1137 lines
49 KiB
HTML
1137 lines
49 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
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<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
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<title>The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ - Basics of the Debian package management system</title>
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<link href="index.en.html" rel="start">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html" rel="prev">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html" rel="next">
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<link href="index.en.html#contents" rel="contents">
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<link href="index.en.html#copyright" rel="copyright">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html" rel="chapter" title="1 Definitions and overview">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html" rel="chapter" title="2 Getting and installing Debian GNU/Linux">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="3 Choosing a Debian distribution">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html" rel="chapter" title="4 Compatibility issues">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html" rel="chapter" title="5 Software available in the Debian system">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html" rel="chapter" title="6 The Debian FTP archives">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html" rel="chapter" title="7 Basics of the Debian package management system">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html" rel="chapter" title="8 The Debian package management tools">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html" rel="chapter" title="9 Keeping your Debian system up-to-date">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html" rel="chapter" title="10 Debian and the kernel">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="11 Customizing your installation of Debian GNU/Linux">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html" rel="chapter" title="12 Getting support for Debian GNU/Linux">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="13 Contributing to the Debian Project">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html" rel="chapter" title="14 Redistributing Debian GNU/Linux in a commercial product">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html" rel="chapter" title="15 Changes expected in the next major release of Debian">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html" rel="chapter" title="16 General information about the FAQ">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisfaq" rel="section" title="1.1 What is this FAQ?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisdebian" rel="section" title="1.2 What is Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-linux" rel="section" title="1.3 OK, now I know what Debian is... what is Linux?!">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-non-linux" rel="section" title="1.4 Does Debian just do GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-difference" rel="section" title="1.5 What is the difference between Debian GNU/Linux and other Linux distributions? Why should I choose Debian over some other distribution?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-gnu" rel="section" title="1.6 How does the Debian project fit in or compare with the Free Software Foundation's GNU project?">
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<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-pronunciation" rel="section" title="1.7 How does one pronounce Debian and what does this word mean?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-version" rel="section" title="2.1 What is the latest version of Debian?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-updatestable" rel="section" title="2.2 Are there package upgrades in `stable'?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-boot-floppies" rel="section" title="2.3 Where/how can I get the Debian installation disks?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdrom" rel="section" title="2.4 How do I install the Debian from CD-ROMs?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdimage-symlinks" rel="section" title="2.5 Why does the official stable released CD-ROM contain symlinks for `frozen' and `unstable'? I thought this CD contains just `stable'!">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-remoteinstall" rel="section" title="2.6 Can I get and install Debian directly from a remote Internet site?">
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<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-alternativebootinstaller" rel="section" title="2.7 Are there any alternative strategies for booting the system installer?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1" rel="section" title="3.1 Which Debian distribution (stable/testing/unstable) is better for me?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2" rel="section" title="3.2 But what about Knoppix, Linex, Ubuntu, and others?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-arches" rel="section" title="4.1 On what hardware architectures/systems does Debian GNU/Linux run?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherdistribs" rel="section" title="4.2 How compatible is Debian with other distributions of Linux?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherunices" rel="section" title="4.3 How source code compatible is Debian with other Unix systems?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherpackages" rel="section" title="4.4 Can I use Debian packages (".deb" files) on my Red Hat/Slackware/... Linux system? Can I use Red Hat packages (".rpm" files) on my Debian GNU/Linux system?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-non-debian-programs" rel="section" title="4.5 How should I install a non-Debian program?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-termcap" rel="section" title="4.6 Why can't I compile programs that require libtermcap?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-accelx" rel="section" title="4.7 Why can't I install AccelX?">
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<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-motifnls" rel="section" title="4.8 Why do my old XFree 2.1 Motif applications crash?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-apps" rel="section" title="5.1 What types of applications and development software are available for Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-softwareauthors" rel="section" title="5.2 Who wrote all that software?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pkglist" rel="section" title="5.3 How can I get a current list of programs that have been packaged for Debian?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-buildenv" rel="section" title="5.4 How can I install a developer's environment to build packages?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-missing" rel="section" title="5.5 What is missing from Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-no-devs" rel="section" title="5.6 Why do I get "ld: cannot find -lfoo" messages when compiling programs? Why aren't there any libfoo.so files in Debian library packages?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-java" rel="section" title="5.7 (How) Does Debian support Java?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-isitdebian" rel="section" title="5.8 How can I check that I am using a Debian system, and what version is it?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonenglish" rel="section" title="5.9 How does Debian support non-English languages?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pine" rel="section" title="5.10 Where is pine?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-qmail" rel="section" title="5.11 Where is qmail/ezmlm/djbdns?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-flash" rel="section" title="5.12 Where is a player for Flash (SWF)?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-googleearth" rel="section" title="5.13 Where is Google Earth?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-voip" rel="section" title="5.14 Where is VoIP software?">
