How to check version of an installed software?

ravisingh1 · 07-13-2013, 10:13 AM

Just now i have installed vim from the terminal.
How to find the version of that. What's the command?
Also in general , hhow to find the version of any s/w installed in my system? What's the command?

knudfl · 07-13-2013, 10:47 AM

$ man dpkg
http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/...n1/dpkg.1.html

$ man dpkg-query
http://man.he.net/man1/dpkg-query

'vim' : $ dpkg-query -s vim

-

ozar · 07-13-2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravisingh1

Just now i have installed vim from the terminal.
How to find the version of that. What's the command?
Also in general , hhow to find the version of any s/w installed in my system? What's the command?

Hello

You don't say what distro you are running, but I run Arch so for me the command is:

pacman -Qi vim

jpollard · 07-13-2013, 11:43 AM

Just do a "vim --version". It will print out the version AND all the options included:

Code:

$ vim --version
VIM - Vi IMproved 7.3 (2010 Aug 15, compiled May 23 2012 09:39:33)
Included patches: 1-415, 417-515
Modified by <bugzilla@redhat.com>
Compiled by <bugzilla@redhat.com>
Huge version without GUI.  Features included (+) or not (-):
+arabic +autocmd -balloon_eval -browse ++builtin_terms +byte_offset +cindent 
-clientserver -clipboard +cmdline_compl +cmdline_hist +cmdline_info +comments 
+conceal +cryptv +cscope +cursorbind +cursorshape +dialog_con +diff +digraphs 
-dnd -ebcdic +emacs_tags +eval +ex_extra +extra_search +farsi +file_in_path 
+find_in_path +float +folding -footer +fork() +gettext -hangul_input +iconv 
+insert_expand +jumplist +keymap +langmap +libcall +linebreak +lispindent 
+listcmds +localmap -lua +menu +mksession +modify_fname +mouse -mouseshape 
+mouse_dec +mouse_gpm -mouse_jsbterm +mouse_netterm -mouse_sysmouse 
+mouse_xterm +mouse_urxvt +multi_byte +multi_lang -mzscheme +netbeans_intg 
+path_extra +perl +persistent_undo +postscript +printer +profile +python 
-python3 +quickfix +reltime +rightleft +ruby +scrollbind +signs +smartindent 
-sniff +startuptime +statusline -sun_workshop +syntax +tag_binary 
+tag_old_static -tag_any_white -tcl +terminfo +termresponse +textobjects +title
 -toolbar +user_commands +vertsplit +virtualedit +visual +visualextra +viminfo 
+vreplace +wildignore +wildmenu +windows +writebackup -X11 -xfontset -xim -xsmp
 -xterm_clipboard -xterm_save 
   system vimrc file: "/etc/vimrc"
     user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
      user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
  fall-back for $VIM: "/etc"
 f-b for $VIMRUNTIME: "/usr/share/vim/vim73"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H   -I/usr/local/include  -O2 -g -pipe -Wall  -fexceptions -fstack-protector --param=ssp-buffer-size=4  -m64 -mtune=generic -D_GNU_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64  -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=1      
Linking: gcc   -L. -Wl,-z,relro  -rdynamic -Wl,-export-dynamic  -Wl,--enable-new-dtags -Wl,-rpath,/usr/lib64/perl5/CORE  -Wl,-z,relro  -L/usr/local/lib -Wl,--as-needed -o vim       -lm -lnsl  -lselinux  -lncurses -lacl -lattr -lgpm -ldl    -Wl,--enable-new-dtags -Wl,-rpath,/usr/lib64/perl5/CORE  -fstack-protector  -L/usr/lib64/perl5/CORE -lperl -lresolv -lnsl -ldl -lm -lcrypt -lutil -lpthread -lc -L/usr/lib64/python2.7/config -lpython2.7 -lpthread -ldl -lutil -lm -Xlinker -export-dynamic   -lruby -lpthread -lrt -ldl -lcrypt -lm    
$

jdkaye · 07-13-2013, 11:45 AM

Open a terminal and type the name of your program followed by --version
For example:

Code:

