(Ubuntu 10.04) How to find source of an installed apt package?

dewdrop_world · 01-18-2011, 08:45 PM

How do I find which "software source" provided a package that I installed?

Some weeks ago, I installed linux-realtime. A collaborator is trying to mirror my setup and looked for that package, but it isn't in the default software sources. So, I need to tell him where I got it.

Thanks,
James

matthewg42 · 01-18-2011, 09:14 PM

It depends where you got the .deb. If it's part of the ubuntu repositories, you should go into the software sources tool, and make sure the "source" repos are enabled. Then it's just a matter of doing

Code:

apt-get source packagename

However, if you added a custom repository for the game, there may or may not be source available depending on the repository, license and so on.

decodedthought · 01-18-2011, 09:17 PM

use this to search the software source for a package.
otherwise you could give him your sourcelist

Code:

# gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

copy the whole list and paste in a new text file.

dewdrop_world · 01-19-2011, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by decodedthought

use this to search the software source for a package.
otherwise you could give him your sourcelist

Code:

# gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

copy the whole list and paste in a new text file.

If it's in a PPA? packages.ubuntu.com seems not to search them.

This seems a rather basic function - "Oh, I have that installed? Where did I get it from? I forget." I find it surprising that the local apt utilities don't have a way to handle that.

@Matthew: By source, I meant the package repository from which the package was downloaded, not source code.

James

matthewg42 · 01-19-2011, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dewdrop_world

@Matthew: By source, I meant the package repository from which the package was downloaded, not source code.

Oh I see! Well you can use apt-cache to get info about that:

Code:

apt-cache show stellarium |grep ^Filename

which will output something like:
[pre]Filename: pool/universe/s/stellarium/stellarium_0.10.5-0ubuntu1_i386.deb[/pre]

apt-cache showsrc packagename might also be interesting to you.