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<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonfreewireless" rel="section" title="5.15 I have a wireless network card which doesn't work with Linux. What should I do?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dists" rel="section" title="6.1 How many Debian distributions are there?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-codenames" rel="section" title="6.2 What are all those names like etch, lenny, etc.?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sid" rel="section" title="6.3 What about "sid"?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-stable" rel="section" title="6.4 What does the stable directory contain?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-testing" rel="section" title="6.5 What does the testing distribution contain?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-unstable" rel="section" title="6.6 What does the unstable distribution contain?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dirtree" rel="section" title="6.7 What are all those directories at the Debian FTP archives?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-archsections" rel="section" title="6.8 What are all those directories inside dists/stable/main?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-source" rel="section" title="6.9 Where is the source code?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-pools" rel="section" title="6.10 What's in the pool directory?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-incoming" rel="section" title="6.11 What is "incoming"?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-ownrepository" rel="section" title="6.12 How do I set up my own apt-able repository?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-package" rel="section" title="7.1 What is a Debian package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-deb-format" rel="section" title="7.2 What is the format of a Debian binary package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgname" rel="section" title="7.3 Why are Debian package file names so long?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-controlfile" rel="section" title="7.4 What is a Debian control file?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-conffile" rel="section" title="7.5 What is a Debian conffile?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-maintscripts" rel="section" title="7.6 What is a Debian preinst, postinst, prerm, and postrm script?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-priority" rel="section" title="7.7 What is an Essential, Required, Important, Standard, Optional, or Extra package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-virtual" rel="section" title="7.8 What is a Virtual Package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-depends" rel="section" title="7.9 What is meant by saying that a package Depends, Recommends, Suggests, Conflicts, Replaces, Breaks or Provides another package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pre-depends" rel="section" title="7.10 What is meant by Pre-Depends?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgstatus" rel="section" title="7.11 What is meant by unknown, install, remove, purge and hold in the package status?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-puttingonhold" rel="section" title="7.12 How do I put a package on hold?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcepkgs" rel="section" title="7.13 How do I install a source package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcebuild" rel="section" title="7.14 How do I build binary packages from a source package?">
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<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-creatingdebs" rel="section" title="7.15 How do I create Debian packages myself?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-pkgprogs" rel="section" title="8.1 What programs does Debian provide for managing its packages?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-updaterunning" rel="section" title="8.2 Debian claims to be able to update a running program; how is this accomplished?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-whatpackages" rel="section" title="8.3 How can I tell what packages are already installed on a Debian system?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-listfiles" rel="section" title="8.4 How to display the files of a package installed?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-filesearch" rel="section" title="8.5 How can I find out what package produced a particular file?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-datapackages" rel="section" title="8.6 Why doesn't get `foo-data' removed when I uninstall `foo'? How do I make sure old unused library-packages get purged?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-howtocurrent" rel="section" title="9.1 How can I keep my Debian system current?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-upgradesingle" rel="section" title="9.2 Must I go into single user mode in order to upgrade a package?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-savedebs" rel="section" title="9.3 Do I have to keep all those .deb archive files on my disk?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-keepingalog" rel="section" title="9.4 How can I keep a log of the packages I added to the system? I'd like to know when which package upgrades and removals have occured!">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-autoupdate" rel="section" title="9.5 Can I automatically update the system?">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptproxy" rel="section" title="9.6 I have several machines how can I download the updates only one time?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-non-debian-kernel" rel="section" title="10.1 Can I install and compile a kernel without some Debian-specific tweaking?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-customkernel" rel="section" title="10.2 What tools does Debian provide to build custom kernels?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-custombootdisk" rel="section" title="10.3 How can I make a custom boot floppy?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-modules" rel="section" title="10.4 What special provisions does Debian provide to deal with modules?">
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<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-removeoldkernel" rel="section" title="10.5 Can I safely de-install an old kernel package, and if so, how?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-papersize" rel="section" title="11.1 How can I ensure that all programs use the same paper size?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-hardwareaccess" rel="section" title="11.2 How can I provide access to hardware peripherals, without compromising security?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-consolefont" rel="section" title="11.3 How do I load a console font on startup the Debian way?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-appdefaults" rel="section" title="11.4 How can I configure an X11 program's application defaults?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-booting" rel="section" title="11.5 Every distribution seems to have a different boot-up method. Tell me about Debian's.">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-custombootscripts" rel="section" title="11.6 It looks as if Debian does not use rc.local to customize the boot process; what facilities are provided?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-interconffiles" rel="section" title="11.7 How does the package management system deal with packages that contain configuration files for other packages?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-divert" rel="section" title="11.8 How do I override a file installed by a package, so that a different version can be used instead?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-localpackages" rel="section" title="11.9 How can I have my locally-built package included in the list of available packages that the package management system knows about?">
