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673 lines
29 KiB
673 lines
29 KiB
24 years ago
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<html><head>
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<title>swim - QUERYING THE INSTALLED AND NOT-INSTALLED DATABASES
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</title>
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<link rev=made href="mailto:mttrader@access.mountain.net">
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</head><body>
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<h1>
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swim - chapter 9<br>
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QUERYING THE INSTALLED AND NOT-INSTALLED DATABASES
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</h1>
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<pre>usage: swim -q [-fpgn --dir] [targets | -S]
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swim --query [-fpgn --dir] [targets | -S]
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swim -qa || swim --query -a </pre>
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<P>
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<pre>options: [--total -t] [-i] [-l ? <[--df]>] [-d] [-c]
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[--scripts] [--preinst] [--postinst] [--prerm]
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[--postrm] [-v] [--dbpath <dir>] [--menu -m]
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[--shlibs] [-T] [--pre_depends] [--depends]
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[--recommends] [--suggests] [--conflicts]
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[--replaces] [--provides] [--md5sum] [--root <dir>]
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[--copyright] [--changelog] [--allgroups]
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[--arch <architecture>] [--dists <distribution>]
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[--ftp ? --source | --source_only ? <[--diff]>]
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[--stdin] [--extract] <ALL|archive|PWD!archive>]
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[-xyrz --remove ? <[--nz]>] [--purge] [--apt2df]
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[--df2apt] </pre><P>
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global arguments: <strong>[targets | -S ? <\d{1,}>]</strong>
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<P>
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Quering almost always involves using <strong>-q or --query</strong> with
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zero or one or a combination of the <strong>minor mode options</strong>
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(package specification options), and one or more (only one for
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<code>-g</code>) targets specific to the minor mode, or the results of a
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search (<code>-S</code>). [<code>-S</code> can be provided a numerical argument
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pertaining to the past history.] This can be combined with one or more
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options. The one exception is ``<strong>swim -q --allgroups</strong>''.
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<P>
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<strong>--query or -q</strong> can be used by itself or with
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<strong>-n</strong> to query known package names or package names with
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versions. ``<strong>swim -q test1 test2_0.3-1</strong>'' would produce the
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output:
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<P>
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<pre>test1_1.0-2
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test2_0.3-1</pre>
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<hr>
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<h2><A name="s-mm">
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9.1 MINOR MODES
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</A></h2>
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<strong>-n</strong> is the minor mode option to access the
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<em>not-installed system</em>, it can be combined with the minor mode
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options <strong>-a</strong>, <strong>-g</strong>, <strong>-f</strong>, or
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it can be used by itself.
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<P>
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<strong>-a</strong> allows <em>every package</em> on an installed or
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not-installed (<strong>-n</strong>) system to be queried. ``<strong>swim
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-qan</strong>'' will show all the package names with versions for the
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not-installed system
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<P>
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<strong>-f</strong> allows <em>files or directories</em> to be queried,
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when used without any options the package name with version is shown.
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<strong>--dir</strong> will only query directories, this is useful if you
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are not sure whether what you are quering is a directory or a file. When a
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directory is queried, swim shows all packages which exist below the
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queried directory. ``<strong>swim -qf /</strong>'' is exactly the same as
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``<strong>swim -qa</strong>''. Hint: ``<strong>swim -qf .</strong>'' and
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``<strong>swim -qf *</strong>'' are quite different, the first shows all
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packages which exist below the current directory, and the second will show
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the package which each file in the current directory comes from.
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<P>
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<strong>-g</strong> will query a <em>group</em> (also called a section,
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see <A href="#s-section">SECTION AND PRIORITY
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, subsection 9.5.3</A>)) of packages. Groups represent subjects which
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packages with similiar characteristics are catagorized by. To view all the
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groups found in an installed or not-installed system use ``<strong>swim -q
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--allgroups</strong>'' or ``<strong>swim -qn --allgroups</strong>''.
