Is there a parameter for apt-get to install all recommended / suggested packages?

Akhran · 08-07-2005, 03:14 AM

Sometimes, when you do a 'apt-get install <package>', there are many recommended and suggested packages. Is there a parameter to use with 'apt-get install' to install all recommended and / or suggested packages automatically?

Thanks !

bp12345 · 08-07-2005, 03:51 AM

There is an option in synaptic and aptitude to 'consider reccommended packages as dependancies', which will then install all reccommended packages as well as the real dependancies, but only for those that you installed after you set that option.
For the suggested packages I don't know... but there mioght be a text configuration file you can edit.

Xian · 08-07-2005, 08:21 AM

Wajig has a command that should allow you to do this.

Akhran · 08-07-2005, 08:50 AM

Thanks for the suggestion.

I tried both 'aptitude -r upgrade' and 'aptitude --with-recommends upgrade'. A few lines before the 'Do you want to continue?', I get

'The following packages are RECOMMENDED but will NOT be installed: bzip2 perl-doc xxxx xxxx'

Is my option set incorrectly? It seems that the recommended packages are still not installed.

Thanks !

Quote:

Originally posted by bp12345
There is an option in synaptic and aptitude to 'consider reccommended packages as dependancies', which will then install all reccommended packages as well as the real dependancies, but only for those that you installed after you set that option.
For the suggested packages I don't know... but there mioght be a text configuration file you can edit.

fsateler · 08-07-2005, 02:56 PM

That is because probably those packages have broken dependencies that can't be satisfied by an upgrade (ie, a new library must be installed). Probably a dist-upgrade would install those packages.

bp12345 · 08-08-2005, 02:42 AM

It is an option that you change from a menu, not a command-line option. Maybe if you set it in aptitude or Synaptic it will apply to all new packages downloaded in apt-get too (not sure). I only use synaptic and aptitude when I need to, so I don't really know much about the options for apt-get.