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<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-diverse" rel="section" title="11.10 Some users like mawk, others like gawk; some like vim, others like elvis; some like trn, others like tin; how does Debian support diversity?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs" rel="section" title="12.1 What other documentation exists on and for a Debian system?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-onlineresources" rel="section" title="12.2 Are there any on-line resources for discussing Debian?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-searchtools" rel="section" title="12.3 Is there a quick way to search for information on Debian GNU/Linux?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-buglogs" rel="section" title="12.4 Are there logs of known bugs?">
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<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-bugreport" rel="section" title="12.5 How do I report a bug in Debian?">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contrib" rel="section" title="13.1 How can I become a Debian software developer?">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contribresources" rel="section" title="13.2 How can I contribute resources to the Debian project?">
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<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-supportingorganizations" rel="section" title="13.3 How can I contribute financially to the Debian project?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-sellcds" rel="section" title="14.1 Can I make and sell Debian CDs?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-packagednonfree" rel="section" title="14.2 Can Debian be packaged with non-free software?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-childistro" rel="section" title="14.3 I am making a special Linux distribution for a "vertical market". Can I use Debian GNU/Linux for the guts of a Linux system and add my own applications on top of it?">
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<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-commercialdebs" rel="section" title="14.4 Can I put my commercial program in a Debian "package" so that it installs effortlessly on any Debian system?">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-i18n" rel="section" title="15.1 Extended support for non-English users">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-dependencybasedboot" rel="section" title="15.2 Faster booting: Dependency based boot sequence">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-di" rel="section" title="15.3 Improvements in the Debian Installer">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morearches" rel="section" title="15.4 More architectures">
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<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morekernels" rel="section" title="15.5 More kernels">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors" rel="section" title="16.1 Authors">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-feedback" rel="section" title="16.2 Feedback">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-latest" rel="section" title="16.3 Availability">
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<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-docformat" rel="section" title="16.4 Document format">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.1" rel="subsection" title="3.1.1 You asked me to install stable, but in stable so and so hardware is not detected/working. What should I do?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.2" rel="subsection" title="3.1.2 Will there be different versions of packages in different distributions?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.3" rel="subsection" title="3.1.3 The stable distributions really contains outdated packages. Just look at Kde, Gnome, Xorg or even the kernel. They are very old. Why is it so?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.4" rel="subsection" title="3.1.4 If I were to decide to change to another distribution, Can I do that?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.5" rel="subsection" title="3.1.5 Could you tell me whether to install testing or unstable?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.6" rel="subsection" title="3.1.6 You are talking about testing being broken. What do you mean by that?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.7" rel="subsection" title="3.1.7 Why is it that testing could be broken for months? Wont the fixes introduced in unstable flow directly down into testing?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.8" rel="subsection" title="3.1.8 From an administrator's point of view, Which distribution requires more attention?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.9" rel="subsection" title="3.1.9 What happens when a new release is made?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.10" rel="subsection" title="3.1.10 I have a working Desktop/cluster with Debian installed. How do I know which distribution I am running?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.11" rel="subsection" title="3.1.11 I am currently tracking stable. Can I change to testing or unstable? If so, How?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.12" rel="subsection" title="3.1.12 I am currently tracking testing (wheezy). What will happen when a release is made? Will I still be tracking testing or will my machine be running the new stable distribution?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.13" rel="subsection" title="3.1.13 I am still confused. What did you say I should install?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.1" rel="subsection" title="3.2.1 I know that Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... is Debian-based. So after installing it on the hard disk, can I use 'apt' package tools on it?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.2" rel="subsection" title="3.2.2 I installed Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... on my hard disk. Now I have a problem. What should I do?">
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<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.3" rel="subsection" title="3.2.3 I'm using Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... and now I want to use Debian. How do I migrate?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-oldcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.1 Which other codenames have been used in the past?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sourceforcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.2 Where do these codenames come from?">
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<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-frozen" rel="subsection" title="6.5.1 What about "testing"? How is it `frozen'?">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg" rel="subsection" title="8.1.1 dpkg">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-apt-get" rel="subsection" title="8.1.2 APT">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-aptitude" rel="subsection" title="8.1.3 aptitude">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-synaptic" rel="subsection" title="8.1.4 synaptic">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-tasksel" rel="subsection" title="8.1.5 tasksel">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-extra" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6 Other package management tools">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dselect" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.1 dselect">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-deb" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.2 dpkg-deb">
