3. Managing Packages

3.1. Finding a Specific Package

3.1.1. Quick Search

To find a package name in the list of shown packages perform the follwong steps:

  1. Type the name or a part of it into the find field located in the toolbar. Synaptic Package Manager will automatically jump to the first matching package in the list.

  2. To find the next matching package press the the forward button next to the find field.

  3. To begin the search again from the beginning of the package list click on the upward button.

3.1.2. Advanced Search

The advanced search is a special filter for the package list. Only matching packages will be shown in the package list.

  1. Open the search dialog Package->Find... from the menu or press Ctrl-F.

  2. Type the search expression into the find field, e.g. "mp3 ogg player".

  3. Select the fields that you want to search in, e.g. "name" and "description"

  4. Click on Find to start the search. In our example only music players and related packages will be listed.

Tip

You can create more complex filters with the filter editor.

3.2. Installing Packages

To install one or more packages follow these steps:

  1. Query the package repositories for the latest version of the package(s):

    • Choose Actions->Update from the menu.

    • Click on Update in the toolbar.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-U.

  2. Select the package(s) that you wish to install in the package list.

  3. Queue the selected packages for installation:

    • Click on Install in the package control area.

    • Choose Package->Install from the menu.

    • Right click on the package and choose Install from the context menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-I.

  4. Execute the queued changes to actually install the package(s):

    • Click on Execute in the toolbar.

    • Choose Actions->Execute from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-E.

3.3. Removing Packages

To remove one or more packages follow these steps:

  1. Select the package(s) that you wish to remove in the package list.

  2. Queue the selected package(s) for removal:

    • Click on Remove in the package control area.

    • Choose Package->Remove from the menu.

    • Right click on the package and choose Remove from the context menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-R.

  3. Execute the queued changes to actually remove the package(s):

    • Click on Execute in the toolbar.

    • Choose Actions->Execute from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-E.

Note

Configuration files and user created data (e.g. a Website in /var/www) are not removed from the system by default. You can change this behavior in the action settings.

Alternativly, choose Packages->Purge with Configuration from the menu to remove all files related to the package.

3.4. Upgrading Single Packages

To upgrade one or more packages follow these steps:

  1. Query the package repositories for the latest version of the package(s):

    • Choose Actions->Update Package List from the menu.

    • Click on Update List in the toolbar.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-U.

  2. Select the package(s) that you wish to upgrade in the package list.

  3. Queue the selected packages for upgrade:

    • Click on Upgrade in the package control area.

    • Choose Package->Upgrade from the menu.

    • Right click on the package and choose Upgrade from the context menu.

  4. Execute the queued changes to actually upgrade the package(s):

    • Click on Execute in the toolbar.

    • Choose Actions->Execute from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-E.

Tip

To upgrade all installed packages to the latest version, see Section 3.5.

3.5. Upgrading System

The global upgrade enables you to upgrade your system to the latest version without having to queue each package upgrade manually.

Synaptic Package Manager provides two global upgrade methods:

Upgrade

The default upgrade method queues upgrades of installed packages only. If the later version of a package depends on not installed packages or conflicts with an already installed package, the upgrade will not be queued.

Dist-Upgrade

Dist-Upgrade tries to resolve package conflicts intelligently. This includes installing additional required packages and prefering packages with higher priority.

Note

Upgrades to later operating system major releases have to be done with the dist-upgrade method, e.g. from Conectiva 9 to Conectiva 10 or from Debian Woody to Debian Sarge.

To upgrade your system to the latest version follow these steps:

  1. Query the package repositories for the latest version of the packages:

    • Choose Actions->Update Package List from the menu.

    • Click on Update List in the toolbar.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-U.

  2. Queue the package(s) for upgrade:

    • Click on Upgrade System in the toolbar.

    • Choose Actions->Upgrade System from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-G.

  3. Choose the upgrade method. Dist-upgrade is recommended.

  4. Execute the queued changes to actually upgrade the package(s):

    • Click on Execute in the toolbar.

    • Choose Actions->Execute from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-E.

Tip

You can change the default upgrade method in the action settings.

3.6. Downgrading Packages

Warning

Downgrading packages is a broken feature, since apt and Synaptic Package Manager can only handle conflicts and dependency resolution in upgrades. You may need this feature in some circumstances, but it is not recommended to use.

To downgrade a package you have to select a specific version of the package:

  1. Select the package that you wish to downgrade in the package list.

  2. Open the Expert tab in the detail area.

  3. Choose the version to be installed from the list.

  4. Execute the queued changes to actually downgrade the package(s):

    • Click on Execute in the toolbar.

    • Choose Actions->Execute from the menu.

    • Press the key combination Ctrl-E.

3.7. Executing Queued Changes

To execute queued changes:

Tip

To show only packages with queued changes in the package list apply the "Queued Changes" filter.

3.8. Undoing Queued Changes

To undo a queued change you have the following ways:

Remove package from queue

To remove a package from the queue:

  • Right click on package and choose No Changes from the context menu.

  • Select package(s) and choose No Changes from the package control.

  • Select package(s) and press Ctrl-N.

Clear all queued changes

Choose Actions->Clear All Queued Changes from the menu.

Undo last changes

Choose Actions->Undo from the menu.

3.9. Configuring Package

Debian provides a unified configuration interface for packages, so called debconf.

To configure a supported package:

  1. Select the package that you wish to configure in the package list.

  2. Click on Configure in the package control.

Note

This feature requires the installation of "libgnome-perl".

3.10. Getting Additional Package Documentation

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  1. Select the package from that you wish to read additional documentation in the package list.

  2. Click on Documentation in the package control.

Note

This feature requires the installation of "dwww".

3.11. Fixing Broken Packages

Errors in the dependencies of packages or during executing changes can break the dependencies structure.

Synaptic Package Manager will not allow any further changes on a borken system.

To correct the broken packages choose Actions->Fix Broken Packages from the menu.