Log of installed software? (not default, not libs)

[catweazel]

@BG405,

Your method will probably work, but is limited. It will NOT list packages installed by using software-manager, synaptic package manager and probably even gdebi, dpkg.

Where's your better script then?

[cecilieaux]

@BG405,

Your method will probably work, but is limited. It will NOT list packages installed by using software-manager, synaptic package manager and probably even gdebi, dpkg.

Robert

So the real deal would come if there were a way for software-manager, synaptic package manager, gdebi and dpkg to report what they install.

[karlchen]

Hi, cecilieaux.

Had Aptik not been mentioned in the course of this thread? Have you given Aptik a n extensive try perhaps in the meantime? If so what is your impression?
I failed to understand your reply on Aptik above, whether it was meant positive or negative.

Cheers,
Karl

[Termy]

However, packages that pulled in other items can look like this:

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Start-Date: 2017-08-10  16:35:07
Requested-By: username (1000)
Install: libgnomecanvas2-common:amd64 (2.30.3-2, automatic), libgnome2-bin:amd64 (2.32.1-5ubuntu1, automatic), libgnomeui-0:amd64 (2.24.5-3.1, automatic), grhino-data:amd64 (0.16.1-3, automatic), grhino:amd64 (0.16.1-3), libbonobo2-common:amd64 (2.32.1-3, automatic), libbonoboui2-common:amd64 (2.24.5-3ubuntu1, automatic), libgnomeui-common:amd64 (2.24.5-3.1, automatic), libgnome2-0:amd64 (2.32.1-5ubuntu1, automatic), libgnome-2-0:amd64 (2.32.1-5ubuntu1, automatic), libbonoboui2-0:amd64 (2.24.5-3ubuntu1, automatic), libgnomecanvas2-0:amd64 (2.30.3-2, automatic), libbonobo2-0:amd64 (2.32.1-3, automatic), libgnome2-common:amd64 (2.32.1-5ubuntu1, automatic)
End-Date: 2017-08-10  16:35:21

Here, I believe would be impossible without already knowing the name of everything installable.

Also, I have no idea if/when these logs get rotated out of existance.

At the very least, the logs can be sifted with the users own eyes to build a list on their own.

This is where one of my shell programs may be useful: https://github.com/terminalforlife/apt-undo-install

With that installed, you can run, for example:

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apt-undo-install --output-only:list --date=2017-09-26 --time=17:59:04

...to show a list of packages which were installed (by the date and time, as per what you see in apt-undo-install --view). It wasn't the sole purpose of apt-undo-install, but it's a handy bonus feature. See apt-undo-install --help for more info.

[ColdBootII]

This command does it although there may be a number of lib* files included, also kernels, but these are easy enough to filter out if you want.

comm -23 <(apt-mark showmanual | sort -u) <(gzip -dc /var/log/installer/initial-status.gz | sed -n 's/^Package: //p' | sort -u)

Edit: sans dates though. I don't need them as I can find that info easily in Synaptic's history.

[Termy]

This command does it although there may be a number of lib* files included, also kernels, but these are easy enough to filter out if you want.

comm -23 <(apt-mark showmanual | sort -u) <(gzip -dc /var/log/installer/initial-status.gz | sed -n 's/^Package: //p' | sort -u)

Edit: sans dates though. I don't need them as I can find that info easily in Synaptic's history.

Interesting command. I'm yet to come across comm. I tested it with comm -23 <(apt-mark showmanual) but got a syntax error, likely because you forgot the $, for command substitution; I thought it might've been some special array syntax. lol Still, apt-mark showmanual on its own is awesome, and I'm annoyed I didn't know about it. xD Always meant to look into apt-mark, but never realised how useful it is!

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apt-mark showmanual | grep -v "^\(lib.*\|linux-.*\)"

This worked nicely for me. Definitely gonna add this to my notes.

[BG405]

@BG405,

Your method will probably work, but is limited. It will NOT list packages installed by using software-manager, synaptic package manager and probably even gdebi, dpkg.

Where's your better script then?