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<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-split" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.3 dpkg-split">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptitude-upgrade" rel="subsection" title="9.1.1 aptitude">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-apt" rel="subsection" title="9.1.2 apt-get, dselect and apt-cdrom">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-update_aptitude" rel="subsection" title="9.1.3 aptitude">
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<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-mirror" rel="subsection" title="9.1.4 mirror">
|
|
<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-dpkg-mountable" rel="subsection" title="9.1.5 dpkg-mountable">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.1" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1 Mailing lists">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-mailinglistconduct" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1.1 What is the code of conduct for the mailing lists?">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.2" rel="subsection" title="12.2.2 Web forums">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.3" rel="subsection" title="12.2.3 Wiki">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.4" rel="subsection" title="12.2.4 Maintainers">
|
|
<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.5" rel="subsection" title="12.2.5 Usenet newsgroups">
|
|
<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-SPI" rel="subsection" title="13.3.1 Software in the Public Interest">
|
|
<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-FSF" rel="subsection" title="13.3.2 Free Software Foundation">
|
|
|
|
</head>
|
|
|
|
<body>
|
|
|
|
<p><a name="ch-pkg_basics"></a></p>
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">previous</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">4</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ]
|
|
[ 7 ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">9</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">11</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">next</a> ]
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h1>
|
|
The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ
|
|
<br>Chapter 7 - Basics of the Debian package management system
|
|
</h1>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This chapter touches on some lower level internals of Debian package
|
|
management. If you're interested mainly in <em>usage</em> of the relevant
|
|
tools, skip to chapters <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">The Debian package
|
|
management tools, Chapter 8</a> and/or <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">Keeping
|
|
your Debian system up-to-date, Chapter 9</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-package"></a>7.1 What is a Debian package?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Packages generally contain all of the files necessary to implement a set of
|
|
related commands or features. There are two types of Debian packages:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<em>Binary packages</em>, which contain executables, configuration files,
|
|
man/info pages, copyright information, and other documentation. These packages
|
|
are distributed in a Debian-specific archive format (see <a
|
|
href="#s-deb-format">What is the format of a Debian binary package?, Section
|
|
7.2</a>); they are usually distinguished by having a '.deb' file extension.
|
|
Binary packages can be unpacked using the Debian utility <samp>dpkg</samp>
|
|
(possibly via a frontend like <code>aptitude</code>); details are given in its
|
|
manual page.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<em>Source packages</em>, which consist of a <samp>.dsc</samp> file describing
|
|
the source package (including the names of the following files), a
|
|
<samp>.orig.tar.gz</samp> file that contains the original unmodified source in
|
|
gzip-compressed tar format and usually a <samp>.diff.gz</samp> file that
|
|
contains the Debian-specific changes to the original source. The utility
|
|
<samp>dpkg-source</samp> packs and unpacks Debian source archives; details are
|
|
provided in its manual page. (The program <code>apt-get</code> can get used a
|
|
frontend for <samp>dpkg-source</samp>.)
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Installation of software by the package system uses "dependencies"
|
|
which are carefully designed by the package maintainers. These dependencies
|
|
are documented in the <samp>control</samp> file associated with each package.
|
|
For example, the package containing the GNU C compiler (<code>gcc</code>)
|
|
"depends" on the package <code>binutils</code> which includes the
|
|
linker and assembler. If a user attempts to install <code>gcc</code> without
|
|
having first installed <code>binutils</code>, the package management system
|
|
(dpkg) will send an error message that it also needs <code>binutils</code>, and
|
|
stop installing <code>gcc</code>. (However, this facility can be overridden by
|
|
the insistent user, see <code>dpkg(8)</code>.) See more in <a
|
|
href="#s-depends">What is meant by saying that a package <em>Depends</em>,
|
|
<em>Recommends</em>, <em>Suggests</em>, <em>Conflicts</em>, <em>Replaces</em>,
|
|
<em>Breaks</em> or <em>Provides</em> another package?, Section 7.9</a> below.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Debian's packaging tools can be used to:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
manipulate and manage packages or parts of packages,
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
administer local overrides of files in a package,
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
aid developers in the construction of package archives, and
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
aid users in the installation of packages which reside on a remote FTP site.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-deb-format"></a>7.2 What is the format of a Debian binary package?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
A Debian "package", or a Debian archive file, contains the executable
|
|
files, libraries, and documentation associated with a particular suite of
|
|
program or set of related programs. Normally, a Debian archive file has a
|
|
filename that ends in <samp>.deb</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The internals of this Debian binary packages format are described in the
|
|
<code>deb(5)</code> manual page. This internal format is subject to change
|
|
(between major releases of Debian GNU/Linux), therefore please always use
|
|
<code>dpkg-deb(1)</code> if you need to do lowlevel manipulations on
|
|
<samp>.deb</samp> files.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-pkgname"></a>7.3 Why are Debian package file names so long?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Debian binary package file names conform to the following convention:
|
|
<foo>_<VersionNumber>-<DebianRevisionNumber>_<DebianArchitecture>.deb
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Note that <samp>foo</samp> is supposed to be the package name. As a check, one
|
|
can learn the package name associated with a particular Debian archive file
|
|
(.deb file) in one of these ways:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
inspect the "Packages" file in the directory where it was stored at a
|
|
Debian FTP archive site. This file contains a stanza describing each package;
|
|
the first field in each stanza is the formal package name.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
use the command <samp>dpkg --info foo_VVV-RRR_AAA.deb</samp> (where VVV, RRR
|
|
and AAA are the version, revision and architecture of the package in question,
|
|
respectively). This displays, among other things, the package name
|
|
corresponding to the archive file being unpacked.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The <samp>VVV</samp> component is the version number specified by the upstream
|
|
developer. There are no standards in place here, so the version number may
|
|
have formats as different as "19990513" and "1.3.8pre1".
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The <samp>RRR</samp> component is the Debian revision number, and is specified
|
|
by the Debian developer (or an individual user if he chooses to build the
|
|
package himself). This number corresponds to the revision level of the Debian
|
|
package, thus, a new revision level usually signifies changes in the Debian
|
|
Makefile (<samp>debian/rules</samp>), the Debian control file
|
|
(<samp>debian/control</samp>), the installation or removal scripts
|
|
(<samp>debian/p*</samp>), or in the configuration files used with the package.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The <samp>AAA</samp> component identifies the processor for which the package
|
|
was built. This is commonly <samp>i386</samp>, which refers to chips
|
|
compatible to Intel's 386 or later versions. For other possibilities review
|
|
Debian's FTP directory structure at <a
|
|
href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dirtree">What are all those directories at the
|
|
Debian FTP archives?, Section 6.7</a>. For details, see the description of
|
|
"Debian architecture" in the manual page
|
|
<code>dpkg-architecture(1)</code>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-controlfile"></a>7.4 What is a Debian control file?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Specifics regarding the contents of a Debian control file are provided in the
|
|
Debian Policy Manual, section 5, see <a
|
|
href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs">What other documentation exists on and
|
|
for a Debian system?, Section 12.1</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Briefly, a sample control file is shown below for the Debian package hello:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
Package: hello
|
|
Priority: optional
|
|
Section: devel
|
|
Installed-Size: 45
|
|
Maintainer: Adam Heath <doogie@debian.org>
|
|
Architecture: i386
|
|
Version: 1.3-16
|
|
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.1)
|
|
Description: The classic greeting, and a good example
|
|
The GNU hello program produces a familiar, friendly greeting. It
|
|
allows nonprogrammers to use a classic computer science tool which
|
|
would otherwise be unavailable to them.
|
|
.
|
|
Seriously, though: this is an example of how to do a Debian package.
|
|
It is the Debian version of the GNU Project's `hello world' program
|
|
(which is itself an example for the GNU Project).
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Package field gives the package name. This is the name by which the
|
|
package can be manipulated by the package tools, and usually similar to but not
|
|
necessarily the same as the first component string in the Debian archive file
|
|
name.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Version field gives both the upstream developer's version number and (in
|
|
the last component) the revision level of the Debian package of this program as
|
|
explained in <a href="#s-pkgname">Why are Debian package file names so long?,
|
|
Section 7.3</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Architecture field specifies the chip for which this particular binary was
|
|
compiled.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Depends field gives a list of packages that have to be installed in order
|
|
to install this package successfully.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Installed-Size indicates how much disk space the installed package will
|
|
consume. This is intended to be used by installation front-ends in order to
|
|
show whether there is enough disk space available to install the program.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Section line gives the "section" where this Debian package is
|
|
stored at the Debian FTP sites.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Priority indicates how important is this package for installation, so that
|
|
semi-intelligent software like dselect or aptitude can sort the package into a
|
|
category of e.g. packages optionally installed. See <a
|
|
href="#s-priority">What is an <em>Essential</em>, <em>Required</em>,
|
|
<em>Important</em>, <em>Standard</em>, <em>Optional</em>, or <em>Extra</em>
|
|
package?, Section 7.7</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Maintainer field gives the e-mail address of the person who is currently
|
|
responsible for maintaining this package.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Description field gives a brief summary of the package's features.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
For more information about all possible fields a package can have, please see
|
|
the Debian Policy Manual, section 5, "Control files and their
|
|
fields", see <a href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs">What other
|
|
documentation exists on and for a Debian system?, Section 12.1</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-conffile"></a>7.5 What is a Debian conffile?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Conffiles is a list of configuration files (usually placed in
|
|
<samp>/etc</samp>) that the package management system will not overwrite when
|
|
the package is upgraded. This ensures that local values for the contents of
|
|
these files will be preserved, and is a critical feature enabling the in-place
|
|
upgrade of packages on a running system.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
To determine exactly which files are preserved during an upgrade, run:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg --status package
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
And look under "Conffiles:".
