Hello:

Is there an app that you can run before installing a new package etc and then after the install that will show you all the changes that occurred on your system as a result of installing the new package?

Thanks,

The files installed by an app are logged in /var/log/packages. Once you actually look in that directory and open one or two files there, it should be pretty obvious how it works.

If you're talking about changes like editing system files (e.g. rc.local), it's very rare (GNOME distributions have been known to do it, IIRC).

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Knowing that kind of information is important in the proprietary software world. In the proprietary world software providers cannot be trusted and unwanted software often is installed along with the primary app. Years ago with Windows I used a slick little applet called InCtrl to install software. That applet took a snapshot of the registry and selected drive partitions before and after installing the new package. Very nice and yes, often I used the tool to delete unwanted components of the software installation.

Fortunately, free/libre software does not come with that kind of mistrust and baggage. The package management tools are sufficient to learn what was installed and where. Further, packages basically are compressed collections of files and easily viewed by normal tools as well as the package manager. No surprises or unwanted software. Even pre and post installation scripts can be viewed before installing the package.

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Yeah, its an AI between keyboard and chair.

Provided that you only install software that has been made into slackware packages, pkgtool or /var/log/packages will tell you what was installed and when it was installed. (/var/log/removed_packages and /var/log/removed_scripts will also tell you what has been removed from your computer).

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Usually just checking /var/log/packages is enough to find out what files a package installed, as others point out. But perhaps you are referring to file integrity scanners and filesystem monitor software such as AIDE, FAM and Tripwire?

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Thanks Diantre.

What I am trying to find out is, if I install GRUB from the Slackware 13.37 DVD, does the install process change any of the existing 350,000 Slackware files in any way.

Downlo9ad the grub-package and use explodepkg to decompress it. You will see all files with their location in the filesystem and also the doinstall.sh script. If you study that you will see what is changed, if something changes.

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1.

.tgz slackware package

in konqueror, right click the file then choose

"preview in Ark" (the old kde compressed file app/viewer)

And now you may see what goes to where on the hard drive upon installation.
--

2.

# finds new(ly) (software installed) files
# redirect next to a file may serve as an install log of files installed

root@P5Q:~# find / -xdev -ctime -1

--
Alan

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You do need to uncompress the package to see the doinst.sh script, but if you're feeling confident and just want to see the files in the package, then you can just run less on the package or tarball.

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