DEBIAN PACKAGE INSTALLATION:  Using apt and related utilities to find,
install, update, and maintain debian packages.                             v0.20
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Debian Package Manager Tools (a-z):

auto-apt     : install package on demand if needed (use with caution)
........ example: 
                  auto-apt run command
                  auto-apt run ./configure
 
apt-cache   : program used by apt to maintain deb package database
........ example:
                  apt-cache search firefox  (look for a package for firefox, a
                                            way to find the name of a package
                                            available to install)
                  apt-cache show gtkcookie  (additional info about a package,
                                            or if installed, info about newer
                                            version or updates)
                  apt-cache showpkg gtkcookie  (general info about a package)
                  apt-cache depends gtkcookie  (what does gtkcookie, our
                                               example package, depend on?)

apt-file     : find out to which package a particular file belongs
........ example:
                  apt-file search <filename>  (unlike dpkg -S, shows also
                                              uninstalled packages with file)
                  apt-file list <packagename>  (contents of a package)
                  apt-file update  (necessary to keep apt-file up to date)

apt-get     : command line utility for installation and handling of packages    
........ example: 
                  apt-get install <packagename>

apt-show-versions     : packages in system that upgrade is available for
........ example: 
                  apt-show-versions -u     (display but do not install)

dpkg     : package manager for Debian to install, build, and remove packages
........ example: 
                  dpkg -L <packagename>
                  dpkg -S stdio.h (search and locate package which contains a
                                  specific file, what package contains x)
                  dpkg -l | grep firefox (package installed, but what is the
                                         exact name of the package for firefox)
                  
dselect     : Debian package manager frontend
........ example:
 

Debian packages are .deb files.  The system maintains a list of all packages
available for Debian, (.deb package files).  Executing  'apt-get update'
updates the local database of packages from many sources.  The sources are
defined in /etc/apt/sources.list

To install a debian package, such as Mozilla Firefox, use apt-get to retrieve
and install the application.  'apt-get install mozilla-firefox'

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[[added to wiki.robotz.com 5/22/2007]]