How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

nbd · 2015-06-07 18:27:13

Greetings!

Is there an option in pacman to query the package info ( like -Si ) from the server repo instead of the local package database? Or maybe some additional program is needed for this?

Update: Maybe this can be done by downloading a fresh copy of package DB with -Sy, but how to specify a custom package DB file? Is this accomplished with --dbpath option? Say

pacman -Sy --dbpath /tmp/tmpdb

Last edited by nbd (2015-06-07 18:44:23)

Xyne · 2015-06-07 18:45:06

nbd wrote:

Greetings!
Is there an option in pacman to query the package info ( like -Si ) from the server repo instead of the local package database? Or maybe some additional program is needed for this?

The info displayed by -Si is the info from the server repo. -Qi displays the local info. Please read the Pacman man page for further information.

Moving to newbie corner.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-06-07 18:47:07

nbd wrote:

Or maybe some additional program is needed for this?

You could use your browser.
https://www.archlinux.org/packages/

Raynman · 2015-06-07 18:47:29

nbd wrote:

Update: Maybe this can be done by downloading a fresh copy of package DB with -Sy, but how to specify a custom package DB file? Is this accomplished with --dbpath option? Say
pacman -Sy --dbpath /tmp/tmpdb

The checkupdates script that comes with pacman does something like that.

nbd · 2015-06-07 18:49:25

Xyne wrote:

nbd wrote:
Greetings!
Is there an option in pacman to query the package info ( like -Si ) from the server repo instead of the local package database? Or maybe some additional program is needed for this?
The info displayed by -Si is the info from the server repo. -Qi displays the local info. Please read the Pacman man page for further information.
Moving to newbie corner.

How could one interpret this?

[root@kw etc]# checkupdates | grep pcre
pcre
[root@kw etc]# pacman -Si pcre | grep Version
Version        : 8.37-1
[root@kw etc]# pacman -Qi pcre | grep Version
Version        : 8.37-1
[root@kw etc]#

Xyne · 2015-06-07 19:02:27

nbd wrote:

How could one interpret this?

[root@kw etc]# checkupdates | grep pcre
pcre
[root@kw etc]# pacman -Si pcre | grep Version
Version        : 8.37-1
[root@kw etc]# pacman -Qi pcre | grep Version
Version        : 8.37-1
[root@kw etc]#

Ok, after updating your original post and asking this question I understand what you are actually trying to do. The "local package database" generally refers to /var/lib/pacman/local, not /var/lib/pacman/sync, which is why it was unclear.

fakeroot pacman -Syb /tmp/tmpdb -i pcre

should do what you want, but be very careful never to install anything using that temporary database. Take a look at the checkupgrades script to see how it does things if you want to do more than just check remote package info.

Mr.Elendig · 2015-06-07 19:15:04

Please explain what you are *really* trying to do.
Also https://github.com/MrElendig/kittypack

nbd · 2015-06-07 21:56:40

What I want to do is just to check beforehand what will happen when -Syu is run. E.g. if some package in new version got additional 200 Mb required dependendies for functionality which isn't needed.

Xyne:

Thanks for the advise!

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-06-08 07:10:04

nbd wrote:

what will happen when -Syu is run

Your system will be fully updated.

If you don't like the dependencies pulled in by a package, use the ABS to build it without them.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_Build_System

karol · 2015-06-08 23:34:46

Check the AUR, it sometimes has various versions of the same package: one with minimal dependencies, another with the kitchensink thrown in.

Arch Linux

#1 2015-06-07 18:27:13

How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#2 2015-06-07 18:45:06

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#3 2015-06-07 18:47:07

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#4 2015-06-07 18:47:29

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#5 2015-06-07 18:49:25

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#6 2015-06-07 19:02:27

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#7 2015-06-07 19:15:04

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#8 2015-06-07 21:56:40

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#9 2015-06-08 07:10:04

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

#10 2015-06-08 23:34:46

Re: How to query package info from the server repo instead of local DB?

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