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-maintscripts"></a>7.6 What is a Debian preinst, postinst, prerm, and postrm script?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
These files are executable scripts which are automatically run before or after
|
|
a package is installed. Along with a file named <samp>control</samp>, all of
|
|
these files are part of the "control" section of a Debian archive
|
|
file.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The individual files are:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<dl>
|
|
<dt>preinst</dt>
|
|
<dd>
|
|
<p>
|
|
This script executes before that package will be unpacked from its Debian
|
|
archive (".deb") file. Many 'preinst' scripts stop services for
|
|
packages which are being upgraded until their installation or upgrade is
|
|
completed (following the successful execution of the 'postinst' script).
|
|
</p>
|
|
</dd>
|
|
</dl>
|
|
<dl>
|
|
<dt>postinst</dt>
|
|
<dd>
|
|
<p>
|
|
This script typically completes any required configuration of the package
|
|
<samp>foo</samp> once <samp>foo</samp> has been unpacked from its Debian
|
|
archive (".deb") file. Often, 'postinst' scripts ask the user for
|
|
input, and/or warn the user that if he accepts default values, he should
|
|
remember to go back and re-configure that package as the situation warrants.
|
|
Many 'postinst' scripts then execute any commands necessary to start or restart
|
|
a service once a new package has been installed or upgraded.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</dd>
|
|
</dl>
|
|
<dl>
|
|
<dt>prerm</dt>
|
|
<dd>
|
|
<p>
|
|
This script typically stops any daemons which are associated with a package.
|
|
It is executed before the removal of files associated with the package.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</dd>
|
|
</dl>
|
|
<dl>
|
|
<dt>postrm</dt>
|
|
<dd>
|
|
<p>
|
|
This script typically modifies links or other files associated with
|
|
<samp>foo</samp>, and/or removes files created by the package. (Also see <a
|
|
href="#s-virtual">What is a Virtual Package?, Section 7.8</a>.)
|
|
</p>
|
|
</dd>
|
|
</dl>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Currently all of the control files can be found in directory
|
|
<samp>/var/lib/dpkg/info</samp>. The files relevant to package
|
|
<samp>foo</samp> begin with the name "foo" and have file extensions
|
|
of "preinst", "postinst", etc., as appropriate. The file
|
|
<samp>foo.list</samp> in that directory lists all of the files that were
|
|
installed with the package <samp>foo</samp>. (Note that the location of these
|
|
files is a dpkg internal; you should not rely on it.)
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-priority"></a>7.7 What is an <em>Essential</em>, <em>Required</em>, <em>Important</em>, <em>Standard</em>, <em>Optional</em>, or <em>Extra</em> package?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Each Debian package is assigned a <em>priority</em> by the distribution
|
|
maintainers, as an aid to the package management system. The priorities are:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<strong>Required</strong>: packages that are necessary for the proper
|
|
functioning of the system.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This includes all tools that are necessary to repair system defects. You must
|
|
not remove these packages or your system may become totally broken and you may
|
|
probably not even be able to use dpkg to put things back. Systems with only
|
|
the Required packages are probably unusable, but they do have enough
|
|
functionality to allow the sysadmin to boot and install more software.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<strong>Important</strong> packages should be found on any Unix-like system.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Other packages which the system will not run well or be usable without will be
|
|
here. This does <em>NOT</em> include Emacs or X or TeX or any other large
|
|
applications. These packages only constitute the bare infrastructure.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<strong>Standard</strong> packages are standard on any Linux system, including
|
|
a reasonably small but not too limited character-mode system. Tools are
|
|
included to be able to browse the web (using w3m), send e-mail (with mutt) and
|
|
download files from FTP servers.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This is what will install by default if users do not select anything else. It
|
|
does not include many large applications, but it does include the Python
|
|
interpreter and some server software like OpenSSH (for remote administration),
|
|
Exim (for mail delivery, although it can be configured for local delivery
|
|
only), an identd server (pidentd) and the RPC portmapper
|
|
(<samp>portmap</samp>). It also includes some common generic documentation
|
|
that most users will find helpful.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<strong>Optional</strong> packages include all those that you might reasonably
|
|
want to install if you did not know what it was, or do not have specialized
|
|
requirements.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This includes X, a full TeX distribution, and lots of applications.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<strong>Extra</strong>: packages that either conflict with others with higher
|
|
priorities, are only likely to be useful if you already know what they are, or
|
|
have specialized requirements that make them unsuitable for
|
|
"Optional".