Yes, indeed, as you probably also noticed I did state "installed via the Terminal" in my post. Actually I would like to write such a script if the other respondent doesn't get there first he evidently missed that bit.

[TI58C]

Catweazel wrote:
Where's your better script then?

And then:

BG405 wrote:
Yes, indeed, as you probably also noticed I did state "installed via the Terminal" in my post. Actually I would like to write such a script if the other respondent doesn't get there first he evidently missed that bit.

No, I did NOT miss that bit, just wanted to highlight it because most newbies (myself included) do not install by command line, but by means of software / package manager. And because topic-starter asked for a list of installs that :

1) ARE NOT

-- installed by default by Linux Mint
-- libraries or helper programs

2) WERE INSTALLED BY ME, through

-- Software Manger
-- Synaptic
-- apt at command line (with PPA)
-- the odd direct download of a *.deb or *.gz (yes, yes, it's bad, bad, bad, 20 lashes with a wet noodle)

As to script: at the moment I'm trying to get the info I want (and cecillieaux wants) by means of the oneliner I suggested Wed Aug 30, 2017 2:01 am. Which by the way, does show installs by apt, dpkg, synaptic, software-manager.

The standard mint-install can easily be filtered out. Have put the rest of that list in pivot-table LO calc. This gives list of installed packages per day/date. MOST of the times, a package I installed is the first one on that day, followed by evt. dependencies, but not ALWAYS. My 17.3 system has install dates ranging from 2015-11-29 up to today. So that is a nice sample.

Writing a script to answer cecillieaux 's quiestion is not trivial. At least not to me.

Maybe one of you would be so kind as to comment on the viability of my idea Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:24 pm ?

But, just an idea (maybe nothing but "wildly blue" nonsense). Wouldn't it be possible to
1. Install same linux version that makes up your main system on live USB
2. update that USB, then run one-liner I suggested Tue Aug 29, 2017 8:01 pm, using > livelist.txt
3. use the same oneliner on your main system > mainlist.txt

Then you have two lists, one from "pure" updated USB system, and one from main system, that includes packages you installed (though not if compiled or installed by non package management method) .

Subtract all lines [edit] containing packages that are in livelist (just names, 1st column because install dates will differ) from mainlist and you have a much reduced data-set to work with. You could do this with relational database prog, using awk, or maybe even using something like vlookup in libreoffice calc.[edit] It will still list every lib/downloaded dependency of every program (or package group) you installed, but it might help.

It's easy to write sarcastic comments. At least I've tried to be creative and came up with possible ways to tackle this problem.
No, it's not a script (yet). Maybe it never will be. Do not know if i can. But if you "guru's" think it's simple, I'm very curious to see what you come up with.

[Added later]
ColdbootII 's method looks very nice and concise. The list it produces looks to be the answer ? Hope this is the solution.
Take my hat off for you ColdbootII.

Contains commands I've never used before, so am now working to understand exactly what it does.


Robert

PS: interesting material :
https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... pendencies
https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... d-packages
And let's not forget
https://askubuntu.com/questions/2389/ge ... 343#492343
Credit where credit is due.

[BG405]

My comment wasn't intended to be sarcastic, so apologies may be due. There's some very interesting reading in this thread and I actually would like to write a script to do what the OP wants, and also what I would like to achieve, unfortunately I don't yet have the skills to do that. Maybe soon

[ColdBootII]

The list it produces looks to be the answer ? Hope this is the solution.

Well, it is a solution in the sense that sometimes it can be a useful reference.

It shows everything you yourself have installed in every way that involved apt. As I've already noted, you can add a pipe at the end of it and do, for instance grep -Ev (^lib|^linux-) to exclude most dependency libraries and manually added kernels from the output and then it is as close to being a precise listing of manually installed apps as it can be.

[TI58C]

@BG405, Catweazel,

Yes, I did feel a bit hurt. Maybe I overreacted. Please accept my apologies for that also.
Agree: this thread has already taught me quite a bit. And I do have a stake in it: want to try an 18.2 or 3? install.
ColdbootII 's answer produces a list that is short enough to clean /filter manually. Next step will be to try aptik.

No need to invent the wheel as an amateur when there are cars built by engineers.