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``<strong>swim -qg hamradio</strong>'' or ``<strong>swim -qng
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hamradio</strong>'' shows all the package names for the hamradio group.
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<P>
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<strong>-p</strong> is used to query a <em>Debian package</em>, these
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packages are distinguished by their ``deb'' ending, but swim can
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tell whether a file is a debian package even without the ending. Called
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without any options the package name with version will be shown.
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<hr>
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<h2><A name="s-specdata">
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9.2 SPECIFYING THE DATABASES TO USE
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</A></h2>
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<strong>--dists</strong> will use the databases for the argument
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given, otherwise the databases pertaining to the value found in swimrc
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will be used.
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<P>
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<strong>--arch</strong> will use the databases for the argument given,
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otherwise the databases pertaining to the value found in swimrc will be
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used.
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<P>
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Example: <strong>swim -qat --arch hurd-i386 --dists unstable</strong>
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<P>
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Assuming these databases exist this will show all packages and their
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versions for the unstable distribution and architecture hurd-i386 even if
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the values in <em>swimrc</em> are i386 and stable.
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<P>
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see <A href="ch-important.html#s-downimportant">A. downloading the important databases with --ftp.
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, section 6.1</A> and <A href="ch-notinstalled.html">MAKING NOT-INSTALLED DATABASES
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, chapter 7</A> for more
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information about the databases.
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<hr>
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<h2><A name="s9.3">
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9.3 OPTIONS
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</A></h2>
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<strong>--total or -t</strong> are <em>used to override the output
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suppressor</em>. The output suppressor will not show output if a certain
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number of packages is exceeded, instead it will show the number of
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packages you are querying. This is useful for two reasons, first, knowing
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the number of packages you are quering can be very informative, second, it
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gives you a chance to add to the command line a pipe to a pager, ex:
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``<strong>swim -qat | less</strong>''. You can set the number that the
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output suppressor works at as high or low as you want in the
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<em>swimrc(8)</em> file. By design the <strong>-t</strong> option will
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have to be used if the <strong>-i</strong> option is used and more than
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one package is being queried. This option can also be used to alter the
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output of the various script options (--scripts, --preinst, --postinst,
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--prerm, and --postrm).
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<P>
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<strong>-i</strong> provides <em>information</em> about each package being
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queried. The format differs slightly for the installed packages versus the
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not-installed packages. see <A href="#s-format">FORMAT
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, section 9.5</A>:
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<P>
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<strong>-l</strong> provides a listing of the files associated with a
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package. If the option <strong>--df</strong> is provided as an argument,
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all the directories associated with package will be shown. It is important
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to remember that many packages provide directories which become important
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to them after they are installed, so the option <strong>--df</strong>
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often provides necessary information which <strong>-l</strong> called by
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itself would have not.
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<P>
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<strong>-d</strong> shows the documentation which the package provides
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found in <em>/usr/doc/*</em>, <em>/usr/man/*</em>, <em>/usr/info/*</em>.
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Other documentation which the package may provide in a non-standard
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location will not be shown. <strong>-d</strong> takes precedence over
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<strong>-l</strong>, so if <strong>-l</strong> is used on the command line
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with <strong>-d</strong>, only the output for <strong>-d</strong> will be
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shown.
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<P>
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<strong>-v</strong> is a special option which works only with the minor
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mode <strong>-p</strong>. It can be used with <strong>-l</strong>,
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<strong>--df</strong>, <strong>-d</strong>, to show the packages files
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and/or directories in long format (<code>ls -
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l</code>).
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<P>
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<strong>-c</strong> will show the configuration files packages use. If the
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package does not have a configuration file then nothing will be shown. The
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output will show the file and its path indented one space with the
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<strong>MD5 checksum</strong>. This will not work with
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<strong>-n</strong>.
