How to configure apt-get to install suggested packages?

davidas · 04-13-2004, 05:40 PM

Eg.

david:/etc/apt# apt-get install bind9
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
libdns11 libisc7 libisccc0 libisccfg0 liblwres1
Suggested packages:
dnsutils bind9-doc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
bind9 libdns11 libisc7 libisccc0 libisccfg0 liblwres1
0 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 1105kB of archives.
After unpacking 2646kB of additional disk space will be used.

How to configure apt-get such that it will also install dnsutils and bind9-doc (suggested packages) in addition to bind9 package?

Also, are /etc/apt/preferences and /etc/apt/apt,conf files created by default upon apt installation? Cos I only have the following files in my /etc/apt :

david:/etc/apt# ls
apt-file.conf apt.conf.d sources.001 sources.list

Thanks !

fancypiper · 04-13-2004, 06:18 PM

Didn't it ask if you wanted to proceed and did you answer y?

If not, try editing sources.list for the ones you wish to use.

# Debian links
Installing Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 For Intel x86
The Very Verbose Debian 3.0 Installation Walkthrough
APT HOWTO
Debian Package Management HOWTO Version 1.1

Dead Parrot · 04-13-2004, 06:23 PM

Why not use Aptitude?

m_yates · 07-19-2007, 09:57 PM

Edit: Oops....

Junior Hacker · 07-20-2007, 12:41 AM

Normally, what I do is type (y) and let it install what I originally asked for, then I issue a second apt-get install command and copy and paste the earlier suggested packages after the apt-get install command. Or you could type (n) to say no and redo your install command to have all of them like so:

Code:

apt-get install bind9 dnsutils bind9-doc

Telemachos · 07-20-2007, 06:16 AM

I think that automatically adding all suggested packages would put a lot of cruft on your system. However, if you want it, you can get that behavior by adding a line to /etc/apt/apt.conf:

Code:

APT::Install-Recommends "true";
APT::Install-Suggests "true";

The second line will automate suggests and the first would automate installation of recommends. You can use either or both, though again, lots of cruft. If you don't yet have an /etc/apt/apt.conf file, you can create it and add just the one line.

kushalkoolwal · 07-20-2007, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telemachos

I think that automatically adding all suggested packages would put a lot of cruft on your system. However, if you want it, you can get that behavior by adding a line to /etc/apt/apt.conf:

Code:

APT::Install-Recommends "true";
APT::Install-Suggests "true";

The second line will automate suggests and the first would automate installation of recommends. You can use either or both, though again, lots of cruft. If you don't yet have an /etc/apt/apt.conf file, you can create it and add just the one line.

That's good to know. Interesting to see this thread bumped up after 3 years....

Telemachos · 07-20-2007, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kushalkoolwal

That's good to know. Interesting to see this thread bumped up after 3 years....

Wow, yeah. The funny thing is that I saw the thread at the top of the list this morning in the Debian forum, so I stuck my two cents in. I didn't even look at the original posting dates. And here I am bumping it up again. Ah well...

motohoss · 05-30-2008, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telemachos

Wow, yeah. The funny thing is that I saw the thread at the top of the list this morning in the Debian forum, so I stuck my two cents in. I didn't even look at the original posting dates. And here I am bumping it up again. Ah well...

Thanks for having this tidbit here. It helped me today.

pliqui · 06-07-2008, 06:37 PM

and if you have a multi distro like me (testing, unstable and experimental) you can also add to your apt.conf

Code:

APT::Default-Release "testing";

so you can choose your default realease... my 2cents

cortocircuito · 07-15-2009, 06:54 PM

check out this:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=43382

mark_alfred · 07-15-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telemachos

I think that automatically adding all suggested packages would put a lot of cruft on your system. However, if you want it, you can get that behavior by adding a line to /etc/apt/apt.conf:

Code:

APT::Install-Recommends "true";
APT::Install-Suggests "true";

The second line will automate suggests and the first would automate installation of recommends. You can use either or both, though again, lots of cruft. If you don't yet have an /etc/apt/apt.conf file, you can create it and add just the one line.

If you have apt.conf set up like this, you can avoid installing recommends via:

Code:

apt-get --no-install-recommends install package

This will prevent apt from considering recommended packages as a dependency for installing, even if apt.conf is configured to do so via "APT::Install-Recommends".

vikjon0 · 08-23-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

apt-get --no-install-recommends install package

I use this all the time, the problem now is that I cant get the recommends to install! I assumed I could just follow up with

Quote:

apt-get install package

but it does not bite. No packages are installed. My problem is gnome-core so there is a lot of rec.

mfrasca · 02-05-2011, 04:18 AM

you can also specify the option on the command line, like this:
sudo apt-get install <package> -o APT::Install-Suggests=true
but apt-get install will follow the "suggests" for all installed packages, not just the one you are adding now.

badbit · 03-21-2012, 01:22 PM

What's the proper way to comment the apt.conf file?