apt-wrapper 1.19

A simpler interface to the Debian/Ubuntu APT command-line tools.

Note:

This still works but is deprecated in favor of the spam project, by the same developer.

A shorter, simpler, and slightly saner interactive interface to the Debian/Ubuntu APT command-line tools.

Note: This utility is not as useful as it once was because the apt command has already incorported its headline features. However, it is still more convenient in a number of ways, so read on if you’d like.

apt may be thought of as a traffic cop that directs commands to the appropriate tool, automatically elevating itself with sudo if need-be. It consolidates all commands from apt-get and apt-cache, and the most common from aptitude, dpkg, dpkg-query, add-apt-repository, and apt-key. It has a much narrower focus than “kitchen-sink” tools such as wajig.

Hopefully this micro-project will make your life a tiny bit easier.

Installation

sudo pip install apt-wrapper

or for a possibly more up-to-date version:

sudo pip install https://bitbucket.org/mixmastamyk/apt/get/default.tar.gz

Usage

Examples:

apt                         # List available commands.
apt add universe            # Invokes sudo automatically,
Password:                   # when necessary.

apt add ppa:who/foo
apt update
apt search foo
apt policy foo
apt install foo bar
apt purge foo
apt instdeb foo.deb
apt instdeb http://foo...   # new

apt who-owns `which tr`
coreutils: /usr/bin/tr

Shortened commands

apt can also handle shortened commands. Add letters until it can be uniquely identified:

apt cl

results in:

sudo apt-get clean

Aliases

There are a few aliases for common commands as well:

apt in foo          # install foo
apt rm bar          # remove
apt se baz          # apt-cache search
apt ls boo          # list installed packages, optionally
                    # with pkg name or glob\* argument syntax.
apt dir             # dir (e.g. NT or ls -l) installed packages.

License

Licensed under the GPL, version 3+.

Release Notes

• 1.19 - Update readme.

• 1.18 - Forced off bitbucket, move to github. Update metadata.

• 1.15 - fix: instdeb download issue under Python3.

• 1.12 - enh: Python 3 support, refactoring.

• 1.11 - enh: rmrepo command to remove ppa’s.

• 1.10 - enh: reorder messages, refactoring.

• 1.09 - enh: addrepo can now enable standard repos, print commands by default.

• 1.08 - enh: instdeb can now download and install from urls.

• 1.07 - Fix auto elevate for instdeb.

• 1.06 - Add ls and dir aliases and doc syntax.

• 1.05 - Doc improvements.

• 1.04 - Allow additional options to be passed thru w/o error.

• 1.03 - Update readme with release notes and document new aliases.

• 1.02 - Add who-owns alias for searchfiles.

• 1.01 - Add in alias for install.