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<P>
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<strong>--scripts</strong> shows all scripts associated with a package
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with the name of the script presented before each script in this way
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<strong>#####scriptname######</strong>. If the scripts are called
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individually by using the script options <strong>--preinst</strong>,
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<strong>--postinst</strong>, <strong>--prerm</strong>, or
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<strong>--postrm</strong> no title is shown, this is nice for writing to a
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file. If <strong>-t</strong> is used with the individual script options a
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title will be shown, this makes sense because normally only individual
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packages would be queried to write a script to a file, and
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<strong>-t</strong> wouldn't be used in this situation. Scripts are the
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soul of Debianized packages allowing packages to be installed, configured,
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and removed seamlessly and cleanly under all kinds of conditions. These
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options do no work with <strong>-n</strong>.
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<P>
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<strong>--menu or -m</strong> is used to view menufiles which belong to
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various packages. If the package does not have a menufile nothing will be
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shown. This option can be useful in troubleshooting a menu entry which
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does not seem to work, or in finding out where the menu entry is.
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<em>Joost Witteveen's Debian menu system</em> is a centralized program
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which interacts with all kinds of menus. <em>Please read the
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documentation</em> ``<strong>swim -qd menu</strong>'' which comes with the
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menu package to find out more. This will not work with
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<strong>-n</strong>.
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<P>
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<strong>--shlibs</strong> shows a list of shared libraries certain
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packages supply. The <em>Debian Packaging Manual</em> (packaging-manual)
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provides detailed information about the format of a shlibs file. This will
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not work with <strong>-n</strong>.
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<P>
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<strong>--md5sum</strong> checks <strong>MD5 checksums</strong>. It can be
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used with <strong>-l</strong>, <strong>-d</strong>, <strong>-c</strong>,
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or <strong>-p</strong>. If there are checksums available the md5sum result
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will be either <strong>OK</strong>, <strong>FAILED</strong>, or
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<strong>MISSING</strong>. <strong>MISSING</strong> means that although a
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checksum exists, the file can not be found. The result is put after the
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file and its path and the <strong>MD5 checksum</strong> or the package
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name and version and the <strong>MD5 checksum</strong>.
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<P>
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<strong>--copyright</strong> does a case insensitive search for copy or
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license in the <em>/usr/doc/packagename</em> directory. This should show
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how the package relates to <em>Debian's Policy Manual</em>.
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<P>
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<strong>--changelog</strong> searches for any files in
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<em>/usr/doc/packagename</em> which look like changelogs. Debian packages
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always have a <em>Maintainer's</em> changelog for the package. There may
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be a separate changelog kept by the author of the program.
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<hr>
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<h2><A name="s9.4">
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9.4 PACKAGE RELATIONSHIPS
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</A></h2>
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<strong>-T</strong> shows all the package relationships of packages.
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Individual package relationships can be viewed using
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<strong>--pre_depends</strong>, <strong>--depends</strong>,
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<strong>--recommends</strong>, <strong>--suggests</strong>,
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<strong>--replaces</strong>, <strong>--conflicts</strong> or
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<strong>--provides</strong>. Package relationships are the spirit of
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Debian packages, here is a quick overview briefly reiterating what can be
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found in the <em>Debian Packaging Manual</em>. <em>Package
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Maintainers</em> set these relationships in control file fields of the
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same name.
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<P>
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<strong>Dependencies</strong>
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<em>Pre-depends</em> - means that the pre-depended package or packages
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must be installed before the queried package can be installed. Most
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packages which have pre-dependencies are usually essential and required
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packages.
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<P>
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<em>Depends</em> - declares an absolute dependency to another package or
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packages either <em>real or virtual</em>. The queried package cannot
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function without this other package.
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<P>
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<em>Recommends</em> - declares a strong, but not absolute dependency to
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another package or packages either <em>real or virtual</em>. You would
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usually find the recommended package together with the queried package in
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a normal installation.
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<P>
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<em>Suggests</em> - can be one or more packages either <em>real or
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virtual</em> which would be useful to the queried package, but are not
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necessary.
