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nowing the package a certain program is in.

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stf92
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Joined: 2018-05-27 20:16

nowing the package a certain program is in.

#1 Post by stf92 »

Hi: suppose I want to download and install the locate program. In order to use apt-get to do this, I must know before hand what the package containing locate and updatedb is. How do I know it? Can apt-cache help me?

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stevepusser
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Re: nowing the package a certain program is in.

#2 Post by stevepusser »

If you want a GUI to search and manage the results that turn up, I would recommend "packagesearch" from the repos.
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stf92
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Re: nowing the package a certain program is in.

#3 Post by stf92 »

I would prefer to use apt-file. However

Code: Select all

root@debian:/sd# apt-file
-su: apt-file: command not found
root@debian:/sd# apt-get install apt-file
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package apt-file
root@debian:/sd# 

In fact I have received this message, "E: Unable...." each time I tried to use apt-get. What can the cause possibly be? Another typical message is this:

Code: Select all

root@debian:/sd# apt-get install dlocate
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Package dlocate is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'dlocate' has no installation candidate
root@debian:/sd# 

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Re: nowing the package a certain program is in.

#4 Post by stevepusser »

Code: Select all

$ apt show apt-file
Package: apt-file
Version: 3.1.4
It's in the repos, so there's something wrong with your connection, software sources, or your update process. Please show us the output of "apt update", which should provide enough to see what's wrong. Often just that command is enough to get you going.
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Re: nowing the package a certain program is in.

#5 Post by pcalvert »

This is a very useful web page:
https://www.debian.org/distrib/packages

Scroll down to the section titled "Search the contents of packages".
Freespoke is a new search engine that respects user privacy and does not engage in censorship.

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Re: nowing the package a certain program is in.

#6 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

deadbang

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