Snapshot of apt / dpkg state to allow to download deb files from that state

Martian2020

2/3/23, 6:41 PM

I've read Snapshot and rollback of apt-installed packages and What does reading database mean in Apt?. My task (IMHO) is simpler than 1st question (for which there is no accepted answer): no need to roll-back, I envision saving enough of apt / dpkg state to allow to temporarily substitute saved files to be able to use apt-get install --download-only from saved state.

What files (database?) are needed to be backed up and replaced? Any clearance / fix consistency commands needed after such substitution?

Via this procedure I expect to get needed packages for installation on a offline computer.

0 + 0

package-management

apt

dpkg

user535733

2/3/23, 9:48 PM

I suggest using the `apt-offline` package, a safer alternative than manually mucking about with apt files.

Score:-1

Ubuntu

Martian2020

2/4/23, 2:58 AM

I've stumbled upon Read full dpkg database state without dpkg program. Tried to copy /var/lib/dpkg/status file over and looks like it works.

TL;DR

During search for the answer I found also several QAs explaining ways to work with distributing deb packages that might be useful along with the above:

Non-LAN solution https://askubuntu.com/a/1358370/1152748 suggests using apt-ftparchive to setup local apt deb files location to be used for search and install by standard apt way.

For LAN: Best way to cache apt downloads on a LAN?

https://askubuntu.com/a/1213030/1152748 answer explains how to use apt-mark.

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Thomas Ward

2/4/23, 3:34 PM

Link only answers aren't actually full answers. If you no longer need help since you found these other answers, we can close this question as a duplicate of the one that helped you, however this does not stand on its own as an answer.

Martian2020

2/5/23, 4:57 AM

@Thomas Ward, I don't agree. The linked answer concerns with only installed packages and `dkpg`, the finding that the solution applies to making `apt` download packages again is IMO additional finding. Judging that as triviality assumes knowledge of `apt`/`dpkg` interaction, but if we assume having knowledge, why this site is needed at all?

Thomas Ward

2/5/23, 2:42 PM

the point of my asking was to determine if this can be closed as a duplicate question. As you state in your answer: "I found several other Q/As that explain how things work" and also "I stumbled upon ... tried to copy the ... file over and looks like it works". In both cases, this answer is insufficient to stand as its own as it relies on links that could go dark whenever as the answer. Per the Help Center, these count as link only answers and those do not count as complete proper answers.

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Snapshot of apt / dpkg state to allow to download deb files from that state

TH: สแน็ปช็อตของสถานะ apt / dpkg เพื่ออนุญาตให้ดาวน์โหลดไฟล์ deb จากสถานะนั้น

RO: Instantaneu al stării apt / dpkg pentru a permite descărcarea fișierelor deb din acea stare

RU: Снимок состояния apt/dpkg, позволяющий загружать файлы deb из этого состояния.

VI: Ảnh chụp trạng thái apt/dpkg để cho phép tải xuống các tệp gỡ lỗi từ trạng thái đó

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