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<strong>Alternative Packages</strong>
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<P>
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<em>Conflicts</em> - is a package or packages either <em>real or
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virtual</em> which would cause problems with the queried package, and
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would not be allowed to be installed while the queried package was
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installed.
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<P>
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<strong>Overwriting files and Replacing Packages</strong>
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<P>
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<em>Replaces</em> - allows the queried package to replace another package
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or packages by overwriting their files, after which the previous package
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would be considered to have disappeared. Essentially this allows the
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queried package to take over the package or packages. In a situation where
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there was a Conflict between the queried package and these packages this
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field would help determine which packages should be removed.
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<P>
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<strong>Virtual Packages</strong>
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<P>
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<em>Provides</em> - declares a virtual package which may be mentioned in
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<em>Depends</em>, <em>Recommends</em>, <em>Suggests</em>, or
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<em>Conflicts</em>. <em>Virtual packages</em> allow one or more packages
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to share the same name of another package, which means if the queried
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package has a reference to a virtual package in one of the before
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mentioned package relationship fields, then whatever packages provide the
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virtual package are also being listed.
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<hr>
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<h2><A name="s-format">
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9.5 FORMAT
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</A></h2>
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|
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<strong>1). Installed system</strong>
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<P>
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<pre> Package: name Status: hold ok installed
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Version: 1.1-1 Essential: no
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Section: namers Priority: extra
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||
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Installed-Size: 10 Source: generatename (2.0-1)
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|
|
Maintainer: name <name@name.org>
|
||
|
|
Description: hostname maker
|
||
|
|
A nice way to figure out a hostname nobody
|
||
|
|
else has.</pre>
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>2) Not-installed system</strong>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<pre> Package: name Status: r> hold ok installed (1.1-1)
|
||
|
|
Version: 1.1-2 Essential: no
|
||
|
|
Section: names Priority: extra
|
||
|
|
Installed-Size: 11 Source: generatename (2.0-1)
|
||
|
|
Size: 43000 Architecture: i386
|
||
|
|
Distribution: experimental
|
||
|
|
Maintainer: name <name@name.org>
|
||
|
|
Description: hostname maker
|
||
|
|
A nice way to figure out a hostname nobody
|
||
|
|
else has.</pre>
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
There are several things to point out. The difference between the two
|
||
|
|
outputs relates to the addition of the Distribution, Size, and
|
||
|
|
Architecture fields for the not-installed query. Installed-Size is how
|
||
|
|
many kilobytes the package will occupy when it is unpacked, whereas Size
|
||
|
|
is the size in bytes of the package.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h3><A name="s9.5.1">
|
||
|
|
9.5.1 STATUS FIELD
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h3>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Status field provides the installation status of the package, this
|
||
|
|
holds true for the not-installed query as well. In a sense, the
|
||
|
|
not-installed database isn't always not-installed. If the not-installed
|
||
|
|
package is actually already installed, and the version numbers are exactly
|
||
|
|
the same, then the status will be the same for either query. If the
|
||
|
|
not-installed package is not installed then the status will be
|
||
|
|
``not-installed''. In cases where the not-installed package is already
|
||
|
|
installed, swim uses it's comparison function to figure out whether it is
|
||
|
|
