On Thu, Dec 14, 2006 at 04:11:13AM -0500, mutsuura wrote: > Hello all. > > I'm brand new to Debian. I have some experience with package installtion > on SOLARIS systems. > > On SOLARIS when I install a package w/ dependencies, the package installer > auto-magically detects this and prompts me if I want to install them as > well. > > Is there a similar capability in any of Debian's package handlers: dpkg, > aptitude, etc... > > Much thx and hope this (Debian) to be a "pleasant" experience. You have your choice of package manager so choose carefully. I know aptitude so will discuss that.
Until (or because) you know what you're doing, use aptitude in the interactive (not command-line) mode. The first time you run it you need to set a few things up then it will remember what you want: Under options, set it to not install recommends or suggests, and to automatically fix broken dependencies. Go down the list of installed packages and using 'm' and 'M', set those packages that you definatly want installed to manual (no 'A' flag) and those you only want installed to meet dependencies as automatica ('A' flag). Hit 'g' and it will give you a proposed action, likely to remove some packages (cruft) that were installed at some point but aren't needed. If this list inadvertantly includes a package that you really want, mark it installed with '+' and anything that it depends on will be installed with the 'A' flag set. When you're happy with what it wants to do, hit 'g' again and it will do what it says it will. This is the only time you have to do this; I consider it part of doing an install. Periodically, when connected to the net, hit 'u' to update the list of packages. It will add a list of any available new and upgradeable packages. You can select the whole list with '+' on the list header line. When you want to add a new package, select it with '+'. Dependant packages will be marked to be installed with the 'A' flag. For each package, you can see what is recommended and suggested (see the policy manual for what that means). When you hit 'g', part of the list of intended actions is a list of packages suggested and recommended by others. You can select from these what you want. Hit 'g' again and it does it. There's a good aptitude user's manual, debian-reference, and the policy manual for your reading pleasure. Enjoy. Doug. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]