Apt-get would often require interaction, expect you to say “yes” or “no”. Not good for scripts. In most cases easy to avoid. Some more useful apt-get’s examples.

Software:

Ubuntu *

1

Non interactive install

Use apt-get –force-yes –yes.

For example get xulrunner-1.9, apt-get asks no questions:

> sudo apt-get --force-yes --yes install xulrunner-1.9

2

Find out exact package name

You are not sure, which is the name and version of the package you need.

Use apt-cache search.

Example:

> sudo apt-cache search dbus

 
Now, you can choose from all packages and version the one you need.

3

Uninstall package

apt-get remove removes the package itself:

> sudo apt-get remove xulrunner-1.9

 
apt-get remove will also remove the ‘unused dependencies’.
 
Warning: In my experience some of the dependencies that Unix sees as unused might be still needed.


Remark: Not in each distro, i.e. on Ubuntu, up Ubuntu Edgy Eft (6.10)

> apt-get autoremove xulrunner-1.9