howto find all non-default programs I installed?

[eentonig]

Hi,

I want to create a list that contains the programs I installed AFTER my initial Ubuntu install.

My idea was:
1. Create a list with installed packages.

ls /var/lib/dpkg/info |grep \.list$ | cut -d \. -f1 >> $C_installed

2. Create a list with the dependencies and recommended packages for my version

apt-cache depends ubuntu-desktop | sed 's/Recommends: //g' | sed 's/Depends: //g' | sed 's/ //g' >> $C_depends

3. Compare these two files.

I've got two questions.

1. Am I correct in assuming that the output from my ubuntu-desktop dependencies is the list of files that were installed in the beginning? Or am I missing some meta-packages that I need to include?

2. How do I use diff to create a new list, that contains only the installed packages that are not in the second list?

[mssever]

Hi,

I want to create a list that contains the programs I installed AFTER my initial Ubuntu install.

My idea was:
1. Create a list with installed packages.


2. Create a list with the dependencies and recommended packages for my version


3. Compare these two files.

I've got two questions.

1. Am I correct in assuming that the output from my ubuntu-desktop dependencies is the list of files that were installed in the beginning? Or am I missing some meta-packages that I need to include?

2. How do I use diff to create a new list, that contains only the installed packages that are not in the second list?

1. You also need ubuntu-minimal and ubuntu-standard.

2. Not sure off the top of my head.

[foxylad]

Apt-get and aptitude rely on a utility called dpkg, which keeps a log in /var/log/dpkg.log. This is rotated by log rotate, but if you installed within the rotate lifetime, you could just search the log files to find out what was the original install and what you've installed since.

Otherwise apt-get must keep a database somewhere - if you could find out where, and how to access it, it would tell you everything you need to know.

[pmasiar]

OK I started quest for acculturating people quoting whole article without thinking. Why you won't just quote the part you answered?

Maybe if we all pull, we will finish that september at least in one forum? Or is it in vain?

[slavik]

OK I started quest for acculturating people quoting whole article without thinking. Why you won't just quote the part you answered?

Maybe if we all pull, we will finish that september at least in one forum? Or is it in vain?

because some people click the little arrow for fast reply and also check "Quote message in reply?"

[pmasiar]

because some people click the little arrow for fast reply and also check "Quote message in reply?"

How hard would be to **delete** irrelevant parts, to save all of us some time when skipping it, and leaving only the relevant part to which they respond? Deleting is fast, I do it all the time

[slavik]

How hard would be to **delete** irrelevant parts, to save all of us some time when skipping it, and leaving only the relevant part to which they respond? Deleting is fast, I do it all the time

because the message doesn't show up in the quit reply box and there are 2 less pages to load

btw, sorry if this is considered thread hijacking

[pmasiar]

My "quick reply" does not quote, your does?

[eentonig]

Apt-get and aptitude rely on a utility called dpkg, which keeps a log in /var/log/dpkg.log. This is rotated by log rotate, but if you installed within the rotate lifetime, you could just search the log files to find out what was the original install and what you've installed since.

That wont do, because I want to use this as a base for reinstalling. But the original installation was months ago.

*** please keep your (justified) quote discussion away from this topic. ***

[nikhilm]

Any joy on this topic? I'm trying to do the same thing but I'm a total newbie to Linux, so ....