How do you re-create the status file dselect uses?

["Jon A. Bakken" <bakken@fnal.gov>]

I accidentally deleted the status file that dselect uses to determine what is
installed on my machine.  I managed to recover using one of the numerous
backups of the status file that dselect keeps when it updates software. By
issuing several dpkg commands, I think I got back a status file that correctly
reflects what is on my system.

My questions are: Is it possible to generate this status file from scratch
somehow?  Can this status file be checked to see if it really reflects what is
on the system?

I couldn't figure it out.  It looks like it should be possible - the software
is still there as well as numerous debian files in the dpkg info directory as
well as other places.  My accident could have well have deleted the status
file backups as well (they all start with status*) and then I would have been
stuck.

Thanks,
Jon Bakken

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Jon A. Bakken    bakken@fnal.gov   (630) 840-4790


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