Install only the needed *applications*

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Install only the needed applications

Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 11:25:14 +0200
Cc: debian-user@lists.debian.org

> After using linux for some years, I now know which applications
> I like best for each task (text editing, graphics, www browsing,...).
> for the same reason, I also realize that I always end up with a lot
> of unneded stuff on my HD, unless I do spend a lot of time picking
> packages by hand, with trial and error.
>
> Now, let's assume that I have successfully installed the bare, bare
> debian system on a PC. At this point, **without net access**, what is
> the best (script based) way to:
>
>        1) install X11 with only the server for the card I actually
>        have
>
>        2) declare the *single applications* (not packages or packages
> group)
>      I need, and let the system sort all the dependencies out and put
>         on the PC the *minimum* set of debs needed (picking them from
> *all*
>      the CDs)?
>
> In other words, I would like to be able to say through a script:
>
>        **I** want to use {gcc, perl, mutt, apache, postfix,
>                           cups and not lpd,
>                           pppd, iptables, ssh
>                           blackbox and no other file managers,
>                           emacs without X support, bash, fetchmail,
>                           gimp and gimp only, no other GNOME things
>                           konqueror and no other kde things
>                           ....add your favourite apps here
>
>                           }
>
>           **YOU** (bare debian system) sort out all the dependencies and
>           pick only what is needed from the CD(s) while I go to lunch
>
> keep in mind that I don't need some automatic multiple installation
> method, like kickstart in Red Hat, and, for several reasons not worth
> discussing here, cannot build and burn custom CDs. I only have one PC, and
> want to fully customize it for my needs in the shortest possible time
> right after installation, from the default debian cd set.

dselect
apt-get install <all the packages you need>

i would recommend dselect, because you get the recommendations for additional packages, too, not only the absolutely needed depends. But that could be against that, what you really want to do.

Daniel Kleine-Albers

Install only the needed applications

> Which one of these methods is best for script use right after
> installation, i.e.:
>
> No net access yet
> Only the official debian CDs available
> Minimum manual intervention (hopefully just
> changing the CD when asked?)

First you will need to tell apt to use the CDROMS to find packages, apt-cdrom will take care of this for you.

Then just run, it will ask you to insert CDs when required.

apt-get install <package list>

> I am quite expert with red hat, and have started to study debian recently.
> One of the things I found most confusing is the relationship betweeen apt,
> dselect (?dpkg?) and what not. When do you use one or the other? Why?

For instance you wish to install vim, using apt-get install vim you will not get the vim-rt package which contains some other various goodies for use with vim. This is because the vim package doesn't require vim-rt to run, it just recommends it. apt-get install will only install the required packages.

dselect on the other hand is more user oriented. When you select vim, it will show you what is recommended and then get you to decide which of the packages you wish to install (ie vim-rt).

Both apt-get and dselect only download the packages onto your system. dpkg is used by both apt-get and dselect to install the downloaded packages.

Pete

Install only the needed applications

> Which one of these methods is best for script use right after
> installation, i.e.:
>
>      No net access yet
>      Only the official debian CDs available
>      Minimum manual intervention     (hopefully just
>                                      changing the CD when asked?)

Then you should use apt-get. If you install a bare debian system apt/dpkg asks you, how many questions it should ask during installation. If you set the priority to critical, you don't get almost any questions during installation.

If you want to script, i recommend using apt-get because thats the simpliest way. Simply make a script:

apt-get install <the packages you need>

there should be a parameter —assume-yes which causes even less questions to be asked. see man apt-move

> I am quite expert with red hat, and have started to study debian recently.
> One of the things I found most confusing is the relationship betweeen apt,
> dselect (?dpkg?) and what not. When do you use one or the other? Why?  Are
> there any online documents explaining this specific issues?

in short:

dpkg: is the backend as rpm is on suse or redhat.
apt-get: and dselect are frontends. With dselect you normally use apt-get as a middle-part between dselect itself and dpkg.

the frontends have in common that the "acquire" the packages automatically from cdrom, ftp, http, …

with dpkg you can only install packages you have as files directly with dpkg -i <packagefile.deb>

For further info have a look at:

http://www.debian.org/doc/ddp http://www.linuxpress.com/debusered2.html#page107

Daniel Kleine-Albers