APT TAGGER

Script to manage Debian repositories in an easy way

Introduction

I love Debian mainly for it's awesome package manager. This package manager is a fantastic tool but it lacks a way to tell the system "why you installed one or another package"

I'm used to install many packages for testing or for a project but when the time passes and you finished the project you have too many packages to remove (one by one)

To solve this I used to create my own meta-packages with the project's name so it's easy to know why you installed the packages.

Since this is a tedious task I implemente this script so now you can use this idea too.

Feel free to comment, suggest PR or whatever !

How to use

apt-tagger [options]

Options

• -i | --init = Initializes the environment asking some simple questions. If needed will be automatically called
• -s | --setup = Allows change the environment global variables
• -c | --clean = Remove all folders and configuration files generated by the init process
• --list = List the generated packages
• --edit package_name = Opens your favourite editor ($EDITOR) or vi to edit the DEBIAN's control file of the package (Only experts)
• -a | --add (List of packages) = Packages to ADD to your metapackage (-t)
• -d | --del (List of packages) = Packages to REMOVE from your metapackage (-t)
• -t | --tag TAGNAME = Sets e metapackage name (TAG)
• --about = About page
• --purge PACKAGE_NAME = Removes this package
• -h | --help = Shows How to use page

Examples

apt-tagger -a emacs vim -t testingeditors
apt-tagger -d vim -a nano -t testingeditors

Pending work

• Apt-tagger own package ;)
• Manual page -> With DOCBOOK5
• Help page - Using man page?
• Test if the package is already in or not
• Test if the tagname is a valid package into the repository - adding a prefix to them?
• GIT support for each created package -> So each change will generate a commit. Also integrate with github to allow shared metapackages
• On purge package, remove also the deb files
• Manage package versions