a newer of older package which is installed. In the above example, swim
|
||
|
|
realizes the same package is installed, and only the debian-revision has
|
||
|
|
changed, hence the only difference is that the revision number is greater
|
||
|
|
``r>'' for the not-installed package. When only the debian-revision has
|
||
|
|
changed it can safely be assumed that the author (creator, programmer) of
|
||
|
|
the same program has not made any changes to the same program, but the
|
||
|
|
Debian maintainer has made a change to an aspect of the package like a
|
||
|
|
change in the script the package uses to properly install. You may have
|
||
|
|
also noticed that the status field shows the version number of the
|
||
|
|
installed package enclosed in parenthesis.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h3><A name="s9.5.2">
|
||
|
|
9.5.2 SOURCE FIELD
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h3>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Source field is present in these examples, but the Source field will
|
||
|
|
not always be present for packages. In cases where the name of the source
|
||
|
|
package is the same as the the name found in the Package field, and the
|
||
|
|
version number of the source package is also the same as found in the
|
||
|
|
Version field, then there will be no Source field. In the above examples
|
||
|
|
there is a Source field. In this case name was probably one of many
|
||
|
|
packages generated from the source package called generatename. In this
|
||
|
|
particular example generatename also has its own unique version number
|
||
|
|
2.0-1 enclosed in parentheses, if no version number had been mentioned
|
||
|
|
then the source package would have the same version number as found in the
|
||
|
|
Version field.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h3><A name="s-section">
|
||
|
|
9.5.3 SECTION AND PRIORITY
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h3>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Section shows the subject which a package is categorized with (see
|
||
|
|
<code>-g</code>). Priority shows how important the package is to have
|
||
|
|
installed. In the case of the not-installed databases the information for
|
||
|
|
these fields is almost always available from the Packages databases, but
|
||
|
|
this is not always the case for Debian packages. For packages which do no
|
||
|
|
provide this information swim will do its best to fill in the blanks from
|
||
|
|
information found in the installed and not-installed databases. If proper
|
||
|
|
information can not be found it will be indicated as ``unavailable'' or
|
||
|
|
``unknown.'' Unavailable would indicate that information about the package
|
||
|
|
exists, but it is from a different version (includes debian-revision), and
|
||
|
|
no information exists for this version. Unknown means no similiar package
|
||
|
|
exists, and there is absolutely no information about this package in the
|
||
|
|
databases.
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
When a Debian package is queried using the <strong>-p</strong>
|
||
|
|
option you will get output like the first example shows, the status field
|
||
|
|
is also calculated.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h2><A name="s-vrftp">
|
||
|
|
9.6 FTP - VIRTUAL OPTIONS
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h2>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
For ftp capabilities swim uses the <em>swimz.list</em> to determine which
|
||
|
|
sites it will check for the requested packages. The first site which fills
|
||
|
|
the request will be used, otherwise <strong>swim</strong> will go through
|
||
|
|
all the sites avoiding repeats, and if no sites can fill the request,
|
||
|
|
<strong>swim</strong> will either quit or proceed on to check for another
|
||
|
|
request.
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--ftp</strong> allows the queried package, its source package, or
|
||
|
|
just the source package diff to be downloaded while being queried. This is
|
||
|
|
refered to as virtual downloading because the quering and the downloading
|
||
|
|
are seamless as though the package already exists locally. This has to be
|
||
|
|
used with the option <strong>-n</strong> because packages which which are
|
||
|
|
not part of the not-installed database are considered to already have been
|
||
|
|
downloaded. Packages which are already installed can be downloaded or
|
||
|
|
their source retrieved by setting up a database which corresponds to these
|
||
|
|
packages; if the installed packages belong to the stable distribution,
|
||
|
|
set-up the not-installed stable databases.
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Packages or source code are placed in an area below the default directory
|
||
|
|
mirroring the remote directory they were downloaded from after their size
|
||
|
|
and modification times are checked for correct values. This area is called
|
||
|
|
the <strong>DF</strong> directory, and although this directory mirrors
|
||
|
|
remote directories, it is not an exact mirror, but specific to the
|
||
|
|
requirements of swim because code names for Release versions are not taken
|
||
|
|
into account. For real mirroring capabilities there exist many excellent
|
||
|
|
programs. If a package has a <strong>MD5 checksum</strong>,
|
||
|
|
<strong>--md5sum</strong> will automatically be run and the value shown.
