Save a copy of all debian packages in the form in which they are installed and configured on your system

for a in $(sudo dpkg --get-selections|cut -f1); do dpkg-repack $a|awk '{if (system("sleep .5 && exit 2") != 2) exit; print}';done
A copy of all installed debian packages on your system will be put back together, with all changes in configuration files you made and placed in the current directory. Make sure you have enough disk space (say 2-3 GB). Break any time with Ctrl+C.
Sample Output 
$ ls -1
accountsservice_0.6.45-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb
acl_2.2.52-3build1_amd64.deb
acpid_2.0.28-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb
acpi-support_0.142_amd64.deb
...
^C
(Ctrl+C)

6
By: knoppix5
2021-01-17 17:07:02
awk cut sudo
7
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What Others Think

I think you didn't test the command cuz it's fatally broken (my machine's an Ubuntu 20.04 LTS): ------- for a in $(sudo dpkg --get-selections|cut -f1); do dpkg-deb $a;done [sudo] password for : dpkg-deb: error: need an action option Type dpkg-deb --help for help about manipulating *.deb files; Type dpkg --help for help about installing and deinstalling packages. dpkg-deb: error: need an action option ------- The last 3 lines are repeated for every item.
rautamiekka · 261 weeks and 2 days ago
^ (Oh yeah, I forgot commanlinefu.com doesn't support lines in comments ... Sorry about that)
rautamiekka · 261 weeks and 2 days ago
This relies on every package having a DEBIAN folder associated with it. i.e if you were building every package yourself first. It is fatally broken. even with the required -b switch it won't work
Myso · 261 weeks and 2 days ago
Sorry people, my fault: I wrote "dpkg-deb" instead "dpkg-repack" in the command. Corrected!
knoppix5 · 261 weeks and 2 days ago
Can I tell what packages are already installed on a Debian system? ... Note that this operation does not necessarily leave the package in a usable state;
Elizabeth76 · 255 weeks and 4 days ago
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graphicdesign11 · 254 weeks and 5 days ago
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Falk1993 · 251 weeks and 2 days ago

What do you think?

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