Hi, I'm trying to install a shedload of .deb files that I'm downloading, is there a way of typing out a batch file type thing which can install all of them without me having to type dpkg -i package_name.deb a squillion times?

Also, I'm having to download the deb files on my windows PC then transfer them by disk so... um... is there any way I could write out this batch file in a windows environment? or would I have to use a program inside my Linux install?

Easiest option please, I'm tired, drunk and naturally lazy.
Thank you.

you can use
For bash scripting take a look at
http://tldp.org/LDP/Bash-Beginners-G...ers-Guide.html

We call that a script....

When Bill was in diapers and there was no DOS or Windows, the Unix elders also called it a script. So clearly, it is the MS world that is the abberation....

aaah, a script, yes, I've heard that used before, now, although I don't know how to write one, at least I know what to call one!

I would paraphrase that question as

What is a Linux scripting language that is badly documented, internally inconsistent and not very powerful?

Sorry, you can find plenty of Linux scripting languages that are as badly documented as the Windows batch file language, but I don't think you can find one as internally inconsistent and lacking in power.

Seriously, bash scripting seems to be the most popular Linux tool filling the role of advanced .bat files in Windows.

But bash scripting is lot more powerful and complex than .bat files, so there is far more to learn. Hopefully you can find a simple subset of bash scripting that is easy to learn while already being more powerful than .bat files.

Anyway, there are several choices of "shell scripting" languages (such as bash) as well as other scripting languages. It sounds like your current task barely (if at all) needs scripting. Learning a little bash scripting is a good idea even if your current task doesn't require it.

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Note that at the basic level a script is really just a file holding a series of shell commands to be executed, so most everything you can do in the shell can also be done in a script, and vice-versa.

I highly recommend linuxcommand.org as a good introduction to the bash shell and scripting. It will give you everything you need to know to get started.

this command will do what you want:

for i in `ls *.deb`; do dpkg -i $i; done

note the use of `backticks` and not 'apostrophes'

Link in my signature.

jlinkels

I missed this previously---if those are the constraints, then I recommend staying with Windows.....