Few pacman questions

rasat · 2002-12-30 04:07:02

I am new trying to understand how pacman works (comparing with Gentoo Linux package system).

1. How to list packages what are installed?
2. List of packages available?
3. When installing Arch from CD, there is a nice GUI selection of packages. Is it still available when running an installed system?
4. Script "pacman -Syu" shows new upgrade packages. If you don't upgrade any packages, how to list what's new without re-running "pacman -Syu"?
5. What's difference between "pacman -S" and "pacman --add"?
6. What does "pacman --remove" do? Removes the package (tar ball) or the installed application?
7. URL to arch linux packages?

sarah31 · 2002-12-30 07:51:01

1. I don't think that is possible to list all the packages installed however you can do a pacman -Q <packagename> to see the status of particular packages.
2. you cannot get a list of all packages available via pacman but you can use pacman -Ss to search the trees. Searching for a common letter or content of all packages gives you a large list.
3. that is just a front end part of the installer. there is no gui and there will be no gui for pacman, at least distributed via the package trees.
4. you can't unless you look on the arch site and note the version changes or do a combo of pacman -Q package and pacman -Ss package.
5. pacman -S polls the repositories for you package and its dependencies pacman -A does not. pacman -A is used to install a local package that you have built or or packages from the cd. Un less you solve the dependencies your self then don't expect the package to work properly or at all.
6. pacman -R removes the installed app. the pkg.tar.gz remains in /var/cache/pacman/pkgs/ until you use the clear flag to remove the packages there.
7. well i am not sure what you mean here do you want to see the package tree or do you want a list of arch packages? ftp://ftp.archlinux.org/current or /unofficial. there are links to the trees via the webpage and a list of official and unofficial packages with basic descriptions.

orelien · 2002-12-30 10:40:07

To know all packages installed:
"pacman -Q"

My 2 cents...

rasat · 2002-12-30 10:47:18

sarah31 wrote:

7. well i am not sure what you mean here do you want to see the package tree or do you want a list of arch packages? ftp://ftp.archlinux.org/current or /unofficial. there are links to the trees via the webpage and a list of official and unofficial packages with basic descriptions.

Thanks for the reply.
The link you gave for current and unofficial was what I wanted. Also it does well for point 2.

Arch Linux

#1 2002-12-30 04:07:02

Few pacman questions

#2 2002-12-30 07:51:01

Re: Few pacman questions

#3 2002-12-30 10:40:07

Re: Few pacman questions

#4 2002-12-30 10:47:18

Re: Few pacman questions

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