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If you do a default Debian installation all the packages of priority
|
|
<strong>Standard</strong> or higher will be installed in your system. If you
|
|
select pre-defined tasks you will get lower priority packages too.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Additionally, some packages are marked as <strong>Essential</strong> since they
|
|
are absolutely necessary for the proper functioning of the system. The package
|
|
management tools will refuse to remove these.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-virtual"></a>7.8 What is a Virtual Package?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
A virtual package is a generic name that applies to any one of a group of
|
|
packages, all of which provide similar basic functionality. For example, both
|
|
the <samp>tin</samp> and <samp>trn</samp> programs are news readers, and should
|
|
therefore satisfy any dependency of a program that required a news reader on a
|
|
system, in order to work or to be useful. They are therefore both said to
|
|
provide the "virtual package" called <samp>news-reader</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Similarly, <samp>smail</samp> and <samp>sendmail</samp> both provide the
|
|
functionality of a mail transport agent. They are therefore said to provide
|
|
the virtual package, "mail transport agent". If either one is
|
|
installed, then any program depending on the installation of a
|
|
<samp>mail-transport-agent</samp> will be satisfied by the existence of this
|
|
virtual package.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Debian provides a mechanism so that, if more than one package which provide the
|
|
same virtual package is installed on a system, then system administrators can
|
|
set one as the preferred package. The relevant command is
|
|
<samp>update-alternatives</samp>, and is described further in <a
|
|
href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-diverse">Some users like mawk, others like gawk;
|
|
some like vim, others like elvis; some like trn, others like tin; how does
|
|
Debian support diversity?, Section 11.10</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-depends"></a>7.9 What is meant by saying that a package <em>Depends</em>, <em>Recommends</em>, <em>Suggests</em>, <em>Conflicts</em>, <em>Replaces</em>, <em>Breaks</em> or <em>Provides</em> another package?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Debian package system has a range of package "dependencies" which
|
|
are designed to indicate (in a single flag) the level at which Program A can
|
|
operate independently of the existence of Program B on a given system:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Package A <em>depends</em> on Package B if B absolutely must be installed in
|
|
order to run A. In some cases, A depends not only on B, but on a version of B.
|
|
In this case, the version dependency is usually a lower limit, in the sense
|
|
that A depends on any version of B more recent than some specified version.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Package A <em>recommends</em> Package B, if the package maintainer judges that
|
|
most users would not want A without also having the functionality provided by
|
|
B.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Package A <em>suggests</em> Package B if B contains files that are related to
|
|
(and usually enhance) the functionality of A.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Package A <em>conflicts</em> with Package B when A will not operate if B is
|
|
installed on the system. Most often, conflicts are cases where A contains
|
|
files which are an improvement over those in B. "Conflicts" are
|
|
often combined with "replaces".
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Package A <em>replaces</em> Package B when files installed by B are removed and
|
|
(in some cases) over-written by files in A.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Package A <em>breaks</em> Package B when both cannot packages cannot be
|
|
simultaneously configured in a system. The package management system will
|
|
refuse to install one if the other one is already installed and configured in
|
|
the system.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Package A <em>provides</em> Package B when all of the files and functionality
|
|
of B are incorporated into A. This mechanism provides a way for users with
|
|
constrained disk space to get only that part of package A which they really
|
|
need.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
More detailed information on the use of each these terms can be found in the
|
|
Debian Policy manual, section 7.2, "Binary Dependencies", see <a
|
|
href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs">What other documentation exists on and
|
|
for a Debian system?, Section 12.1</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-pre-depends"></a>7.10 What is meant by Pre-Depends?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
"Pre-Depends" is a special dependency. In the case of most packages,
|
|
<samp>dpkg</samp> will unpack its archive file (i.e., its <samp>.deb</samp>
|
|
file) independently of whether or not the files on which it depends exist on
|
|
the system. Simplistically, unpacking means that <samp>dpkg</samp> will
|
|
extract the files from the archive file that were meant to be installed on your
|
|
file system, and put them in place. If those packages <em>depend</em> on the
|
|
existence of some other packages on your system, <samp>dpkg</samp> will refuse
|
|
to complete the installation (by executing its "configure" action)
|
|
until the other packages are installed.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
However, for some packages, <samp>dpkg</samp> will refuse even to unpack them
|
|
until certain dependencies are resolved. Such packages are said to
|
|
"Pre-depend" on the presence of some other packages. The Debian
|
|
project provided this mechanism to support the safe upgrading of systems from
|
|
<samp>a.out</samp> format to <samp>ELF</samp> format, where the <em>order</em>
|
|
in which packages were unpacked was critical. There are other large upgrade
|
|
situations where this method is useful, e.g. the packages with the required
|
|
priority and their LibC dependency.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
As before, more detailed information about this can be found in the Policy
|
|
manual.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-pkgstatus"></a>7.11 What is meant by <em>unknown</em>, <em>install</em>, <em>remove</em>, <em>purge</em> and <em>hold</em> in the package status?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
These "want" flags tell what the user wanted to do with a package (as
|
|
indicated either by the user's actions in the "Select" section of
|
|
<samp>dselect</samp>, or by the user's direct invocations of
|
|
<samp>dpkg</samp>).
