt-file list psh
>         Show what psh would provide.
> 
>   - DLOCATE
>   
>     Same as apt-file, but will only handle already installed packages.
>     
>     Example :
>       - dlocate `which scp`
> 
>   - DPKG-DIVERT
>   
>     Rename a provided file with your own version.
>     
>     Example :
>       - dpkg-divert --local --divert /etc/monit/.monitrc.local-divert \
>         --rename /etc/monit/monitrc
>         Renames /etc/monit/monitrc, so that your version won't get overwritten.
> 
>   - DEBMIRROR
>   
>     Create a local mirror of a debian-like repository.
> 
>   - APT-BUILD
> 
>     Download, compile and install a package.
> 
>   - EQUIVS
>   
>     Make debian package management think you already have a package
>     installed.
> 
>   - VRMS
>   
>     Check your software licenses.
> 
>   - /ETC/APT/PREFERENCES
>   
>     Known as apt-pinning, careful here ..
> 
>   - AUTO-APT
>   
>     Automatically install packages on missing file access.
>  
>   - APTITUDE
>   
>     Apt frontend.
>  
>   - DSELECT
>   
>     dpkg frontend.
> 
>   GENTOO USERS : Migrating from gentoo to debian :
>   ------------------------------------------------
> 
>   - Ebuild -> dpkg
>   
>   - Ebuild setup -> dpkg-reconfigure
> 
>   - Emerge -> apt-get
>   
>   - Emerge --inject -> equivs
> 
>   - Equery, esearch -> apt-cache search
> 
>   - Package.keywords -> /etc/apt/sources.list + /etc/apt/preferences
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