--- /dev/null
+<!DOCTYPE refentry PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V4.1//EN">
+
+<refentry id='dpkg.8'>
+ <refmeta>
+ <refentrytitle>dpkg</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>8</manvolnum>
+ <refmiscinfo class='source'>Debian Project</refmiscinfo>
+ <refmiscinfo class='manual'>dpkg suite</refmiscinfo>
+ </refmeta>
+
+ <refnamediv id='name'>
+ <refname> dpkg</refname>
+ <refpurpose>a medium-level package manager for Debian</refpurpose>
+ </refnamediv>
+
+
+ <refsynopsisdiv id='synopsis'>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice='opt'><replaceable>options</replaceable></arg>
+ <arg choice='plain'><replaceable>action</replaceable></arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </refsynopsisdiv>
+
+ <refsect1 id='warning'>
+ <title>Warning</title>
+
+ <para>
+ This manual is intended for users wishing to understand
+ <command>dpkg</command>'s command line options and package states in
+ more detail than that provided by <command>dpkg --help</command>.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ It should <emphasis>not</emphasis> be used by package maintainers
+ wishing to understand how <command>dpkg</command> will install their
+ packages. The descriptions of what <command>dpkg</command> does when
+ installing and removing packages are particularly inadequate.
+ </para>
+ </refsect1>
+
+
+ <refsect1 id='description'>
+ <title>Description</title>
+
+ <para>
+ <command>dpkg</command> is a medium-level tool to install, build, remove
+ and manage Debian packages. The primary and more user-friendly front-end
+ for <command>dpkg</command> is <command>dselect</command> (see
+ <citerefentry><refentrytitle>dselect</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry>). <command>dpkg</command> itself
+ is controlled entirely via command line parameters, which consist of
+ exactly one action and zero or more options. The action-parameter tells
+ <command>dpkg</command> what to do and options control the behavior of
+ the action in some way.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ <command>dpkg</command> can be also be used as a front-end to
+ <command>dpkg-deb</command>. The following are
+ <command>dpkg-deb</command> actions, and if they are encountered,
+ <command>dpkg</command> just runs <command>dpkg-deb</command> with the
+ parameters given to it:
+
+ <SimpleList columns=2>
+ <Member><option>-b</option>, <option>--build</option></Member>
+ <Member><option>-c</option>, <option>--contents</option></Member>
+ <Member><option>-I</option>, <option>--info</option></Member>
+ <Member><option>-f</option>, <option>--field</option></Member>
+ <Member><option>-e</option>, <option>--control</option></Member>
+ <Member><option>-x</option>, <option>--extract</option></Member>
+ <Member><option>-X</option>, <option>--vextract</option></Member>
+ <Member><option>--fsys-tarfile</option></Member>
+ </SimpleList>
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Please refer to
+ <citerefentry><refentrytitle>dpkg-deb</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>1</manvolnum> </citerefentry> for information about these
+ actions.
+ </para>
+ </refsect1>
+
+ <refsect1 id='informationAboutPackages'>
+ <title>Information About Packages</title>
+
+ <para>
+ <command>dpkg</command> maintains some usable information about available
+ packages. The information is divided in three classes: states,
+ selection states and flags. These values are intended to
+ be changed mainly with <command>dselect</command>.
+ </para>
+
+ <refsect2 id='packageStates'>
+ <title>Package States</title>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>installed</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The package is unpacked and configured OK.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>half-installed</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The installation of the package has been started, but not completed
+ for some reason.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>not-installed</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The package is not installed on your system.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>unpacked</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The package is unpacked, but not configured.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>half-configured</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The package is unpacked and configuration has been started, but not
+ yet completed for some reason.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>config-files</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ Only the configuration files of the package exist on the system.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ </variablelist>
+ </refsect2>
+
+ <refsect2 id='packageSelectionStates'>
+ <title>Package Selection States</title>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>install</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The package is selected for installation.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>deinstall</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The package is selected for deinstallation (i.e. we want to remove
+ all files, except configuration files).
