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{SOLVED} Installing software through the CLI

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franky44
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{SOLVED} Installing software through the CLI

#1 Post by franky44 »

Howdy. I've run into problems installing some software. I've used apt-get install ... with success most of the time. There are times when I can't seem to install anything, no matter what method I use. I've tried using dpkg, but I've forget how to use it the next time I need it.

All I'm asking here is to be pointed to where I can learn all about installation of various packages. The printer installation was the most difficult. I stumbled upon a successful install by accident. I still don't know what the heck I did :?: :?: :?:

Many thanks every one for your help.
Last edited by franky44 on 2018-10-03 12:19, edited 1 time in total.

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bw123
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#2 Post by bw123 »

Some people swear that apt-get is the best way to go, but I got hooked on the aptitude ncurses interface a long time ago. It has a lot of info on pkgs and dependencies presented in a way that i find convenient and easy to understand, and a good problem resolver when things go wrong.
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GarryRicketson
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#3 Post by GarryRicketson »

by franky44 »All I'm asking here is to be pointed to where I can learn all about installation of various packages.
Installing software through the CLI on Debian

Not exactly the first hit, but in the results: https://wiki.debian.org/DebianPackageManagement

Change the key words, to packages instead of software, might get better results.

Code: Select all

Installing packages through the CLI on Debian 
1st hit:
https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debi ... 02.en.html
=============
2nd hit: https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debi ... ls.en.html

franky44
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#4 Post by franky44 »

Thank You Mr. Ricketson. I will look into the URL you provided.
Sometimes I miss my old DOS days, when I could do practically everything on that CLI. I've browsed through some on-line Linux tutorials. The trouble is, the tutorial assumes prior knowledge, so I have to look up what the terms mean. I have a Linux Dictionary in a PDF file. The dictionary makes me look up even more words. After looking up the meaning of 12 different words, I about read the whole dictionary. Now if only I could remember what all that I just read. :oops: I have books, and they've come in mighty handy, but none of them explain package installation through the CLI.

Thanks again for your time.

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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#5 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

franky44 wrote:I've run into problems installing some software
That shouldn't happen if you are running Debian stable with the official repositories.

What are you using, exactly?

Code: Select all

apt policy
^ That will show us.
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franky44
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#6 Post by franky44 »

Here it is from apt policy:

100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
release a=now
500 http://debian.mirror.iweb.ca/debian stretch-updates/main amd64 Packages
release o=Debian,a=stable-updates,n=stretch-updates,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64
origin debian.mirror.iweb.ca
500 http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates/non-free amd64 Packages
release v=9,o=Debian,a=stable,n=stretch,l=Debian-Security,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin security.debian.org
500 http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates/contrib amd64 Packages
release v=9,o=Debian,a=stable,n=stretch,l=Debian-Security,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin security.debian.org
500 http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates/main amd64 Packages
release v=9,o=Debian,a=stable,n=stretch,l=Debian-Security,c=main,b=amd64
origin security.debian.org
500 http://debian.mirror.iweb.ca/debian stretch/contrib amd64 Packages
release v=9.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=stretch,l=Debian,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin debian.mirror.iweb.ca
500 http://debian.mirror.iweb.ca/debian stretch/non-free amd64 Packages
release v=9.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=stretch,l=Debian,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin debian.mirror.iweb.ca
500 http://debian.mirror.iweb.ca/debian stretch/main amd64 Packages
release v=9.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=stretch,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64
origin debian.mirror.iweb.ca
500 cdrom://[Debian GNU/Linux 9.5.0 _Stretch_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-3 20180714-10:25] stretch/main amd64 Packages
release c=main,b=amd64
origin Debian GNU/Linux 9.5.0 _Stretch_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-3 20180714-10:25
500 cdrom://[Debian GNU/Linux 9.5.0 _Stretch_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-3 20180714-10:25] stretch/contrib amd64 Packages
release c=contrib,b=amd64
origin Debian GNU/Linux 9.5.0 _Stretch_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-3 20180714-10:25
Pinned packages:

I'm not sure how to make sense of the above, but I hope you'll find it useful.

