Debian Package

Package Management tools

Install system

apt-get install -f package # override broken dependencies

Upgrade system

apt-get upgrade # pull all depends
apt-get dist-upgrade # pull all depends and resolve dependency
apt-get dselect-upgrade# follow selections set by dselect
apt-get –fix-missing -f install
apt-get remove –purge old-package
apt-get check # update cache and check for broken packages

dpkg-reconfigure – reconfigure an already installed package (if it uses debconf)
dpkg-source – manage source package file
dpkg-buildpackage- automate the building of a package file

Rescue

dpkg –ignore-depends=package1,… -i packagefile.deb
dpkg –force-depends -i package
dpkg –force-depends –purge package
dpkg –force-confmiss -i package # Install missing conffile

Information on a package

auto-apt search pattern – search for pattern in all packages, installed or not
apt-cache search pattern # search package from text description
apt-cache policy package # package priority/dists information
apt-cache show -a package # show description of package in all dists
apt-cache showsrc package # show description of matching source package
apt-cache showpkg package # package information for debugging

dpkg –audit|-C # search for partially installed packages
dpkg {-s|–status} package … # description of installed package
dpkg -l package … # status of installed package (1 line each)
dpkg -L package … # list file names installed by the package

Reconfigure installed packages

dpkg-reconfigure –priority=medium package [...]
dpkg-reconfigure –all # reconfigure all packages
dpkg-reconfigure locales # generate any extra locales
dpkg-reconfigure –p=low xserver-xfree86 # reconfigure X server
apt-get autoclean # removes only useless package files
apt-get clean # removes all cached package files
package information

/var/lib/apt/lists/*
/var/lib/dpkg/available
/var/lib/dpkg/status
/var/backups/dpkg.status*
configuration scripts

apt-setup – create /etc/sources.list
install-mbr – install a Master Boot Record manager
tzconfig – set the local timezone
gpmconfig – set gpm mouse daemon
sambaconfig – configure Samba in Potato (Woody uses debconf)
eximconfig – configure Exim (MTA) texconfig – configure teTeX
apacheconfig – configure Apache (httpd)
cvsconfig – configure CVS
sndconfig – configure sound system
update-alternatives – set default command, e.g., vim as vi
update-rc.d – System-V init script management
update-menus – Debian menu system .

pkg-get install krb5-clients for Kerberos