~$ vim --version
VIM - Vi IMproved 7.3 (2010 Aug 15, compiled Jun 24 2013 02:29:26)
Included patches: 1-923
Modified by pkg-vim-maintainers@lists.alioth.debian.org
Compiled by jamessan@debian.org
Huge version with GTK2-GNOME GUI.  Features included (+) or not (-):
+arabic          +file_in_path    +mouse_sgr       +tag_binary
+autocmd         +find_in_path    -mouse_sysmouse  +tag_old_static
+balloon_eval    +float           +mouse_urxvt     -tag_any_white
+browse          +folding         +mouse_xterm     +tcl
++builtin_terms  -footer          +multi_byte      +terminfo
+byte_offset     +fork()          +multi_lang      +termresponse
+cindent         +gettext         -mzscheme        +textobjects
+clientserver    -hangul_input    +netbeans_intg   +title
+clipboard       +iconv           +path_extra      +toolbar
+cmdline_compl   +insert_expand   +perl            +user_commands
+cmdline_hist    +jumplist        +persistent_undo +vertsplit
+cmdline_info    +keymap          +postscript      +virtualedit
+comments        +langmap         +printer         +visual
+conceal         +libcall         +profile         +visualextra
+cryptv          +linebreak       +python          +viminfo
+cscope          +lispindent      -python3         +vreplace
+cursorbind      +listcmds        +quickfix        +wildignore
+cursorshape     +localmap        +reltime         +wildmenu
+dialog_con_gui  +lua             +rightleft       +windows
+diff            +menu            +ruby            +writebackup
+digraphs        +mksession       +scrollbind      +X11
+dnd             +modify_fname    +signs           -xfontset
-ebcdic          +mouse           +smartindent     +xim
+emacs_tags      +mouseshape      -sniff           +xsmp_interact
+eval            +mouse_dec       +startuptime     +xterm_clipboard
+ex_extra        +mouse_gpm       +statusline      -xterm_save
+extra_search    -mouse_jsbterm   -sun_workshop    
+farsi           +mouse_netterm   +syntax          
   system vimrc file: "$VIM/vimrc"
     user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
      user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
  system gvimrc file: "$VIM/gvimrc"
    user gvimrc file: "$HOME/.gvimrc"
    system menu file: "$VIMRUNTIME/menu.vim"
  fall-back for $VIM: "/usr/share/vim"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DFEAT_GUI_GTK  -pthread -I/usr/include/gtk-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gtk-2.0/include -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0 -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/gio-unix-2.0/ -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libpng12 -I/usr/include/libdrm -I/usr/include/harfbuzz   -pthread -D_REENTRANT -DORBIT2=1 -I/usr/include/libart-2.0 -I/usr/include/gconf/2 -I/usr/include/gnome-keyring-1 -I/usr/include/gtk-2.0 -I/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0 -I/usr/include/dbus-1.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dbus-1.0/include -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/libxml2 -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/gail-1.0 -I/usr/include/harfbuzz -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gtk-2.0/include -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/gio-unix-2.0/ -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/libpng12 -I/usr/include/libdrm -I/usr/include/libgnomeui-2.0 -I/usr/include/libgnome-2.0 -I/usr/include/libbonoboui-2.0 -I/usr/include/libgnomecanvas-2.0 -I/usr/include/gnome-vfs-2.0 -I/usr/lib/gnome-vfs-2.0/include -I/usr/include/orbit-2.0 -I/usr/include/libbonobo-2.0 -I/usr/include/bonobo-activation-2.0     -g -O2 -fstack-protector --param=ssp-buffer-size=4 -Wformat -Werror=format-security -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=1     -I/usr/include/tcl8.5  -D_REENTRANT=1  -D_THREAD_SAFE=1  -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE=1  
Linking: gcc   -L. -Wl,-z,relro -rdynamic -Wl,-export-dynamic  -Wl,-E  -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,--as-needed -o vim   -lgtk-x11-2.0 -lgdk-x11-2.0 -latk-1.0 -lgio-2.0 -lpangoft2-1.0 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lcairo -lpango-1.0 -lfreetype -lfontconfig -lgobject-2.0 -lglib-2.0     -lgnomeui-2 -lSM -lICE -lbonoboui-2 -lgnomevfs-2 -lgnomecanvas-2 -lgnome-2 -lpopt -lbonobo-2 -lbonobo-activation -lORBit-2 -lart_lgpl_2 -lgtk-x11-2.0 -lgdk-x11-2.0 -latk-1.0 -lgio-2.0 -lpangoft2-1.0 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lcairo -lpango-1.0 -lfreetype -lfontconfig -lgconf-2 -lgthread-2.0 -lgmodule-2.0 -lgobject-2.0 -lglib-2.0   -lSM -lICE -lXpm -lXt -lX11 -lXdmcp -lSM -lICE  -lm -ltinfo -lnsl  -lselinux  -lacl -lattr -lgpm -ldl  -L/usr/lib -llua5.1 -Wl,-E  -fstack-protector -L/usr/local/lib  -L/usr/lib/perl/5.14/CORE -lperl -ldl -lm -lpthread -lcrypt -L/usr/lib/python2.7/config-x86_64-linux-gnu -lpython2.7 -lpthread -ldl -lutil -lm -Xlinker -export-dynamic -Wl,-O1 -Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions  -L/usr/lib -ltcl8.5 -ldl -lpthread -lieee -lm -lruby-1.9.1 -lpthread -lrt -ldl -lcrypt -lm  -L/usr/lib

jdk

ravisingh1 · 07-14-2013, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozar

Hello

You don't say what distro you are running, but I run Arch so for me the command is:

pacman -Qi vim

Thanks everybody for your assistance. BTW, I am using ubuntu12.10.

Habitual · 07-23-2013, 06:51 PM

https://help.ubuntu.com/12.10/ubuntu-help/index.html

David the H. · 07-25-2013, 08:08 AM

There is no universal way to check software versions. Every program is designed to do its own thing. So the first place you should look is in the documentation, to see what it's been configured to do.

In gui programs you can generally check the "about" screen, usually found under the help menu. In cli programs there will probably be a '-v' option or similar (-V/--version) that you can run.

If you used a package manager to install the program, then you can usually get the version from that, as in the above dpkg and pacman commands. This is probably the closest thing to a universal technique.

In worst-case scenarios you may have to do some detective work. Check the project website, dig through source code, or try running strings on the compiled binary in the hopes that it will come up with something useful.