There are some applications that are not available with apt-cache search. However, those applications' source file can be downloaded. Is it possible to package the source file into deb file and install via dpkg -i ? Or do I need to wait for that package to be made available on sources specified in /etc/apt/sources.list ?

Thanks !

You can build debs, yes. One example is the pine package.
Something like this should work.
cd /usr/src
apt-get source pine
apt-get build-dep pine
cd pine-4.x.x
dpkg-buildpackage
cd ..
dpkg -i pine-4.x.x.deb

What about source files in the form of *.tar.bz2 or *.tar.gz? Can I use apt-get build-dep on those tarballs?

Thanks !

You can only do apt-get build-dep for source packages in the apt archive.
I've never tried building debs from *.tar.[gz|bz2].
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/re...s-creatingdebs

this may help -- be sure to check the discussion below the parent post:

http://www.debianplanet.org/node.php?id=982&cid=12188

The above link seems to be dead, sounds like it's what I'm after:

Download source tarball, build a debian package from it, install from the package.

From what I understand about installing from source, if "configure" and "make" run without errors, you have all the binaries and destinations to copy the binary files to. In that case, it should be possible, instead of doing "make install" to build a debain package from what is sitting in the source directory. I don't know the internals of either .deb packages or source distributions, but it seems logical.

It so happens I'm currently building a 2.6.19 kernel the Debian way. I don't think it's exactly what you need, but it's start: http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/re...reface.en.html

Use the checkinstall package to build the .deb file it is used in place of the make install command with a command line similar to this su -c 'checkinstall -D --pkgname=package --pkgversion=1.2.3 --maintainer="Your Name your@email.com"' changing of course to the proper values it will ask for the root password type it in then hit enter key for it to build/install the package answer yes to creating the default docs. In case you do not have a clean ./configure install the apt-file package then as root apt-file update then once it completes you can as normal user apt-file search file/missing.h to find the package that contains the file you need then install it.

Or you can do it the right way

http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/ma.../index.en.html

Checkinstall is crass and should only be used as a last restort (or if you are in a hurry )

I've seen the debian new maintainers guide, i tried reading it a bit, and it seems so far to be pretty involved. Since I don't want to really create packages for distribution, just to simplify install/remove on my own machine, I was hoping it didn't have to be quite that complicated, but it's good to know about the guide for sure.