apt vs apt-get

[NoWorries]

After testing the apt options on Xenial, I have decided to just use:

sudo apt update; sudo apt full-upgrade

I am surprised that in the development of the apt full-upgrade code, the listing of the packages by this command doesn't use the same code used in the apt list --upgradable command for listing the installed packages.

I guess that one day "the penny will drop" and the developers will add this feature.

[NoWorries]

Yeah, I use apt-get for autoremove (alias "aremove").

Re. the -y switch, I wasn't thinking about your actual request - I wrongly assumed you wanted no prompt, when you're asking for no output. I can't say for apt (haven't tested) but for apt-get, you can use -qq for error output only or -q for no output at all.

Since you're using an alias anyway - no reason not to use apt-get with the -qq switch if it doesn't work with apt. The only benefit to using apt in this instance is color output, which you want to suppress anyway. So your new alias should be:

sudo apt update; sudo apt list --upgradable; sudo apt-get -qq dist-upgrade

I found that using the -qq switch removed the prompt. This is what happens as described in the man for apt-get

-q, --quiet
Quiet; produces output suitable for logging, omitting progress indicators. More q's will produce more quiet up to a maximum of 2. You can also use
-q=# to set the quiet level, overriding the configuration file. Note that quiet level 2 implies -y; you should never use -qq without a no-action
modifier such as -d, --print-uris or -s as APT may decide to do something you did not expect. Configuration Item: quiet.

By using a single -q, I still get the install packages listed.

It is nice to get the apt green listing of packages to be installed, but I find it unnecessary to have this repeated by either apt or apt-get. So I will remove the apt list --upgradable and just have either the apt or apt-get commands to do the upgrade.

To test this out, I need updates which, unfortunately are rare with Wily, but mountainous with Xenial and a dribble with Vivid. Will let you know what I decide. Basically I do not need to be told twice what packages are going to be installed.

[oshunluvr]

Yeah, I use apt-get for autoremove (alias "aremove").

Re. the -y switch, I wasn't thinking about your actual request - I wrongly assumed you wanted no prompt, when you're asking for no output. I can't say for apt (haven't tested) but for apt-get, you can use -qq for error output only or -q for no output at all.

Since you're using an alias anyway - no reason not to use apt-get with the -qq switch if it doesn't work with apt. The only benefit to using apt in this instance is color output, which you want to suppress anyway. So your new alias should be:

sudo apt update; sudo apt list --upgradable; sudo apt-get -qq dist-upgrade

[NoWorries]

I believe the -y switch will work. Try:

...; sudo apt -y full-upgrade

When I use the -y switch it still re-lists the packages and then proceeds to do the full-upgrade without approval.

As I was running out of systems to test the apt command on, I used a Trusty system which had a new kernel update. I then could not find an autoremove equivalent for apt. I don't think it is viable to do a remove for each package listed

[oshunluvr]

I believe the -y switch will work. Try:

...; sudo apt -y full-upgrade

[NoWorries]

The "--upgradeable" option is used with "sudo apt list" and only lists the upgrade-able files. It takes no other action. It's useful if you wish to see what will be upgraded by apt or apt-get prior to running upgrade.

Also worth noting: while "dist-upgrade" is not technically listed as an option for apt, it does appear to work. This seems to be undocumented. "full-upgrade" is the correct option for apt as listed by man or help.

Thanks for that, as I now get a progress line which is very handy in the case of Kubuntu 16.04 which this morning had 93 upgrades and 5 new packages. My command line is now:

sudo apt update; sudo apt list --upgradable; sudo apt full-upgrade

The only visual problem remaining is that the full-upgrade also lists all the packages in the old format before the approval request. I suspect that there is an option which would not show this list. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[oshunluvr]

The "--upgradeable" option is used with "sudo apt list" and only lists the upgrade-able files. It takes no other action. It's useful if you wish to see what will be upgraded by apt or apt-get prior to running upgrade.

Also worth noting: while "dist-upgrade" is not technically listed as an option for apt, it does appear to work. This seems to be undocumented. "full-upgrade" is the correct option for apt as listed by man or help.

[NoWorries]

I tend to use Konsole and just up-arrow to the line with the apt-get command as that is about the only command that I use with Konsole. On those occasions when I do other commands, it doesn't take long to get to the update line.

I must say that I do like the output from the apt command but I always approve the packages for upgrade and there don't use the --upgradable option. What I now use is:

sudo apt update; sudo apt dist-upgrade

[heinkel_111]

While I am carefully calculating saved costs for keyboard replacement as a function of the number of times -getcan be avoided in the future, I would like to say that this is pretty much a hackers' improvement as most everyday package management can be accomplished via graphical frontends these days. Having said that I have still not really started to use that on a routine basis, as I find apt-get quite handy. I mean, it is not much I have to do, only sudo apt-get update and sudo apt-get upgrade on a regular basis, spiced with a few intermittent dist-upgrades.
That is all I need to do as long as I stick to using software from the standard kubuntu repositiories because that software is almost always so nicely packaged that nothing more is needed. For which work I am very thankful, I'd like to add! <3
All the rest is stuff you only need when you are tempted to meddle with the latest fanciest stuff from development versions in some ppa or even worse, downloaded off the net or something. You probably read on some forum how to do it, and then it got you into trouble so you need more powerful spells to get out of it.
So just a word of warning in case any beginners read this: nah, these days you don't have to make life difficult for yourselves as long as you wait a little for those who make life easy for you...that fancy package may be standard in the next version or so.

:-)
sorry for screwing up with the fonts, still struggling to find the code in "advanced mode" editor here. There is no default font option and I don't recognize any but a few font names

[vsreeser]

I do the same, except using "install" can get you into trouble as it's a linux command. I use "instal" (single el).

I use alias update='sudo apt update; sudo apt list --upgradable' for update. The sceond command outputs a list of upgradeable files or states that you are up to date.

I like the --upgradable Using this could let me know if I really need to do an update right now, or just wait. I'm paranoid. make an image of partition or drive before major updates. Only takes 10 minutes or so. about 10 to restore as well using clonezilla

[oshunluvr]

True. use them to skip typing. e.g. install='sudo apt-get install'
guess I could just remove the -get

I do the same, except using "install" can get you into trouble as it's a linux command. I use "instal" (single el).

I use alias update='sudo apt update; sudo apt list --upgradable' for update. The sceond command outputs a list of upgradeable files or states that you are up to date.

[vsreeser]

Naw, aliases are still good to have - I have one called upd8, which does an update and a full-upgrade. I be lazee

True. use them to skip typing. e.g. install='sudo apt-get install'
guess I could just remove the -get

[claydoh]

Naw, aliases are still good to have - I have one called upd8, which does an update and a full-upgrade. I be lazee

[Qqmike]

Ha! The work has been done, huh?

[vsreeser]

Looks like I won't need all those aliases I created to simplify anymore