|
||
|
|
Regardless of whether or not the md5sum check is <strong>OK</strong> or
|
||
|
|
not, the package will still be put in the <strong>DF</strong> directory to
|
||
|
|
allow the package to be looked at, so watch the output from
|
||
|
|
<strong>--ftp</strong> to check for <strong>FAILED md5sums</strong>.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Packages or source code packages will not be downloaded again if they are
|
||
|
|
found in the <strong>DF</strong> directory unless their
|
||
|
|
<em>upstream-version</em> has changed in the not-installed database, if
|
||
|
|
the packages are not in the DF directory and the remote
|
||
|
|
<em>upstream-version</em> is different than the not-installed
|
||
|
|
<em>upstream-version</em> then the packages will not be downloaded until
|
||
|
|
the not-installed database is updated or rebuilt to reflect the version
|
||
|
|
change. Changes in the package's <em>upstream-version</em> indicates that
|
||
|
|
the <code>author(s)</code> of the program have made changes to the computer
|
||
|
|
code for the program contained in the package or the source code package.
|
||
|
|
On the other hand, swim will check for a <em>debian-revision</em> change
|
||
|
|
at the remote site if the package can not immediately be found. If the
|
||
|
|
package's <em>debian-revision</em> has changed and the package does not
|
||
|
|
exist locally in the <strong>DF</strong> directory, it will be downloaded.
|
||
|
|
This is a nice feature, especially for the unstable distribution, because
|
||
|
|
it tends to extend the time needed before the not-installed database has
|
||
|
|
to be updated or rebuilt to match the changes at remote sites.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--source</strong> is used with <strong>--ftp</strong> to download
|
||
|
|
the source code package. <strong>--source_only</strong> will download the
|
||
|
|
source code package without the deb package. <em>Source packages consist
|
||
|
|
of three files</em>. The <em>source control file</em> which ends in
|
||
|
|
``dsc'', the <em>original source archive</em> which is a compressed tar
|
||
|
|
file, and the <em>unified context diff</em> showing the changes necessary
|
||
|
|
to make the original source into Debian source. The diff can be downloaded
|
||
|
|
by itself if <strong>--diff</strong> is provided as an argument to
|
||
|
|
<strong>--source or --source_only</strong>.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
For <strong>apt</strong> users: <strong>apt</strong> allows packages to be
|
||
|
|
downloaded, but if more than one package is required for the package
|
||
|
|
relationships to be proper, <strong>apt</strong> will download all these
|
||
|
|
packages. <strong>--ftp</strong> allows specific packages to be
|
||
|
|
downloaded, packages from other architectures, and source packages to be
|
||
|
|
downloaded, here lies the advantage of this option over using <strong>-xyz
|
||
|
|
--nz</strong> (see below). If a particular package has been dowloaded into
|
||
|
|
the <strong>DF</strong> directory and it is needed by <strong>apt</strong>
|
||
|
|
for installation, simply copy or move the package from the
|
||
|
|
<strong>DF</strong> directory to <em>/var/cache/apt/archives</em> before
|
||
|
|
running <strong>apt</strong>, and the package will not be downloaded by
|
||
|
|
<strong>apt</strong> again; future versions of <strong>swim</strong> will
|
||
|
|
have an option to automatically accomplish this (see <code>--df2apt</code>).
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h2><A name="s-vrapt">
|
||
|
|
9.7 APT - VIRTUAL OPTIONS
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h2>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
apt-get(8) is a nice package relationship checker from the
|
||
|
|
<strong>apt</strong> package which figures out what needs to be done to
|
||
|
|
properly install a package or packages when one or more package names are
|
||
|
|
provided to it. <strong>apt-get</strong> will get all packages which are
|
||
|
|
needed using a variety of methods, and then <strong>apt-get</strong>
|
||
|
|
interacts with <strong>dpkg</strong> in a way which allows for a
|
||
|
|
successful installation.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>-xyrz, --remove, and --nz</strong> can be used if
|
||
|
|
<strong>apt-get</strong> from the <strong>apt</strong> package is
|
||
|
|
installed. These options allow for what is refered to as virtual
|
||
|
|
installation/removal. It is prudent to always test what will happen by
|
||
|
|
using the <strong>-x</strong> option alone before actually proceeding with
|
||
|
|
the installation with the <strong>-z</strong> option. <strong>-x</strong>
|
||
|
|
will actually simulate what would happen in an installation, showing which
|
||
|
|
and how many packages will be changed, which and how many new packages
|
||
|
|
will need to be installed, which and how many packages will need to be
|
||
|
|
removed, any conflicts, and what needs to be configured.