Robert

[ColdBootII]

Next step will be to try aptik.

No need to invent the wheel as an amateur when there are cars built by engineers.

Robert

When you do and try sudo aptik --list-manual or --list-extra, you will notice that it is a more or less the same amount of filter work ahead of you...

[TI58C]

@coldbootII

Well, as Aptik and previous one-liner probably draw on the same sources, it does not surprise me.

Grepping results is elementary. But still...manual not only lists truly manually installed packages, but also some stuff system thinks is important. Like libs, like kernels, like python*, like X-programs etc.
Still, previous one-liner gave 2228 records/lines. This one only 73... Filtering manually in such a small sample is faster / more reliable than grep/sed/tr statements. Leaves me with a list of just 53 packages I need to reinstall when doing clean-install of 18+ version.
That's peanuts, maybe an hour (or two) of my time.

Yes , the list omits the programs xflux and wmctrl. But these are linux-binaries I copied into path. I know, it's a sin.

Robert

[TI58C]

Hi Cecillieaux,

Did you try coldbootII 's solution ?
As far as I can tell, this will (almost) solve your question.
Will list every package you installed by apt/dpkg/gdebi/software manager/package manager. Only stuff you compiled will be left out.
The list does have some "scruff" in it, that is: packages that the system marks as being manually installed but in reality are installed automatically. But it's easy and not too much effort to filter these. And Aptik seems to have the same limitations.

Thank you for bringing up this question.

Robert

[cecilieaux]

Is there, somewhere in the bowels of Linux Mint a log that lists software installed and when it was installed?

(Yes, this is a n00b question. I searched and could not find the answer.)

Cecilieaux

SOLUTION: Although there isn't anything all that simple, the app Aptik let's you back up "downloaded programs." That's what I'm going with.

[phd21]

Hi Everyone,

While reviewing my bookmarks, I came across this article.

How To List All Installed Packages In Linux, Oct. 31, 2017
https://www.2daygeek.com/list-installed ... ch-linux/#

Note: Some applications listed are installed by a default operating system and or desktop (Cinnamon, Mate, KDE, or Xfce), like Linux Mint. And, because there are various installation methods, like "AppImage", ".run", ".sh" (scripts), Java (.jar) apps, snap packages, flatpaks, etc... Not sure if applications installed using some of these will show up. For example, I have "Avidemux" installed as an AppImage, StreamRipStar and Freac (Java apps), but these do not show up in these commands. I always put self-contained application packages (AppImages and Java "jar" apps) into a special folder underneath my Home folder called "Apps-Misc" that I can list (view) and backup.

Here are various console terminal commands. Tip: you can add something like
">Installed_Software_11-07-2017.txt" without the quotes to the end of these commands to create a text file list.

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dpkg-query -l  >Installed_Software_11-07-2017.txt

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apt list --installed

or

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dpkg -l

or

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dpkg-query -l

or

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dpkg --get-selections | grep -v deinstall

or

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apt-cache pkgnames

Hope this helps ...

[aes2011]

..., the last answer on this page https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... ation-date, works well (do read disclaimer there):...

Great thread and thanks for the link. An easy way to reference a specific answer in Stack Exchange sites is to use the "share" link for the answer because, depending on whether an answer is upvoted or downvoted or accepted, its position relative to other answers may change over time.

So, for the answer you linked to, the "permalink" would be https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/349719.

[aes2011]

... As I've already noted, you can add a pipe at the end of it and do, for instance grep -Ev (^lib|^linux-) to exclude most dependency libraries and manually added kernels from the output and then it is as close to being a precise listing of manually installed apps as it can be.

The code will exclude libreoffice so maybe some manual intervention is required?

[Termy]

You might find this useful:

https://github.com/terminalforlife/lspkg

No timestamps though, sadly. It also won't pick up stuff you've compiled or installed with a different package manager, like pip.

[cecilieaux]

I found a way to get a list of command line installs

Code: Select all

history | grep apt > installsCLI.txt

installsCLI.txt is my name for the file

You can get rid of the command count in a spreadsheet (there is a more techie way using awk and sed but I could not work out the command parameters).