Set the status of "purge" packages - dpkg --get-selections

kushalkoolwal · 01-08-2009, 07:41 PM

On doing following on my Lenny system:

Code:

dpkg --get-selections > packages.txt

I got the following output with some packages' status as "purge" or "deinstall" like this:

Code:

................
libsepol1                                       install
libsigc++-2.0-0c2a                              deinstall
libslang2                                       install
libsplashy1                                     install
libss2                                          install
libssl0.9.8                                     install
libstdc++6                                      install
libsysfs2                                       install
libtext-charwidth-perl                          install
libtext-iconv-perl                              install
libtext-wrapi18n-perl                           install
libts-0.0-0                                     install
libusb-0.1-4                                    install
libuuid1                                        install
libvolume-id0                                   install
libwrap0                                        install
libx11-6                                        install
libx11-data                                     install
libxapian15                                     deinstall
....................
logrotate                                       install
lsb-base                                        install
lsof                                            install
lzma                                            purge
make                                            install
makedev                                         install
man-db                                          install
manpages                                        install
mawk                                            install
mdetect                                         install
minicom                                         install
mktemp                                          install
module-init-tools                               install
mount                                           install
nano                                            install
ncurses-base                                    install
ncurses-bin                                     install
net-tools                                       install
netbase                                         install
openssh-blacklist                               purge
openssh-client                                  install
openssh-server                                  install
passwd                                          install
.............

The packages are shown as purge because I had attempted to remove them but was not able to remove them because of dependency errors.

Also the packages that are shown as "deinstall" are removed on my system. How do I remove these packages from the listing.

How do I set the status of those packages (which are shown as "pruge") back to "install" again? I am fine with not removing them.

I use apt-get as my package manager.

kushalkoolwal · 01-08-2009, 08:01 PM

Sorry folks. I think I found the answer to this one. If anybody wants to know just let me know and I will post it.

Thanks

the trooper · 01-09-2009, 08:34 AM

I'd be interested in the solution.

farslayer · 01-09-2009, 09:00 AM

That listing is used if you wish to setup an identical system as far as packages go.

Packages that are installed by default in the system will be listed as purged or de-install so the new system you transfer this package list to will know that is what it is supposed to do with those packages

Original System

Code:

dpkg --get-selections > packages.txt

copy the packages.txt file to the new machine

Code:

dpkg --set-selections < packages.txt

apt-get dselect-upgrade

The new machine will now install and remove packages according to what is in the list. .

the trooper · 01-09-2009, 09:42 AM

Thanks Farslayer.
Is it possible to use the apt-get dselect-upgrade command with aptitude instead?.Or does it not matter in this case.

Regards.
The trooper.

farslayer · 01-09-2009, 10:17 AM

I don't believe aptitude is aware of the dselect-upgrade option. This means packages wont get flagged as automatically installed by Aptitude.

Since this is typically the fist thing you would do on a system if you were going for an identical packages selection, I would probably just do the apt-get dselect-upgrade then follow it up with aptitude keep-all, and use aptitude from that point forward.

Sure wish I could find a more recent reference for that info..

the trooper · 01-09-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farslayer

I don't believe aptitude is aware of the dselect-upgrade option. This means packages wont get flagged as automatically installed by Aptitude.

Since this is typically the fist thing you would do on a system if you were going for an identical packages selection, I would probably just do the apt-get dselect-upgrade then follow it up with aptitude keep-all, and use aptitude from that point forward.

Sure wish I could find a more recent reference for that info..

Just goes to prove you learn something new everyday!
Will make a note of this.

kushalkoolwal · 01-09-2009, 11:48 AM

Ooops...Sorry for the delay....Looks like farslayer has posted the solution already. Thank you.