|
||
|
|
<strong>-y</strong> will automatically answer yes to any prompts
|
||
|
|
<strong>apt-get</strong> may produce allowing <strong>apt-get</strong> to
|
||
|
|
run non-interactively. <strong>-z</strong> as mentioned before actually
|
||
|
|
proceeds with the installation using <strong>dpkg</strong> after the
|
||
|
|
<strong>apt-get</strong> gets the packages. You can append a minus sign
|
||
|
|
to a package name to cause it to be removed. <strong>--nz</strong> when
|
||
|
|
used as an optional argument with <strong>-xz or -xyz</strong> will only
|
||
|
|
download the packages into <em>/var/cache/apt/archives</em> or into
|
||
|
|
whatever directory you configured for holding archives for
|
||
|
|
<strong>apt</strong>.
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>IMPORTANT</strong>: <strong>apt</strong> makes it so easy to make
|
||
|
|
changes to your installation that it is highly recommended to do your
|
||
|
|
research with swim first. This can be done by checking package
|
||
|
|
relationships, file/dir listings, comparing the not-installed package to
|
||
|
|
an installed package if such exists, checking <strong>--md5sum</strong>
|
||
|
|
and <strong>-c</strong> for the installed package, and checking the Source
|
||
|
|
field by running a <strong>--search</strong> (see <A href="ch-search.html">SEARCHING
|
||
|
|
, chapter 11</A>) to
|
||
|
|
check to see how the source package has been split into binary packages
|
||
|
|
for the not-installed package versus an installed package if such exists.
|
||
|
|
Ofcourse, there are many other things you could look at, and you can
|
||
|
|
always do your research after the fact. Presently <strong>--db</strong> is
|
||
|
|
run only by hand, so you can check the old state after an installation if
|
||
|
|
you have not already run <strong>--db</strong>, yourself.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h2><A name="s-vrrm">
|
||
|
|
9.8 REMOVING AN INSTALLED PACKAGE - VIRTUAL OPTIONS
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h2>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--purge</strong> uses <strong>dpkg</strong> to remove an installed
|
||
|
|
package or packages and the configuration files as shown with
|
||
|
|
``<strong>swim -qc packagename</strong>''.
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>-r or --remove</strong> removes an installed package or packages
|
||
|
|
with <strong>apt</strong>, but not the configuration files as shown with
|
||
|
|
``<strong>swim -qc packagename</strong>''. You may also append a plus
|
||
|
|
sign to a package name to cause it to be installed. This option is used
|
||
|
|
with -x or -x(y)z.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h2><A name="s9.9">
|
||
|
|
9.9 STDIN - VIRTUAL OPTIONS
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h2>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--stdin</strong> works with either <strong>--ftp</strong>,
|
||
|
|
<strong>-x</strong>, <strong>-xyz</strong>, <strong>-xz</strong>,
|
||
|
|
<strong>--purge</strong>, <strong>-r</strong>, or
|
||
|
|
<strong>--remove</strong>.
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--stdin</strong> provides the <em>readline capabilities</em>
|
||
|
|
commonly found in shells allowing you to edit what is on the command line.
|
||
|
|
You can edit the command line, press enter and then recall the history,
|
||
|
|
and make more changes, or <em>type in exit to process the changed or
|
||
|
|
unchanged command line</em>. To find out more about what readline commands
|
||
|
|
your shell supports please read the man pages which apply to your shell.
|
||
|
|
Information for the bash shell can be found in <code>bash(1)</code> under the
|
||
|
|
title ``<strong>Readline Command Names</strong>''.
