Hello Everyone,

Currently Using Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon

When using the software manager the only option available is to "install" programs, does anyone by any chance know if there is a way to actually download the software installer files instead of just installing them?

Thank You All For Your Help

I don't believe that it has that functionality. I have Linux Mint 15, and throughout the menus, and there doesn't seem to be an option to download the package without installing. Try using apt-get instead.

As Froggy192 says, apt-get has options to just download and not install

But this may not do what you expect, it will download but not to your current directory
you need to look in /var/cache/apt/archives/
You will probably find most of what you have installed sitting in that cache

You can change this, check apt-get --help or for the long version man apt-get
both will help you download the packages to where you want.

I'm guessing you want to do this to install to multiple systems without having to re-download?


Another way to achieve this is to use synaptic
select your installs, and then under the file menu --> generate package download script
basically makes a wget script for easy downloading ( run it in the dir you want to download to )
Once downloaded you can use synaptic to Add Downloaded packages.

Why don't you download deb file of the softwares?
They are installed just like exe file in windows.
You have to double click on the file and they install the software for you.

from where?
Not quite, a windows exe usually has it's own installer 'built in'
Assuming it is a simple package, yes
But if the deb has dependencies that are not already installed it will fail.
you have to download all the required debs, and know which order to click them in.

Put on removable media, take to none networked system
No such issue

Same goes for synaptic

Slight issue, if the Networked Box already has a dependency and the None Networked Box doesn't, well dependencies are not met. so back to networked Box

But I'm trying to read what has not been written and guessing why paulcall want to do this.

Do you know the term google, just search there for deb files. Most softwares has their deb files. You can install them easily.
Yes but installing deb files are far easier than source codes. Have you ever tried them before?
Iand I am not saying deb has installer inside, I comparing them as easy to use.
Why you so negative then OP will have dependency problem, If op's system is clean enough, he will not face the dependency problem.
Op said " if there is a way to actually download the software installer files instead of just installing them"

Then what is your way to install the files except deb or synaptic. OP wants to install from the installer, he does not want to use command line.
Read again."instead of just installing them"

How can the software manager install the programs without downloading them? That doesn't make any sense! Look in /var/cache/apt/archive

Google?
isn't that a bit like altavista?
can you refine your search with a pipe like altavista?
I would really miss that feature
Source codes? who mentioned source?
and yes, I have used source code , I have even made some changes to suit my needs

xfree86 was my first, I had to tinker about to get my ATI All in Wonder to work

The second was mdadm, an un- escaped ' in a print made it crash

You seem to have missed my point
if somepackage needs xyz and zxy but OP's system is 'clean' and does not have xyz and/or zxy then the install of the single somepackage.deb will fail
I have only been able to guess why paulcall wants to 'just download' and not install
My best guess was to transfer to a none networked system

I gave two options, one was pure cli, the other and cli/gui hybrid
In my opinion either one is less work than googling around to download debs, which in all honesty never even crossed my mind.

Both of our solutions will work, but depending on the package yours will take longer :P

Anyway, lets wait for feedback from paulcall, hopefully we can find out the why, and take another look at *all* of our options to see which is best suited

Hey Guys,

Thank you for all of your responses, I had the same idea that the software manager must download the file first and then install, I am still new to the Linux file system so I was unable to find the location but I believe snowpine has found it.

Unfortunately I am still new to Linux in general and I am not yet familiar of commands to use in the terminal.

To settle some other issues brought up in this thread....
I like to have the actual files
Reasons....
- this way if you need to setup your computer again you can just install all of the programs from a folder rather than searching for everything again.
- easier than having to remember all the programs installed from the software manager
- You can install and setup the programs without an internet connection
- saves time from having to Google each program individually
- downloading from the software manager you get the exact compatible program needed
-etc.

Thanks Again guys for all your help

In that case you should read
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2

Linux Mint's preferred upgrade Procedure is to do a fresh install of the new version and then restore a backup of user data and installed software list.

The above link gives some detail on 'mintbackup', which should fit your needs
However I'm not certain just how it will behave with /var/cache/apt/archive

If you have space, give it a try in a Virtual Machine ( with network off/unplugged )

Thank you for the reply and the link, I will take a look at this.
If I ever decide to try this out on maybe a computer that is not connected to the internet, I am not sure how this would work because there would be nothing to restore from.
This link looks to have a lot of info which helps with my process of learning more about Linux.

Thanks Again