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>purge</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ The package is selected to be purged (i.e. we want to remove
+ everything, even configuration files).
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </refsect2>
+
+ <refsect2 id='packageFlags'>
+ <title>Package Flags</title>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>hold</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ A package marked to be on hold is not handled by
+ <command>dpkg</command>, unless forced to do that with option
+ <option>--force-hold</option>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>reinst-required</term>
+ <listitem><para>
+ A package marked reinst-required is broken and requires
+ reinstallation. These packages cannot be removed, unless forced
+ with option <option>--force-reinstreq</option>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </refsect2>
+ </refsect1>
+
+ <refsect1 id='actions'>
+ <title>Actions</title>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-i</arg>
+ <arg>--install</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>package_file</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Install the package. If <option>--recursive</option> or
+ <option>-R</option> option is specified,
+ <filename>package file</filename> must refer to a directory
+ instead.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Installation consists of the following steps:
+ </para>
+
+ <orderedlist spacing="compact" numeration="arabic">
+ <listitem><para>
+ Extract the control files of the new package.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ If another version of the same package was installed before
+ the new installation, execute <filename>prerm</filename> script
+ of the old package.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Run the <filename>preinst</filename> script, if provided by the
+ package.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Unpack the new files, and at the same time back up the old files,
+ so that if something goes wrong, they can be restored.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ If another version of the same package was installed before
+ the new installation, execute the <filename>postrm</filename>
+ script of the old package. Note that this script is executed
+ after the <filename>preinst</filename> script of the new package,
+ because new files are written at the same time old files are
+ removed.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Configure the package. See <option>--configure</option> for
+ detailed information about how this is done.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg rep="repeat" choice="plain">--unpack <replaceable>package_file</replaceable></arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Unpack the package, but don't configure it. If
+ <option>--recursive</option> or <option>-R</option> option is
+ specified, <filename>package_file</filename> must refer
+ to a directory instead.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--configure
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>--pending</arg>
+ <arg>-a</arg>
+ <arg rep="repeat" choice="plain"> <replaceable>package</replaceable></arg>
+ </group>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Reconfigure an unpacked package. If <option>-a</option> or
+ <option>--pending</option> is given instead of
+ <filename>package</filename>, all unpacked but unconfigured
+ packages are configured.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Configuring consists of the following steps:
+ </para>
+
+ <orderedlist spacing="compact" numeration="arabic">
+ <listitem><para>
+ Unpack the configuration files, and at the same time back up the
+ old configuration files, so that they can be restored if
+ something goes wrong.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Run <filename>postinst</filename> script, if provided by the
+ package.
+ </para> </listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-r</arg>
+ <arg>--remove</arg>
+ <arg>-P</arg>
+ <arg>--purge</arg>
+ </group>
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg choice="plain">--pending</arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">-a</arg>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat"><replaceable>package</replaceable></arg>
+ </group>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Remove an installed package. <option>-r</option> or
+ <option>--remove</option> remove everything except configuration
+ files. This may avoid having to reconfigure the package if it is
+ reinstalled later. (Configuration files are the files listed in the
+ <filename>debian/conffiles</filename> control file).
+ <option>-P</option> or <option>--purge</option> removes everything,
+ including configuration files.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ If <option>-a</option> or <option>--pending</option> is given
+ instead of a package name, then all packages unpacked, but
+ marked to be removed or purged in file
+ <filename>/var/lib/dpkg/status</filename>, are removed or purged,
+ respectively.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Removing of a package consists of the following steps:
+ </para>
+
+ <orderedlist spacing="compact" numeration="arabic">
+ <listitem><para>
+ Run <filename>prerm</filename> script.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Remove the installed files.