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Example: ``<strong>swim -qgnx --stdin hamradio</strong>'' will list all
|
||
|
|
the packages from the not-installed hamradio group on the command line,
|
||
|
|
this list can be edited then submitted to <strong>apt-get</strong> for a
|
||
|
|
simulated installation. Another instance of <strong>swim</strong> can be
|
||
|
|
run at the same time, perhaps ``<strong>swim -qinTg hamradio</strong>'' to
|
||
|
|
help in making editing decisions for <strong>--stdin</strong>.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h2><A name="s9.10">
|
||
|
|
9.10 PACKAGE MANIPULATION - VIRTUAL OPTIONS
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h2>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--extract</strong> only works with the <strong>minor mode
|
||
|
|
-p</strong> to extract parts or all of a Debian package. If the
|
||
|
|
<strong>argument ALL</strong> is provided then <em>everything found in the
|
||
|
|
package will be extracted</em> below the current directory in the exact
|
||
|
|
directories found in the package. A particular <em>file may be extracted
|
||
|
|
in its exact location</em> below the current directory by <em>entering the
|
||
|
|
exact path for the file</em> as shown by ``<strong>swim -qpl</strong>'' or
|
||
|
|
``<strong>swim -qpd</strong>'' as the argument. Alternativily, a <em>file
|
||
|
|
may be extracted in the current directory</em> regardless of its proper
|
||
|
|
location by <em>prepending PWD\! before the path</em> shown by
|
||
|
|
``<strong>swim -qpl</strong>'' or ``<strong>swim -qpd</strong>''. Notice
|
||
|
|
the backslash before the exclamation point, this is because shells
|
||
|
|
consider ! a special character, so it has to be backslashed so that the
|
||
|
|
shell knows that it is not such a special character. Example:
|
||
|
|
``<strong>swim -qpi --extract PWD\!usr/bin/name --scripts
|
||
|
|
name_1.1-2.deb</strong>'' will extract the binary name in the current
|
||
|
|
directory from the name package, show information for the name package,
|
||
|
|
and show any scripts for the name package.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
<h2><A name="s-dblocus">
|
||
|
|
9.11 DATABASE LOCATIONS
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</A></h2>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--dbpath</strong> can be specified as an alternative location for
|
||
|
|
where the databases would be found. The default location is
|
||
|
|
``<em>/var/lib/dpkg</em>''. An argument like ``<em>/otherstuff</em>'' can
|
||
|
|
be provided, and then the databases would be found here instead.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--root</strong> allows a database to be found for a Debian
|
||
|
|
distribution installed on a different partition. If the distribution is
|
||
|
|
mounted on <em>/New_Debian</em>, ``<em>/New_Debian</em>'' would be the
|
||
|
|
argument to root. The databases would be found for the Debian distribution
|
||
|
|
installed on the ``<em>/New_Debian</em>'' partition.
|
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<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<strong>--dbpath and --root</strong> can be used together. Given the
|
||
|
|
previous two examples, the databases would be found on
|
||
|
|
``<em>/New_Debian/otherstuff</em>'', assuming
|
||
|
|
``<em>/New_Debian/otherstuff</em>'' actually existed.
|
||
|
|
<hr>
|
||
|
|
swim
|
||
|
|
- <A href="index.html#copyright">
|
||
|
|
Copyright � 1999 Jonathan D. Rosenbaum
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||
|
|
</A>
|
||
|
|
<br>
|
||
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|
<A href="index.html#toc">Contents</A>; <A href="ch10.html">next</A>; <A href="ch-aptprep.html">back</A>.
|
||
|
|
<br>
|
||
|
|
<address>15 June 1999<br>
|
||
|
|
Jonathan D. Rosenbaum<A href="mailto:mttrader@access.mountain.net">mttrader@access.mountain.net</A></address>
|
||
|
|
</body></html>
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