Commands at Konsole: Beginners

[Qqmike]

If anyone wishes to work through any of Parts 1, 2, or 3, and check for typos (or errors), please feel free to jump in. I've been through it a couple times and have caught some things, but you know how editing goes; best not to edit your own work!

[Qqmike]

Thanks, jlittle. I think that's what I meant, but I'll edit to make it clear re apt-get upgrade.
These edits and suggestions are welcome and needed! Thanks.

[jlittle]

sudo apt-get upgrade
This finds and lists the available updates.

Er, no; a copy/paste error? That "installs the newest versions of all packages currently installed". And apt-get dist-upgrade, or apt full-upgrade, should be mentioned.

More generally, though, the new(ish) apt command would be good in a how-to. "The apt command is meant to be pleasant for end users". apt list can be better than dpkg -l, too.

[Qqmike]

Improved APT Commands Summary Sheet, at the end of Part 3 (of the how-to).

This was added today:


APT: Advanced Packaging Tool-- APT Commands -- A Summary Sheet

Help: man apt-get

--> Use sudo with apt commands.

Sources (of packages)
/etc/apt/sources.list –> where to look for and get packages
All Debian packages: https://www.debian.org/distrib/packages

All packages on your system: dpkg -l (This will be a very long list!)
Print this list to a file, from your home directory (cd ~): dpkg -l > MyListDebian.txt

sudo apt-get update
This refreshes the package list and info from the repositories.

Run this after editing source.list and before using apt-get.

sudo apt-get upgrade
This installs the newest versions of all packages currently installed.

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
"dist-upgrade in addition to performing the function of upgrade, also intelligently handles changing dependencies with new versions of packages; apt-get has a "smart" conflict resolution system, and it will attempt to upgrade the most important packages at the expense of less important ones if necessary." (man apt-get) (Note: dist-upgrade does not upgrade your distribution to a higher version; e.g., it will not upgrade your Kubuntu 12.04 to 14.04.)

--> See man apt-get for details.


General (use sudo before the commands)

First:
apt-get update
Search:
apt-cache search package_name
Install:
apt-get install package_name
Remove:
apt-get remove package_name
apt-get --purge remove package_name
(--purge: deletes configuration files, too)
Clean:
apt-get clean
(cleans /var/cache/apt/archives where packages are first downloaded)
apt-get autoclean
(removes old package files, out of date, no longer useful)
Find:
> Start at root:
cd / && sudo find -name name_of_file
> Start at directory dir:
cd / && sudo find -name dir name_of_file

.deb packages Installing .deb packages that are already downloaded to you:
dpkg -i name_of_package.deb


Searching for packages and version information

> Run apt-get update, then:
> Search: apt-cache searchname_of_package
> find out which packages have new/newer versions (first install apt-show-versions):
apt-show-versions -u
> list of all packages, that contain or address "Kubuntu" is obtained by:
apt-cache search kubuntu
> for more information on a particular package, you can use:
apt-cache show name-of-package
> All installable versions of a package (they depend on your sources.list) can be listed by typing:
apt-cache policy name-of-package




- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Repair APT


Close all windows that have anything to do with installing packages, close Muon, open your Konsole, and enter 3 commands:
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -f install # This may be a “best” choice

Two useful commands:
dpkg –configure or dpkg –configure -a
(configures unconfigured packages)
dpkg-reconfigure or dpkg-reconfigure -a
(reconfigure already configured packages)
-a option: with the -a option, both commands will configure all packages that meet the criteria
(NOTE: dpkg-reconfigure -a may take a while)

Usual scenarios where you want to use them:
dpkg --configure -a
When upgrade has been interrupted by errors or crash, to complete the installation of packages
dpkg-reconfigure package_name
When you want to change the package behavior, it will ask debconf questions (again)
so you can change your answers and modify the configuration

[MoonRise]

Yep....

[Qqmike]

Ah! I see how it works, different from the old Kubuntu forum we had. The sticky-pinned how-to's are always at the top section, below that are threads that are actually other how-to's (I thought they were just some user threads, posted by people who have questions). So if you work through the many pages of those threads, you will come across many other how-to's including Commands at Konsole.

[Qqmike]

Yeah, but can you find it (and other How-to's beyond the pinned page) by simply browing--NOT using a search?

[MoonRise]

I was able to but then again I know how to formulate the search. It also depends on spelling too.

[Qqmike]

Btw, question-test: Can you FIND this How-To in our documentation: How-To's? Do so without searching, simply by going to the How-To's and scrolling through? I'm not seeing here how that works very well.
(A search is trivially easy, google~ site:kubuntuforums.net Commands at Konsole will do it, or site:kubuntuforums.net Commands + at + Konsole.)

[Qqmike]

Commands-at-Konsole-Beginners

https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...sole-Beginners

Today, I did a read-through of Parts 1, 2, and 3, and corrected a lot of typos, statements in error, and I simplified Part 2, eliminating confusing text, reorganizing. Updated some things, like eliminating use of Konqueror and sticking with Dolphin.

It's in better shape now, but I'm sure far from perfect. Editing correctly (getting just the right text and nothing else) is more difficult than writing the original.

[Qqmike]

Re: Commands at Konsole: Beginners

Thanks, MoonRise, for you encouraging comment. (That'll keep me going for another 12 months ). (Watch for my new dd how-to coming up here soon.)

[MoonRise]

Re: Commands at Konsole: Beginners

Good How To! I never have seen this one until now. Nicely done.

[Qqmike]

Re: Commands at Konsole: Beginners

Added to Part 3:

-- Checking disk space and partitions: fdisk, ls, df, du
-- Konsole: configure history (# lines to show)

[Qqmike]

Re: Commands at Konsole: APT Summary

Added a cheat sheet at the end of Part 3:

APT: Advanced Packaging Tool

APT Commands A Summary Sheet

[Qqmike]

Re: Commands at Konsole: Initrd--opening

Added another example topic in Part 3, right after the section on opening an iso (without burning the CD):

Initrd--opening

Sometimes you may have to examine or even patch the important file initrd, especially if doing work with bootloaders, kernels, building flash drives or live CDs and live USBs. Here's how to open an initrd.gz file then close it back up.

Of course, all the cautions apply: you can break your system if you break your initrd.
Usually, you have to do this work only when patching an initrd to make a live flash drive work or something like that. Or, someone in a bug report may provide an initrd patch for users to try, again to fix a live flash drive or CD.

I gave the manual links for gzip and cpio, so you can pursue more there. I'm not the expert on this, not even close, just a user like you who occasionally finds himself having to confront this sort of work. As always, post specific issues back at the regular forums.