[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Please clarify that apt-file can also search for parts of the full path of a file



Package: apt-file
Severity: minor

On Vi, 24 oct 14, 13:44:06, Malte Forkel wrote:
> Am 24.10.2014 um 13:08 schrieb Darac Marjal:
> > Actually, apt-file will search the whole path (try 'apt-file search
> > bin'). If you like, try the -x option to apt-file to specify a
> > perl-compatible regex.
> 
> You're right! Thanks for pointing that out. I was mislead by the man
> page auf apt-file 2.5.1 (in wheezy) which says
> 
> search Search in which package a file is included. A list of all  pack‐
>        ages containing the pattern pattern is returned.
> 
>        apt-file  will  only  search for filenames, not directory names.
>        This is due to the format of the Contents files it searches.
> 
> A misinterpretation on my behalf or a bug in the documentation?

If my understanding is correct: packages may also contain (empty) 
directories, but these will not be found by apt-file (because of the 
format of the Contents files[1]), but files are included with the full 
path so a search will match a directory in the path.

The manpage would probably do with a slight enhancement ;)
Something like below might do it:

    apt-file will only search for filenames, including any portion of 
    the full path, but not directory names. This is due to the format of 
    the Contents files it searches.
    

[1] excerpt from a Contents file:

    When a file is contained in more than one package, all packages are
    listed.  When a directory is contained in more than one package, only
    the first is listed.

Kind regards,
Andrei
-- 
http://wiki.debian.org/FAQsFromDebianUser
Offtopic discussions among Debian users and developers:
http://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/d-community-offtopic
http://nuvreauspam.ro/gpg-transition.txt

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: Digital signature


Reply to: