Aptitude? How to use it!

[rosswith]

Hey there,
I was just wondering how the heck to use this aptitude thing. I need to get the wireless package. But it wont let me add it to the install list, I hit + and nothing happens at all. Do I have to download it first? Do I need to start wearing glasses? Is there a version of aptitude that has a GUI? I am new at this debian thing, and I really need to figure this out. Thanks for your help.

[Telemachus]

Hey there,
I was just wondering how the heck to use this aptitude thing. I need to get the wireless package. But it wont let me add it to the install list, I hit + and nothing happens at all. Do I have to download it first? Do I need to start wearing glasses? Is there a version of aptitude that has a GUI? I am new at this debian thing, and I really need to figure this out. Thanks for your help.

You can use aptitude in one of two main ways:

1. Straightforward command-line use: You just enter commands and let them run. Example:

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   aptitude update
   aptitude install <package-name>
   

2. A semi-gui (called a TUI, an acronym for text user interface). You start that mode by entering aptitude and nothing else on the command line.

It sounds like you're trying the TUI, which I find a bit less intuitive. In any case, once you find the item and enter +. You need to enter g twice to get the actual installation to go through. You should always update aptitude before installing new packages, so in the TUI, this would be my recommendation:

• Enter aptitude to get into the TUI menu.
• Enter u to update.
• Search for the package you want (I would use / to start a fast search by name, but there are other ways).
• When you find what you want, enter + on it.
• Enter g to start the installation and g (again) to confirm it.

The aptitude manual is quite good (though detailed, so long). You can find it here: http://algebraicthunk.net/~dburrows/pro ... de/doc/en/.

If you want a true GUI installer, try Synaptic perhaps.

[AMLJ]

Hello!
You need to edit your sources.list file, you can search the internet to see a list of repositories you can add. You can say which version (stable, testing, unstable) you are using, and then I can help you more on that.
The easiest way to use aptitude to install things:

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aptitude install [PACKAGE]

You can find out a lot more, if you see the manual.
And yes, there is GUI. Install Synaptic. I don't really see a reason though!
Anyway, do what you think is the best for you, you are the one who is using that system, if you like to, use Synaptic.

For the wireless though, you can just install Network Manager, do this:

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apt-cache search network manager

Install the packages you like. Then, you should make /etc/NetworkManager/nm-system-settings.conf to look like:

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[main]
plugins=ifupdown,keyfile

[ifupdown]
managed=true

If I gotcha right, this is what you need to get your wireless working.

[craigevil]

aptitude user's manual
http://algebraicthunk.net/~dburrows/pro ... de/doc/en/
You can install the aptitude manual,

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aptitude install aptitude-doc-en 

The Aptitude On-Line Help is in /usr/share/aptitude/help.txt

You might also want to read :
Debian Reference
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/

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aptitude install debian-reference-en

There is also a nifty reference card that you can print out.
http://www.debian.org/doc/user-manuals#refcard

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aptitude install debian-refcard

Basics of the Debian package management system
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debia ... cs.en.html

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aptitude install debian-faq

The Debian package management tools
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debia ... ls.en.html


Synaptic - Graphical package manager - Debian Wiki
http://wiki.debian.org/Synaptic

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aptitude install synaptic

"Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition"
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz

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aptitude install rutebook

[rosswith]

Ok. Thanks for all the help guys! Now aptitude is downloading everything I want.... I think.... but is it installing it? it downloaded openoffice, but its not on the menus or the area to add things to menus. I am using lenny, and now am once again lost. Thanks in advance everyone.

[sunrat]

So your wireless is working now? What commands did you use to install OpenOffice?
As in Telemachus' post, these commands should install it and add to the menu:

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aptitude update
aptitude install openoffice

It helps to give as much info as you can about what you already did to make it easier to help.

[rosswith]

ok so my wireless still isn't working. I cant get it to go no matter what. I have tried everything. I have been using that semi-gui thing that comes up when you just type aptitude. I might just be thicker then most. Open Office, it says, is downloaded, but something just seems off. Thanks a million everyone.

[bugsbunny]

I won't be around to follow up on this for a few days probably, so someone else will have to but:
1) You're trying to get wireless to work. Do you currently have a wired connection? Everyone has been assuming yes, but I figured I'd double check.
2) A little more information on your wireless chip/card would be helpful. Assuming it's not a usb card what's the output of:

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lspci | grep Network

Also you may be better off starting a new thread for the wireless problem (with a more relevant subject). But you can see what develops here first, it may not be needed.

Note: I love aptitude from the command line. I hate the ncurses interface (which is what you've been using). In squeeze there is a full gui available (aptitude-gtk), but I still prefer the command line (even though the gui is ok).

What's the output of:

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aptitude search ~iopenoffice.org