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Old 09-23-2005, 12:50 PM   #1
johnMG
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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: CT, USA
Distribution: Debian Sarge (server), Etch (work/home)
Posts: 601

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dpkg, letters in column on the left


Regarding the output of "dpkg -l":

Code:
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Installed/Config-files/Unpacked/Failed-config/Half-installed
|/ Err?=(none)/Hold/Reinst-required/X=both-problems (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name           Version        Description
+++-==============-==============-============================================
ii  a2ps           4.13b-16woody1 GNU a2ps 'Anything to PostScript' converter 
ii  adduser        3.63           Add and remove users and groups
ii  apache         1.3.26-0woody6 Versatile, high-performance HTTP server
[snip]
I see that there's three columns on the left, but I've only ever seen two of them actually used, and they mostly say "ii" or "rc".

Why do the installed packages say "ii"? I don't *"desire"* for them to be installed -- they're *already* installed.

Also, why can't I get rid of some packages? I sometimes install a package, but then later remove it (apt-get remove --purge foo), but it still stays in that dpkg -l output with an "rc" next to it. It suggests that I "desire" to remove the package, but it should already *be* removed...

Looking at the man page, it organizes pkg info into three classes -- each class having one of a number of possible values:
Code:
states
	installed
	half-installed
	not-installed
	unpacked
	half-configured
	config-files

selection states
	install
	deinstall
	purge

flags
	hold
	reinst-required
So it seems that the connection between the dpkg -l header and the man page is:

Desired <--> selection state plus the "hold" flag
Status <--> states
Err <--> flags

Where "hold" gets used twice.

Seems a bit out of sync... or confusing at least.

Anyhow, any commentary or explanation is welcome and appreciated. I'll be happy to update the lq-wiki page with anything useful that comes up here.

As for my specific question though: I've got a package that says "ic" in the left column of the dpkg -l output. What's the significance of that 'c'?
 
Old 09-23-2005, 02:35 PM   #2
Dead Parrot
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Registered: Mar 2004
Distribution: Debian GNU/kFreeBSD
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Desired = this is what you have asked dpkg to do
Status = this is package's current status on your system

ii = you've asked dpkg (or some frontend) to install the package and it's currently installed

rc = you've asked dpkg to remove the package and currently only its config files are installed

ic = (*this is a tough one*) I don't really know but I'd guess that you've asked dpkg to install this package but something went wrong and currently only its config files are installed -- reinstalling the package might help

You can launch aptitude and ask it (by typing "/") to search this "ic" package and then check out if it's marked as installed or not. Please post the results of your investigation -- I'm curious to hear if I got this one right or not.

Last edited by Dead Parrot; 09-23-2005 at 02:36 PM.
 
Old 09-23-2005, 03:33 PM   #3
johnMG
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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: CT, USA
Distribution: Debian Sarge (server), Etch (work/home)
Posts: 601

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> Desired = this is what you have asked dpkg to do

Ahh... maybe that's, more precisely, the *last* thing I asked dpkg to do?

> You can launch aptitude and ask it (by typing "/") to search this "ic"
> package and then check out if it's marked as installed or not. Please post
> the results of your investigation -- I'm curious to hear if I got this one right
> or not. ;)

I just installed aptitude. It is a very scary and pointy program. However,
I followed your instructions, and my "ic" package is not listed as being
installed.

dpkg -l tells me that it looks to be mostly config files installed for that
program.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to purge aptitude from my system
with extreme prejudice. :)

Thanks.

Last edited by johnMG; 09-23-2005 at 03:35 PM.
 
  


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