saving package list

[Willy K. Hamra]

Sundar Nagarajan wrote:
> Willy K. Hamra wrote:
>> i cleaned my system from almost all the packages i don't want, digging
>> through the installed packages for more unnecessary ones, which i guess
>> is a good enough punishment for my lack of organization, random apt-get
>> sprees, and installing loads of packages at once without bothering to
>> read through them, just because some website suggested so :-P
> 
> Willy,
> 
> I don't think there is anything to worry about. Even if you don't use 
> aptitude, you should be able to achieve what you want. For some reason, 
> I only use apt-get and not aptitude ('cos I am familiar with it), and I 
> like to achieve exactly what you are looking for.
> 
> Declaratively, what you want is:
> You want to move from version A to version B (could be, that for a fresh 
> re-install, A = B).
> 
> You want to:
> -----------
> 
> - Start with a clean install of version B
> - NOT remove any packages that are part of the default install of 
> version B (safety)
> 
> - Know what additional packages you installed in version A - List1
> 
> - Derive the "top-level" packages that you asked for and not list all 
> the new packages include those installed as dependencies - List2
> 
> - Use either List1 or List2 to quickly get Version B as close as 
> possible to the current state of Version A
> 
> Declaratively this becomes:
> --------------------------
> 
> Amongst the packages currently installed, select those that are not part 
> of the default install - List 1
> 
> Amongst List 1, select those that are "orphans" (top-level packages) - List2
> 
> To do this, all you need are the standard tools (dpkg, grep cut etc) and 
> deborphan. From the man page: "deborphan finds  packages that have no 
> packages depending on them. The default operation is to search only 
> within the libs  and  oldlibs  sections to hunt down unused libraries".
> If it's not installed you should install deborphan.
> 
> On the clean install (even if it is a new distro), run
> dpkg --get-selections | cut -f1 -d '    '> default-list
> 
> Note that the character between single quotes after cut -d is a TAB 
> (enter it using CRTL-V, CTRL-TAB on the command line)
> 
> You can do this e.g. by booting the LiveCD of your current (or new) 
> distro. If you use the live-cd, copy default-list to some place on your 
> currently installed version and reboot into your current version.
> 
> In the current version run
> dpkg --get-selections | cut -f1 -d '    '> current-list
> 
> Note that the character between single quotes after cut -d is a TAB 
> (enter it using CRTL-V, CTRL-TAB on the command line)
> 
> In the current version run
> deborphan --no-show-section -a > current-top-level
> 
> cat current-list | grep -vFx -f default-list > new-packages
> This (new-packages) is List1
> 
> cat new-packages| grep -Fx -f current-top-level > packages-to-install
> This (packages-to-install) is List2
> 
> If you want to just install Version B and get it as close to your 
> current state of version A as possible, I would recommend you do the 
> default install, and then install everything in List1 (can also use 
> List2 if you want).
> 
> If you want to peruse the list of top-level packages you have asked for 
> and installed, that is List2 - you MUST have asked for all these, since 
> they are top-level packages. Note that there MAY be other packages that 
> you had asked for and installed that are not in List2 but are in List1, 
> but do not appear in List2 because they are no longer top-level 
> "orphans" because since then you installed another package that depends 
> on these.
> 
O..M..G
this is amazing! you're a genius Sundar, why don't you put this in a
tutorial? ubuntu's wiki or ubuntuforums or something?
i must say, from all tutorials i've read aroud the net, this is one of
the few that actually makes sense :-P

> Hope this helps.
> 

it surely does



-- 
Willy K. Hamra
Manager of Hamra Information Systems
Co. Manager of Zeina Computer & Billy Net
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