disappearing programs

[Gavin McCullagh]

On Fri, 04 May 2007, Bruce Anderson wrote:

> I have installed some programs via the add/remove programs function, but
> some of the new programs are not showing up in the menus.  Does anyone have
> any ideas where they might be going?

a couple of initial debugging questions:

1. If you go back into the add/remove programs dialog, are the programs
   selected (just to see it did manage to install them).

2. Which packages?

3. If you click applications->accessories->terminal a command line window
   should come up.  Type

	apt-cache policy <packagename>

this should tell you if the package is really installed. Here's an example of where I do
(firefox) and don't have a package installed (the *** means it's
installed):

gavin at tilly:~$ apt-cache policy firefox
firefox:
  Installed: 2.0.0.3+1-0ubuntu2
  Candidate: 2.0.0.3+1-0ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 2.0.0.3+1-0ubuntu2 0
        500 http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
gavin at tilly:~$ apt-cache policy firestarter
firestarter:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1.0.3-2ubuntu1
  Version table:
     1.0.3-2ubuntu1 0
        500 http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/universe Packages

Gavin