+ </para></listitem>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Run <filename>postrm</filename> script.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-p</arg>
+ <arg>--print-avail</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>package</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Display details about <option>package</option>, as found in
+ <filename>/var/lib/dpkg/available</filename>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>--update-avail</arg>
+ <arg>--merge-avail</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>Packages file</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Update <command>dpkg</command>'s and <command>dselect</command>'s
+ idea of which packages are available. With action
+ <option>--merge-avail</option>, old information is combined with
+ information from <option>Packages-file</option>. With action
+ <option>--update-avail</option>, old information is replaced with the
+ information in the <option>Packages-file</option>. The
+ <filename>Packages-file</filename> distributed with Debian is simply
+ named <filename>Packages</filename>. <command>dpkg</command> keeps
+ its record of available packages in
+ <filename>/var/lib/dpkg/available</filename>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-A</arg>
+ <arg>--record-avail</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>package file</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Update <command>dpkg</command> and <command>dselect</command>'s idea
+ of which packages are available with information from the package
+ <filename>package file</filename>. If <option>--recursive</option> or
+ <option>-R</option> option is specified,
+ <filename>package file</filename> must refer to a directory
+ instead.
+ </para> </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--forget-old-unavail</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Forget about uninstalled unavailable packages.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--clear-avail</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Erase the existing information about what packages are
+ available.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-l</arg>
+ <arg>--list</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>package-name-pattern</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ List packages matching given pattern. If no
+ <option>package-name-pattern</option> is given, list all packages
+ in <filename>/var/lib/dpkg/available</filename>. Normal shell
+ wildchars are allowed. (You will probably have to quote
+ <option>package-name-pattern</option> to prevent the shell
+ from performing filename expansion. For example,
+ <screen>dpkg -l 'libc5*'</screen> will list all the package
+ names starting with "libc5".)
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-s</arg>
+ <arg>--status</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>package-name</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Report status of specified package. This just displays the entry in
+ the installed package status database.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-C</arg>
+ <arg>--audit</arg>
+ </group>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Searches for packages that have been installed only partially on your
+ system. <command>dpkg</command> will suggest what to do with them to
+ get them working.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">--get-selections <replaceable><optional>pattern</optional></replaceable></arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Get list of package selections, and write it to stdout.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--set-selections</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Set package selections using file read from stdin.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--yet-to-unpack</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Searches for packages selected for installation, but which for some
+ reason still haven't been installed.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-L</arg>
+ <arg>--listfiles</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>package</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ List files installed to your system from <option>package</option>.
+ However, note that files created by package-specific
+ installation-scripts are not listed.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-S</arg>
+ <arg>--search</arg>
+ </group>
+ <replaceable>filename_search_pattern</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Search for a filename from installed packages. All standard shell
+ wildchars can be used in the pattern.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--print-architecture </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Print target architecture (for example, "i386"). This option uses
+ <command>gcc</command>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--print-gnu-build-architecture</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Print GNU version of target architecture (for example, "i486").
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--print-installation-architecture</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Print host architecture for installation.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--compare-versions
+ <replaceable>ver1</replaceable>
+ <replaceable>op</replaceable>
+ <replaceable>ver2</replaceable>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Compare version numbers, where <option>op</option> is a binary
+ operator. <command>dpkg</command> returns success (zero result) if
+ the specified condition is satisfied, and failure (nonzero result)
+ otherwise. There are two groups of operators, which differ in how
+ they treat a missing <option>ver1</option> or <option>ver2</option>.
+ These treat no version as earlier than any version:
+ <emphasis>lt le eq ne ge gt</emphasis>. These treat no version as
+ later than any version: <emphasis>lt-nl le-nl ge-nl gt-nl</emphasis>.
+ These are provided only for compatibility with
+ <filename>control</filename> file syntax: <emphasis>< <<
+ <= = >= >> ></emphasis>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--command-fd <replaceable><n></replaceable></arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Accept a series of commands on input file descriptor
+ <option><n></option>. Note: additional options set on the
+ command line, and thru this file descriptor, are not reset for
+ subsequent commands executed during the same run.
