Possible to search stock slackware packages for particular app type?

clifford227 · 10-07-2012, 06:09 PM

Hello,

The question is in the title

Im looking to find a new wallpaper setter for my desktop, and I'd prefer an app that is already included in Slackware or on the dvd.

I was wondering if its possible to do a search by meta type somehow?

jamesf · 10-07-2012, 06:12 PM

What I usually do is:

Code:

$ cd /var/log/packages
$ grep -i wallpaper * | more

And then just page through the list. Once I find something likely-looking I switch to another tab or virtual terminal and read the package description with 'most', 'less', or 'more'.

Also, searching this forum is likely to yield some answers.

clifford227 · 10-07-2012, 06:52 PM

Thanks James

T3slider · 10-07-2012, 08:05 PM

Sometimes apropos can be useful (though there is usually a lot of excess that you may need to grep through). It is most useful for command-line applications though, since not all graphical applications have man pages. jamesf's solution is a good one too, though if an application is bundled in a larger package and has a non-obvious name you may not catch it.

jamesf · 10-08-2012, 04:26 PM

T3slider is correct. Also, what I do only works on installed packages. Since I do a full install I get those, but I miss /extras, /pasture, etc.

The one glimmer of hope I take advantage of is that, since I'm searching both the package description and the list of files installed (both are in the /var/log/packages/* files), all I have to do is correctly guess a word that appears in either the package description or a file name.

Sometimes there are a _lot_ of hits to go through, though. ;vD

the3dfxdude · 10-08-2012, 09:01 PM

Get the MANIFEST.bz2 off the DVD or mirror and bzgrep/bzless it for wallpaper. That will give you a view of all installed and uninstalled package possibilities.