Re: [OT] apt's package list (Was Re: Where to place firewall files?)
Michael J. Micek wrote:
> > No, this script only works with iptables! I think the ipchains-deb includes a script with the same funtionality, but I am not sure!
>
> Sorry to prolong an essentially pointless discussion, but
>
> a) no, there's no init script in woody's ipchains
> package
Hmm, I could have sworn there used to be, but I don't see it in woody's
ipchains or netbase. Maybe it used to be in potato, dunno.
> b) the firewall in question hasn't had netbase
> upgraded, so the ipchains package per se isn't
> installed yet
>
> c) although apt-get knows how to upgrade netbase (it
> would install ipchains in the process), "dpkg -l
> ipchains" or (my usual method) searching for
> "^Package: ipchains" in /var/lib/dpkg/available
> doesn't turn it up.
>
> How does apt know about ipchains when it's not listed in
> /var/lib/dpkg/available? This kind of thing (apt being able
> to install packages I couldn't see available) has been
> bugging me for a while...
Apt and dpkg keep different databases of the available packages. Apt's
are in /var/lib/apt/lists, while dpkg's are in /var/lib/dpkg/available.
Unlike dselect's update function, apt-get doesn't update dpkg's
`available' database when you do "apt-get update". You can do it
manually with dpkg's --*-avail commands if you like, or just use
dselect's update function, but I usually don't bother. You can read
about those commands in the dpkg manpage.
HTH,
Jason
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