+ </para> </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--help</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Display a brief help message.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--force-help</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Give help about the
+ <option>--force-<replaceable>thing</replaceable></option> options.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>-Dh</arg>
+ <arg>--debug=help></arg>
+ </group>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Give help about debugging options.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">
+ <group choice="req">
+ <arg>--licence</arg>
+ <arg>--license </arg>
+ </group>
+ </arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Display <command>dpkg</command> licence.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <command>dpkg</command>
+ <arg choice="plain">--version</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Display <command>dpkg</command> version information.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <command>dpkg-deb</command> actions
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ See <citerefentry><refentrytitle>dpkg-deb</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry> for more information
+ about the low-level actions.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </refsect1>
+
+ <refsect1 id='options'>
+ <title>Options</title>
+
+ <para>
+ All options can be specified both on the commandline and in the
+ <command>dpkg</command> configuration file
+ <filename>/etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg</filename>. Each line in the configuration
+ file is either an option (exactly the same as the commandline option
+ but without leading dashes) or a comment (if it starts with a
+ hash (`#') sign).
+ </para>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <arg choice="plain">--abort-after=<replaceable>number</replaceable></arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Change after how many errors <command>dpkg</command> will abort.
+ The default is 50.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">-B</arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--auto-deconfigure</arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ When a package is removed, there is a possibility that another
+ installed package depended on the removed package. Specifying this
+ option will cause automatic deconfiguration of the package which
+ depended on the removed package.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">-D<replaceable>octal</replaceable></arg>
+ <arg choice='plain'>--debug=<replaceable>octal</replaceable></arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Set debugging on. <option>octal</option> is formed by
+ bitwise-orring desired values together from the list below (note
+ that these values may change in future releases). The
+ <option>-Dh</option> or <option>--debug=help</option> options
+ display these debugging values.
+ </para>
+
+ <table>
+ <title>Debug flags</title>
+ <tgroup cols=2>
+ <thead>
+ <row>
+ <entry>number</entry>
+ <entry>description</entry>
+ </row>
+ </thead>
+
+ <tbody>
+ <row>
+ <entry>1</entry>
+ <entry>Generally helpful progress information</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>2</entry>
+ <entry>Invocation and status of maintainer scripts</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>10</entry>
+ <entry>Output for each file processed</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>100</entry>
+ <entry>Lots of output for each file processed</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>20</entry>
+ <entry>Output for each configuration file</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>200</entry>
+ <entry>Lots of output for each configuration file</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>40</entry>
+ <entry>Dependencies and conflicts</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>400</entry>
+ <entry>Lots of dependencies/conflicts output</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>1000</entry>
+ <entry>Lots of drivel about e.g. the dpkg/info dir</entry>
+ </row>
+ <row>
+ <entry>2000</entry>
+ <entry>Insane amounts of drivel</entry>
+ </row>
+ </tbody>
+ </tgroup>
+ </table>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">--force-<replaceable>things</replaceable></arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--no-force-<replaceable>things</replaceable></arg>
+ <arg choice='plain'>--refuse-<replaceable>things</replaceable></arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Force or refuse (<option>no-force</option> and
+ <option>refuse</option> mean the same thing) to do
+ some things. <option>things</option> is a comma separated list
+ of things specified below. <option>--force-help</option>
+ displays a message describing them. Things marked with
+ <screen>(*)</screen> are forced by default.
+ </para>
+
+ <note>
+ <para>
+ <emphasis>Warning: These options are mostly intended to be used
+ by experts only. Using them without fully understanding their
+ effects may break your whole system.</emphasis>
+ </para>
+ </note>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>all</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Turns on(or off) all force options.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>auto-select (*)</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Select packages to install them, and deselect packages to
+ remove them.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>downgrade (*)</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Install a package, even if newer version of it is already
+ installed.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>configure-any</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Configure also any unpacked but unconfigured packages on
+ which the current package depends.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>hold</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Process packages even when marked "hold".
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>remove-reinstreq</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Remove a package, even if it's broken and marked to require
+ reinstallation. This may, for example, cause parts of the
+ package to remain on the system, which will then be forgotten
+ by <command>dpkg</command>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>remove-essential</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Remove, even if the package is considered essential.
