Re: Using Debian Package Manager

[Keith Christian <keithchristian@yahoo.com>]

russ421@aol.com wrote:
> I just installed Debian.  I'm wondering about the Synaptic Package Manager.  As I've never 
used a GUI for Linux before, I will need to get used to how things work.

[stuff deleted]

> So basically I'm curious about that package manager.  Once installed, are icons created 
anywhere to run them easily?

Someone else can chime in with how to find the xmbmon app in the menu structure.

Here are a couple of ways to get an overview of what a package installed.

1. Open a command window ( From the Gnome menu bar, click Applications / Accessories / Terminal)

2. At the terminal prompt, type

    dpkg -L xmbmon

3. In the output list, you'll see /usr/bin/xmbmon, so that's where the program itself is. You'll 
see other references to "/usr/share/doc/xmbmon" and "/usr/share/man/man1" which mean there is 
documentation in those two directories.

4. To see the documentation, type "zless /usr/share/doc/xmbmon/ReadMe.gz" or, type "man xmbmon" 
to see the man page.

5. "dpkg" above is the debian package manager, a command line utility.  Here is a page showing 
how to find out about Debian packages, worth the read:

    http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/quick-reference/ch-package.en.html

Hope this helps.

========Keith