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Their meanings are:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
unknown - the user has never indicated whether he wants the package
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
install - the user wants the package installed or upgraded
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
remove - the user wants the package removed, but does not want to remove any
|
|
existing configuration files.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
purge - the user wants the package to be removed completely, including its
|
|
configuration files.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
hold - the user wants this package not to be processed, i.e., he wants to keep
|
|
the current version with the current status whatever that is.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-puttingonhold"></a>7.12 How do I put a package on hold?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
There are three ways of holding back packages, with dpkg, aptitude or with
|
|
dselect.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
With dpkg, you have to export the list of package selections, with:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg --get-selections \* > selections.txt
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Then edit the resulting file <code>selections.txt</code>, change the line
|
|
containing the package you wish to hold, e.g. <code>libc6</code>, from this:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
libc6 install
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
to this:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
libc6 hold
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Save the file, and reload it into dpkg database with:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg --set-selections < selections.txt
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
With aptitude, you can hold a package using
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
aptitude hold package_name
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
and remove the hold with
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
aptitude unhold package_name
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
With dselect, you have to enter the [S]elect screen, find the package you wish
|
|
to hold in its present state, and press the `=' key (or `H'). The changes will
|
|
go live immediately after you exit the [S]elect screen.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-sourcepkgs"></a>7.13 How do I install a source package?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Debian source packages can't actually be "installed", they are just
|
|
unpacked in whatever directory you want to build the binary packages they
|
|
produce.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Source packages are distributed on most of the same mirrors where you can
|
|
obtain the binary packages. If you set up your APT's
|
|
<code>sources.list(5)</code> to include the appropriate "deb-src"
|
|
lines, you'll be able to easily download any source packages by running
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
apt-get source foo
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
To help you in actually building the source package, Debian source package
|
|
provide the so-called build-dependencies mechanism. This means that the source
|
|
package maintainer keeps a list of other packages that are required to build
|
|
their package. To see how this is useful, run
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
apt-get build-dep foo
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
before building the source.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-sourcebuild"></a>7.14 How do I build binary packages from a source package?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The preferred way to do this is by using various wrapper tools. We'll show how
|
|
it's done using the <samp>devscripts</samp> tools. Install this package if you
|
|
haven't done so already.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Now, first get the source package:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
apt-get source foo
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
and change to the source tree:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
cd foo-*
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Then install needed build-dependencies (if any):
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
sudo apt-get build-dep foo
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Then create a dedicated version of your own build (so that you won't get
|
|
confused later when Debian itself releases a new version)
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dch -l local 'Blah blah blah'
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
And finally build your package
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
debuild -us -uc
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If everything worked out fine, you should now be able to install your package
|
|
by running
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
sudo dpkg -i ../*.deb
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If you prefer to do things manually, and don't want to use
|
|
<samp>devscripts</samp>, follow this procedure:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
You will need all of foo_*.dsc, foo_*.tar.gz and foo_*.diff.gz to compile the
|
|
source (note: there is no .diff.gz for some packages that are native to
|
|
Debian).
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Once you have them (<a href="#s-sourcepkgs">How do I install a source package?,
|
|
Section 7.13</a>), if you have the <code>dpkg-dev</code> package installed, the
|
|
following command:
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg-source -x foo_version-revision.dsc
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
will extract the package into a directory called <samp>foo-version</samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
If you want just to compile the package, you may cd into
|
|
<samp>foo-version</samp> directory and issue the command
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -b
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
to build the package (note that this also requires the <code>fakeroot</code>
|
|
package), and then
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
dpkg -i ../foo_version-revision_arch.deb
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
to install the newly-built package(s).
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-creatingdebs"></a>7.15 How do I create Debian packages myself?</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
For a more detailed description on this, read the New Maintainers' Guide,
|
|
available in the <code>maint-guide</code> package, or at <code><a
|
|
href="http://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#maint-guide">http://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#maint-guide</a></code>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">previous</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">4</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ]
|
|
[ 7 ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">9</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">11</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">next</a> ]
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<address>
|
|
version 5.0, 27 August 2011<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Authors are listed at <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">Debian FAQ Authors</a><br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
</address>
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
</body>
|
|
|
|
</html>
|
|
|