+ Essential packages contain mostly very basic Unix commands.
+ Removing them might cause the whole system to stop working,
+ so use with caution.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>depends</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Turn all dependency problems into warnings.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>depends-version</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Don't care about versions when checking dependencies.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>conflicts</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Install, even if it conflicts with another package. This is
+ dangerous, for it will usually cause overwriting of some
+ files.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>confnew</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ If a conffile has been modified always install the new
+ version without prompting.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>confold</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ If a conffile has been modified always keep the old version
+ without prompting.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>confdef</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ If a conffile has been modified always choose the default
+ action. If there is no default action it will stop to ask the
+ user unless <option>--force-confnew</option> or
+ <option>--force-confold</option> is also been given, in which
+ case it will use that to decide the final action.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>overwrite</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Overwrite one package's file with another's file.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>overwrite-dir</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Overwrite one package's directory with another's file.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>overwrite-diverted</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Overwrite a diverted file with an undiverted version.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>architecture</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Process even packages with the wrong architecture.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>bad-path</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ <screen>PATH</screen> is missing important programs, so
+ problems are likely.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>not-root</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Try to (de)install things even when not root.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <arg choice="plain" rep="repeat">--ignore-depends=<replaceable>package,</replaceable></arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Ignore dependency-checking for specified packages (actually,
+ checking is performed, but only warnings about conflicts are given,
+ nothing else).
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">--new</arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--old </arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Select new or old binary package format. This is a
+ <citerefentry><refentrytitle>dpkg-deb</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>
+ option.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <arg choice="plain">--nocheck</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Don't read or check contents of <filename>control</filename> file
+ while building a package. This is a
+ <citerefentry><refentrytitle>dpkg-deb</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>
+ option.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <arg choice='plain'>--no-act</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Do everything which is supposed to be done, but don't write any
+ changes. This is used to see what would happen with the specified
+ action, without actually modifying anything.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Be sure to give <option>--no-act</option> before the
+ action-parameter, or you might end up with undesirable results.
+ (e.g. <screen>dpkg --purge foo --no-act</screen> will first
+ purge package foo and then try to <command>purge</command>
+ package --no-act, even though you probably expected it to
+ actually do nothing)
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">-R</arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--recursive</arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Recursively handle all regular files matching pattern
+ <filename>*.deb</filename> found at specified directories and all
+ of its subdirectories. This can be used with <option>-i</option>,
+ <option>-A</option>, <option>--install</option>,
+ <option>--unpack</option> and <option>--avail</option>
+ actions.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <arg choice="plain">-G</arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Do not install a package if a newer version of the same package is
+ already installed. This is an alias of
+ <option>--refuse-downgrade</option>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">--root=<replaceable>dir</replaceable></arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--admindir=<replaceable>dir</replaceable></arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--instdir=<replaceable>dir</replaceable></arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Change default directories. <option>admindir</option> defaults to
+ <filename>/var/lib/dpkg</filename> and contains many files that
+ give information about status of installed or uninstalled packages,
+ etc. <option>instdir</option> defaults to <filename>/</filename>
+ and refers to the directory where packages are to be installed.
+ <option>instdir</option> is also the directory passed to
+ <citerefentry><refentrytitle>chroot</refentrytitle><manvolnum>2</manvolnum></citerefentry>
+ before running package's installation scripts, which means that the
+ scripts see <option>instdir</option> as a root directory.
+ Changing <option>root</option> changes <option>instdir</option> to
+ <option>dir</option> and <option>admindir</option> to
+ <option>dir</option><filename>/var/lib/dpkg</filename>.
+ </para> </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">-O</arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--selected-only</arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Only process the packages that are selected for installation. The
+ actual marking is done with <command>dselect</command> or by
+ <command>dpkg</command>, when it handles packages. For example,
+ when a package is removed, it will be marked selected for
+ installation.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <group choice="plain">
+ <arg choice="plain">-E</arg>
+ <arg choice="plain">--skip-same-version</arg>
+ </group>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Do not install the package if the same version of the package is
+ already installed.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>
+ <cmdsynopsis>
+ <arg choice="plain">--status-fd <replaceable><n></replaceable></arg>
+ </cmdsynopsis>
+ </term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Send package status info to file descriptor
+ <option><n></option>. This can be given multiple times.
