Managing Packages
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Managing Packages

This chapter covers the basic actions installing, removing and upgrading of packages.

Furthermore performing a system upgrade, browsing the online documentation, reading the changelog and the advanced actions forcing the installation of a specific package version, locking a package to the current version are described.

To Install Packages

Note

If different version of the same package are available Synaptic Package Manager will select the most applicable by default. To force the installation of a specific version that is different to the default one, see the section called “To Force the Installation of a Specific Version”.

If you want to install a package perform the following steps:

  1. Reload the package information to be aware of the latest versions available:

    • Choose Edit->Reload Package Information from the menu.

    • Click on Reload in the toolbar.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-R.

  2. Mark the package for installation:

    • Double click on the name of the package in the package list.

    • Click on the status icon of the package and choose Mark for Installation from the menu.

    • Right click on the package and choose Mark for Installation from the context menu.

    • Select the package and choose Package->Mark for Installation from the menu.

    • Select the package and press the key combination Ctrl-I.

    If the installation of the package(s) requires additional changes, you will be asked for confirmation. To also mark the additional changes click on the button Mark .

  3. Apply the marked changes to actually install the package:

    • Click on Apply in the toolbar.

    • Choose Edit->Apply Marked Changes from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-P.

  4. You will be asked for confirmation. Check the summarized changes that will be applied. To continue with the actual installation confirm the changes click on Apply.

  5. During the processing of the changes you will see a progressbar. Wait until the changes have been applied. This can take some time depending on the number of changes. Afterwards you will be returned to the main window.

    Note

    The progressbar is not available on Debian system. Instead you will see a detailed terminal output.

To Remove Packages

Note

Configuration files and user created data (e.g. a website in "/var/www") are not removed from the system by default.

Debian only: You can change the default behavior in the preferences.

Debian only: To remove all files related to the package choose Mark for Complete Removal instead of Mark for Removal.

To remove a packages follow these steps:

  1. Mark the package for removal:

    • Double click on the name of the installed package in the package list.

    • Click on the status icon of the package and choose Mark for Removal from the menu.

    • Right click on the package and choose Remove from the context menu.

    • Select the package and choose Package->Mark for Removal from the menu.

    • Select the package and press the key Delete.

    If the removal of the package(s) requires additional changes, you will be asked for confirmation. To also mark the additional changes click on the button Mark .

  2. Apply the marked changes to actually remove the package(s):

    • Click on Apply in the toolbar.

    • Choose Edit->Apply Marked Changes from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-P.

  3. You are asked for confirmation. Check the summarized changes that will be applied. To continue with the actual removal confirm the changes click on Apply.

  4. During the processing of the changes you will see a progressbar. Wait until the changes have been applied. This can take some time depending on the number of changes. Afterwards you will be returned to the main window.

    Note

    The progressbar is not available on Debian system. Instead you will see a detailed terminal output.

To Upgrade Packages

To upgrade a package follow these steps:

  1. Reload the package information to be aware of the latest versions available:

    • Choose Edit->Reload Package Information from the menu.

    • Click on Reload in the toolbar.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-R.

  2. Mark the package for upgrade:

    • Double click on the name of the package with a later version available in the package list.

    • Click on the status icon of the package and choose Mark for Upgrade from the menu.

    • Right click on the package and choose Mark for Upgrade from the context menu.

    • Select the package and choose Package->Mark for Upgrade from the menu.

    • Select the package and press the key combination Ctrl-P.

    If the upgrade of the package(s) requires additional changes, you will be asked for confirmation. To also mark the additional changes click on the button Mark .

  3. Apply the marked changes to actually upgrade the package:

    • Click on Apply in the toolbar.

    • Choose Edit->Apply Marked Changes from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-P.

  4. You are asked for confirmation. Check the summarized changes that will be applied. To continue with the actual upgrade confirm the changes click on Apply.

  5. During the processing of the changes you will see a progressbar. Wait until the changes have been applied. This can take some time depending on the number of changes. Afterwards you will be returned to the main window.

    Note

    The progressbar is not available on Debian system. Instead you will see a detailed terminal output.

Tip

To upgrade all installed packages to the latest version, see the section called “To Upgrade the Whole System”.

To Upgrade the Whole System

Synaptic Package Manager provides two methods for marking packages for upgrade:

Default Upgrade

The default upgrade method marks upgrades of installed packages only. If the later version of a package depends on not installed packages or conflicts with an already installed package, the upgrade will not be marked.

Smart Upgrade (Dist-Upgrade)

The smart upgrade method tries to resolve package conflicts intelligently. This includes installing additional required packages and preferring packages with higher priority.

Smart upgrade is also known as dist-upgrade in the console tool apt-get.

Note

Upgrades to a later operating system major releases have to be performed with the smart upgrade method, e.g. from Conectiva 9 to Conectiva 10 or from Debian Woody to Debian Sarge.

To upgrade your system to the latest version follow these steps:

  1. Reload the package information to be aware of the latest versions available:

    • Choose Edit->Reload Package Information from the menu.

    • Click on Reload in the toolbar.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-R.

  2. Mark all possible upgrades:

    • Click on Mark all Upgrades in the toolbar.