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GarryRicketson
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#7 Post by GarryRicketson »

I've browsed through some on-line Linux tutorials.
For Debian, and the packages in the Debian Repositories a general Linux tutorial will not apply.
franky44 wrote:
I've run into problems installing some software
"some software" is not very clear at all. If the software package is not in the Debian repositories,
the commands used like 'apt' , 'apptitude', or 'synaptic package manager' will not work for some software on some random website.
What package (software) specifically did not install ?
Often a typo, or not having the package name correct, is a very common reason.
I've used apt-get install.. with success most of the time.
When it did not succeed, it would show some errors, the error messages are the key to knowing
why it did not install, but you do not show those error messages, maybe show them.

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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#8 Post by stevepusser »

If you install the very useful inxi package,

Code: Select all

inxi -r
will give a nice list of your repositories, even those hidden in a subfolder. Inxi can also provide very much more information about your system, or even show the weather in a location--it's worth reading its instructions.

The advantage of the command line for installing packages is that it's universal across all the desktops Debian provides, plus if something goes wrong, the output can be copypasted into a code box here.
Last edited by stevepusser on 2018-10-02 20:39, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#9 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

^ The `apt policy` command shows all of the repositories in APT's database, this includes the contents of /etc/apt/sources.list.d/

@OP: your sources look normal, which particular packages were you having problems installing?

EDIT: also, what was the *exact* command you used in the installation attempt?
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#10 Post by MALsPa »

franky44 wrote:Sometimes I miss my old DOS days, when I could do practically everything on that CLI. I've browsed through some on-line Linux tutorials. The trouble is, the tutorial assumes prior knowledge, so I have to look up what the terms mean. I have a Linux Dictionary in a PDF file. The dictionary makes me look up even more words. After looking up the meaning of 12 different words, I about read the whole dictionary. Now if only I could remember what all that I just read. :oops: I have books, and they've come in mighty handy, but none of them explain package installation through the CLI.
You'll probaby get there, with time. I do all of my package management from the command line now, but that certainly wasn't the case back when I joined these forums, lol.

Oh, and my suggestion would be to take advantage of the manual pages installed on your system, starting with man apt and man apt-get.

franky44
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Re: Installing software through the CLI

#11 Post by franky44 »

Mr. Ricketson: The web page you directed me to, cleared up a lot of misunderstanding about getting programs installed via CLI. It's very useful. I also found another place that might be of interest, especially to people new to Linux. https://www.tecmint.com/tag/commandline-tools/

Head-on-a-stick: After some of the sage advice and comments, I was able to figure out what I needed to install programs. It wasn't that the program wouldn't install, I did have the right syntax to execute the command. That is what I really needed; to use the right way to make the magic words do their work.

MALaPa: Thank you for your encouragement.

Steve Pusser: I ran that command, and I saw what was in etc/apt/sources.list. I like that command as it takes me right to that file, without typing the whole path, or using the file manager. Thanks for that.

I appreciate every ones advice here. I've been using Linux Mint for the past 2 years. For me, most things were automated. Synaptic was engaged to install the programs I wanted. I still had a devil of a time with installing a printer, and a scanner. After all the advice you folks gave me, it turns out that what I needed most was how to type in the commands with the correct syntax. Back in my DOS days everything was easy. Now, in my Linux daze, everything seems to takes on gargantuan efforts. After all the cuss'n and fuss'n I discovered that there was a really easy way to get things done.

Ya'all have a mighty good day.

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Re: {SOLVED} Installing software through the CLI

#12 Post by stevepusser »

You can also install and use Synaptic on Debian if you prefer a GUI. Some desktops also have their own package manager GUIs.
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franky44
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Re: {SOLVED} Installing software through the CLI

#13 Post by franky44 »

To stevepusser: Synaptic. (Franky hears bells ringing in his head) Dang! The answer was right there all this time. Thank You for waking me up.

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