I like to work from the command line. I found that once I got to know it, it was quicker to do the tasks that I needed to do. Here is a quick front-end to common package management tasks that I do in Ubuntu (installing/removing packages, package information...). It's well commented and includes help by just typing the command. I call it apt and the syntax is simple:
apt <option> <*option2>'option2' is often a package name but sometimes isn't needed. For example:
apt i gimpwill install Gimp, and:
apt ywill sync your computer with the package repository database. Here's the script:
#!/bin/bash
# Frontend for common Debian/Ubuntu package management tasks
# http://www.cyberciti.biz/ref/apt-dpkg-ref.html
# Display usage if no parameters given
if [[ -z $@ ]]; then
echo "apt <option> <*package> - debian management tasks
c | clean - delete downloaded packages that are extinct (to make space)
h | hold - hold/freeze a package (prevent it from being updated)
i | install - install package (and dependencies)
I | reinst - reinstall package
l | list - list files installed by package
L | local - install a local package (.deb) (and dependencies)
n | info - package information
o | owns - package ownership of a file
q | query - lookup installed package
Q | Query - lookup installed package and version
r | remove - remove package (and unneeded dependencies)
R | purge - remove package and it's configurations
s | search - search for package and package description
S | source - download package source code and pkg creation information
u | update - update system
y | sync - sync repository database
---
ppaadd - add ppa repository
pparem - remove ppa repository
---
Distup - distribution upgrade
taskinst - add a package group
tasklist - list package groups
taskpkg - lisk packages in a group
taskrem - remove package group
---
fixpkgman - fix a package system that's broken (possibly, emergencies only)
forceremove - remove package forcibly (ignore parents)
pin - prevent package from being installed (a.k.a. locking)
unpin - remove pinning (locking) of package
rmlock - remove package manager lock"
exit
fi
case $1 in
c | clean ) sudo apt-get autoclean # rm extinct d/l pkgs
# sudo apt-get clean # rm all d/l pkgs (clean all?)
sudo apt-get autoremove
;;
h | hold ) shift
echo "$@" hold | sudo dpkg --set-selections
;;
i | install ) shift
# sudo apt-get update # Sync - bbs says here, 24 hrs?
# sudo apt-get upgrade # Update software
sudo apt-get install "$@" # Install software, here thght org
;;
I | reinst ) shift
sudo apt-get install --reinstall "$@"
;;
l | list ) shift
dpkg -L "$@"
;;
L | local ) shift
# sudo dpkg -i "$@"
for p in "$@"; do sudo gdebi "$p"; done
;;
n | info ) shift
apt-cache show "$@"
;;
o | owns ) shift
dpkg -S "$@"
;;
q | query ) shift
dpkg -l | grep ^[h,i]i | awk '{print $2}' | grep "$@"
;;
Q | Query ) shift
dpkg -l | grep ^[h,i]i | awk '{print $2"_"$3}' | grep "$@"
;;
r | remove ) shift
sudo apt-get remove "$@" && sudo apt-get autoremove
;;
R | purge ) shift
sudo apt-get --purge remove "$@" && sudo apt-get autoremove
;;
s | search ) shift
apt-cache search "$@"
;;
S | source ) shift
apt-get source "$@"
;;
u | update ) sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
;;
y | sync ) sudo apt-get update
;;
# ---
ppaadd ) shift
sudo add-apt-repository "$@"
sudo apt-get update
;;
pparem ) shift
sudo ppa-purge "$@"
#sudo apt-get update
;;
# ---
Distup ) sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
;;
taskinst ) shift
sudo tasksel install "$@"
;;
tasklist ) sudo tasksel --list-tasks
;;
taskpkg ) shift
sudo tasksel --task-packages "$@"
;;
taskrem ) shift
sudo tasksel remove "$@"
;;
# ---
fixpkgman ) sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available{,.bck}
sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/available
sudo rm -vf /var/lib/apt/lists/* # rm repo list
# https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReducingDiskFootprint#Disable_apt_caches
sudo mv pkgcache.bin{,.bck}
sudo mv srcpkgcache.bin{,.bck}
sudo apt-get update # new repo list, rebuild cache
# sudo apt-get clean
# sudo mv /var/cache/apt /var/cache/apt-01
;;
forceremove ) shift
sudo dpkg --force-all --remove "$@"
;;
pin ) shift
for p in "$@"; do
inst_pkg=$(apt-cache search $p | awk '{print $1}' | grep -x $p)
if [ -z $inst_pkg ]; then
echo " Package \"$inst_pkg\" appears not to exist"
exit
else
echo "
Package: "$p"
Pin: version 0.0
Pin-Priority: -1" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/preferences
fi
done
;;
unpin ) shift
sudo sed -i "/^.*"$@"/,/-1/d" \
/etc/apt/preferences
;;
rmlock ) [ -f /var/lib/dpkg/lock ] && echo " Lock found, removing..."
# Taking down owning app is taking down system
#sudo fuser -cuk /var/lib/dpkg/lock; \
#sudo rm -f /var/lib/dpkg/lock
sudo rm -f /var/lib/dpkg/lock
;;
* ) shift
sudo apt-get "$@"
;;
esacTo have the script behave as a normal program (i.e. by typing it from the command line, you'll have to create a scripting environment. You can read more on how to do that here:
Setting up a Scripting Environment
Any comments and tips appreciated.