    • Choose Edit->Mark all Upgrades from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-G.

  3. Choose the upgrade method. Smart upgrade is recommended.

  4. Apply the marked changes to actually upgrade the package(s):

    • Click on Apply in the toolbar.

    • Choose Edit->Apply Marked Changes from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-P.

  5. You are asked for confirmation. Check the summarized changes that will be applied. To continue with the actual upgrade confirm the changes click on Apply.

  6. During the processing of the changes you will see a progressbar. Wait until the changes have been applied. This can take some time depending on the number of changes. Afterwards you will be returned to the main window.

    Note

    The progressbar is not available on Debian system. Instead you will see a detailed terminal output.

Tip

You can change the default upgrade method for further upgrade in the preferences .

To Apply Marked Changes

Tip

To show packages that are marked for a status change only choose the "Marked Changes" filter, see the section called “To Apply Filters”.

To apply marked changes:

  • Click on Apply in the toolbar.

  • Choose Edit->Apply Marked Changes from the menu.

  • Press the key combination Ctrl-P.

You are asked for confirmation. Check the summarized changes that will be applied. To confirm the changes click on the button Apply.

During the processing of the changes you will see a progressbar. Wait until the changes have been applied. This can take some time depending on the number of changes. Afterwards you will be returned to the main window.

Note

The progressbar is not available on Debian system. Instead you will see a detailed terminal output.

To Unmark Changes

The following ways allow you to unmark changes:

To undo the marking of specific packages

  • Right click on the package and choose Unmark from the context menu.

  • Select the package(s) and choose Package->Unmark.

  • Select the package(s) and press Ctrl-N.

To undo all markings

Choose Edit->Unmark All from the menu.

To undo the last marking

Choose Edit->Undo from the menu.

This step can be repeated. The maxmium number of undo operations can be set in the preferences. FIX link

To Configure Packages (Debian only)

Note

To use this feature you have to install the package libgnome2-perl.

Debian provides a unified method, called debconf, to configure software packages. This feature is not supported by all packages. If a package supports this feature the configuration can be done through an assistant.

To configure a supported package:

  1. Select the package that you wish to configure in the package list.

  2. Choose Package->Configure... from the menu.

Tip

To get a list of all configurable packages choose the Configurable Packages filter.

To View Documentation for Packages (Debian only)

Note

To use this feature you have to install the package dwww.

Dwww provides access to all the installed documentation related to package with a web browser. The whole documentation is hosted via a local HTTP server.

  1. Select the package about that you wish to read additional documentation in the package list.

  2. Choose Package->Browse Documentation.

To View the Changelog of a Package (Debian only)

Note

The changelog of native Debian packages can be viewed, only.

To view the changelog of a native Debian package perform the following steps:

  1. Select the package in the package list.

  2. Choose Package->Download Changelog.

To Lock a Package to the Current Version (Debian only)

To lock a package to the current version follow these steps:

  1. Select the package that you want to lock in the package list.

  2. Choose Package->Lock Version.

    The Synaptic Package Manager will reload the package information. You should now see, that the menu item Package->Lock Version is checked. Furthermore all actions in the menu Package are disabled now.

To unlock the package uncheck Package->Lock Version.

To Force the Installation of a Specific Version

Warning

The Synaptic Package Manager always selects the most applicable version available. If you force a different version from the default one, errors in the dependency handling can occur.

To force the installation of a version of package different to the default one perform the following steps:

  1. Reload the package information to be aware of the latest versions available:

    • Choose Edit->Reload Package Information from the menu.

    • Click on Reload in the toolbar.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-R.

  2. Select the package in the package list.

  3. Choose Package->Force Version... from the menu to open a dialog with all available versions of the package.

  4. Select the version that should be marked for installation. To confirm your decision click on the button Force.

  5. Apply the marked changes to actually install the forced package version:

    • Click on Apply in the toolbar.

    • Choose Edit->Apply Marked Changes from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-P.

  6. You will be asked for confirmation. Check the summarized changes that will be applied. To continue with the actual installation confirm the changes click on Apply

  7. During the processing of the changes you will see a progressbar. Wait until the changes have been applied. This can take some time depending on the number of changes. Afterwards you will be returned to the main window.

    Note

    The progressbar is not available on Debian system. Instead you will see a detailed terminal output.

To Fix Broken Packages

Synaptic Package Manager will not allow any further changes to the system before all broken packages are fixed.

Tip

To show all broken packages choose the Broken filter.

To correct the broken packages perform the following steps: choose Edit->Fix Broken Packages from the menu.

  1. Choose Edit->Fix Broken Packages from the menu.

  2. Apply the marked changes to actually fix the packages:

    • Click on Apply in the toolbar.

    • Choose Edit->Apply Marked Changes from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-E.

  3. You will be asked for confirmation. Check the summarized changes that will be applied. To continue with the actual repair confirm the changes click on Apply

  4. During the processing of the changes you will see a progressbar. Wait until the changes have been applied. This can take some time depending on the number of changes. Afterwards you will be returned to the main window.

    Note

    The progressbar is not available on Debian system. Instead you will see a detailed terminal output.

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