+ Status updates are of the form
+ <screen>`status: <pkg>: <pkg qstate>'</screen>
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </refsect1>
+
+ <refsect1 id='files'>
+ <title>Files</title>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><filename>/etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg</filename></term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Configuration file with default options.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+
+ <para>
+ There files are stored in the <command>dpkg</command> database directory
+ (which defaults to <filename>/var/lib/dpkg</filename>). You can
+ override the location with the <option>--admindir</option> option.
+ </para>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><filename>/var/lib/dpkg/available</filename></term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ List of available packages.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><filename>/var/lib/dpkg/status</filename></term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Statuses of available packages. This file contains information about
+ whether a package is marked for removing or not, whether it is
+ installed or not, etc.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </refsect1>
+
+ <refsect1>
+ <title>Environment variables</title>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>DPKG_NO_TSTP</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Define this to something if you prefer <command>dpkg</command>
+ starting a new shell rather than suspending itself, while doing a
+ shell escape.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>SHELL</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ The program <command>dpkg</command> will execute while starting a new
+ shell.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>COLUMNS</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Sets the number of columns <command>dpkg</command> should use when
+ displaying formatted text. Currently only used by
+ <option>-l</option>.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>DPKG_OLD_CONFFILE</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Set by <command>dpkg</command> to the filename of the old
+ configuration file when you start a shell to examine a changed
+ configuration file.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>DPKG_NEW_CONFFILE</term>
+
+ <listitem><para>
+ Set by <command>dpkg</command> to the filename of the newversion of a
+ configuration file when you start a shell to examine a changed
+ configuration file.
+ </para></listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+ </refsect1>
+
+ <refsect1 id='examples'>
+ <title>Examples</title>
+
+ <para>
+ To list packages related to the editor vi:
+
+ <Screen><command>dpkg</command> <option>-l</option> '*vi*'</Screen>
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ To see the entries in <filename>/var/lib/dpkg/available</filename> on two
+ packages
+
+ <Screen><command>dpkg</command> <option>--print-avail</option> elvis vim</Screen>
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ To search the listing of packages yourself:
+
+ <Screen><command>less</command> <filename>/var/lib/dpkg/available</filename></Screen>
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ To remove an installed emacs package:
+
+ <Screen><command>dpkg</command> <option>-r</option> emacs</Screen>
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ To make a local copy of the package selection states:
+
+ <Screen><command>dpkg</command> <option>--get-selections</option> > <filename>myselections</filename></Screen>
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ You might transfer this file to another computer, and install it there
+ with:
+
+ <Screen><command>dpkg</command> <option>--set-selections</option> < <filename>myselections</filename></Screen>
+
+ Note that this will not actually install or remove anything, but just
+ set the selection state on the requested packages. You will need some
+ other application to actually download and install the requested
+ packages.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Ordinarily, you will find that
+ <citerefentry><refentrytitle>dselect</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry>
+ provides a more convenient way to modify the package selection
+ states.
+ </para>
+ </refsect1>
+
+ <refsect1 id='seeAlso'>
+ <title>See Also</title>
+
+ <para>
+ <citerefentry>
+ <refentrytitle>dselect</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>8</manvolnum>
+ </citerefentry>,
+
+ <citerefentry>
+ <refentrytitle>dpkg-deb</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
+ </citerefentry>,
+
+ <citerefentry>
+ <refentrytitle>deb</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>5</manvolnum>
+ </citerefentry>,
+
+ <citerefentry>
+ <refentrytitle>deb-control</refentrytitle>
+ <manvolnum>5</manvolnum>
+ </citerefentry>
+ </para>
+ </refsect1>
+</refentry>
+
projects / dpkg / commitdiff