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NAME

       apt-zip-list, apt-zip-inst - Use apt with removable media

SYNOPSIS

       apt-zip-list  [  --help  ]  [  --version  ]  [  --medium=mountpoint ] [
       --aptgetaction=action ] [ --packages=package[,package...]  ]  [  --fix-
       broken  ] [ --skip-mount ] [ --method=method ] [ --options=opt[,opt...]
       ] [ --accept=accept[,accept...] | --reject=reject[,reject...] ]

       apt-zip-inst [ --help  ]  [  --version  ]  [  --medium=mountpoint  ]  [
       --aptgetaction=action  ]  [  --packages=package[,package...] ] [ --fix-
       broken ] [ --skip-mount ]

DESCRIPTION

       This manpage should be up-to-date with version 0.17 of the programs.

       The apt-zip-list and apt-zip-inst commands simplify the upgrade process
       of a non-networked Debian host using apt(8), by using (preferably high-
       capacity) removable media, like a ZIP drive.

       apt-zip-list produces two files. One is a script that can  be  used  on
       another  host  (maybe  not  running  a Debian system) to fetch packages
       previously selected in dselect(8) or indicated in the command line, the
       other  apt-zip.options  saves  the  options  used  by  apt-zip-list  to
       indicate to apt-zip-inst what action to perform and/or  which  packages
       to install.  Various types of scripts can be generated, by specifying a
       fetch method supported by the host that will fetch  the  packages.   If
       you  prefer,  the  script may generate a tarball containing the fetched
       packages.  Note that apt-zip-list can be called as a non-root user.

       The name of the script (as well as the name of the tarfile  when  using
       the  tar  option)  contains  the  name of the Debian host for which the
       packages are to be fetched.  Thus  you  can,  using  the  same  medium,
       upgrade  several hosts at the same time, provided you have enough space
       on this disk.  This should work with or without the tar option.

       The script is written to the removable  medium,  which  is  mounted  if
       necessary,  and  then  restored  to  the  original unmounted state when
       applicable.  It is the responsibility of  the  user  then  to  run  the
       script on a host that will fetch the packages, and to have them (or the
       generated archive) copied to the removable medium.

       When back on your Debian host, you just run  apt-zip-inst,  which  will
       take  care of the script-produced files, and call apt(8) to install the
       packages on your disk.

OPTIONS

   COMMON OPTIONS
       --help, -h
              Show summary of options.

       --version, -V
              Show version of program.

       --medium, -m
              Select a removable medium other than the site default.  See also
              --skip-mount.

       --aptgetaction, -a
              Select the action done by apt-get. Possible actions are dselect-
              upgrade,upgrade and dist-upgrade.

              If --packages is not set the  default  is  dselect-upgrade  (See
              also apt-zip.conf), if it is set none is selected.

       --packages, -p
              Comma-separated list of extra packages to install.

       --fix-broken, -f
              Run  apt-get  with  the --fix-broken option.  See apt-get(8) for
              more details.

       --skip-mount, -s
              Allow specifying a  non-mountpoint  directory  to  the  --medium
              option.   This  may  help on laptops only getting point-to-point
              networking without being routed to.  This is also  useful  while
              testing  the program, as it allows sending the script into /tmp.

       --use-sleep=SEC, -S
              Introduces waiting times between downloaded files.   Allows  the
              genearation   of  a  fetch  script  that  will  wait  some  time
              (configurable).  The  number  parameter  represents  the   delay
              between  consecutive  dowloads.   Note that this option is safe:
              even if the connected machine does not have a wait command,  the
              script will not fail.

       --no-checksum, --no-md5, -5
              This  option  will  command  to  apt-zip-list to create a script
              which does not make any sha256sum checks.   Note  that  if  this
              option  is  not  given  at script generation time, the sha256sum
              command will be called only after  it  has  been  found  in  the
              system.  (--no-md5  is  maintained for script compatibility, but
              there is only sha256)

   OPTIONS FOR APT-ZIP-LIST
       --method, -M
              Select a method other than the default one. The wget  and  wget-
              dos methods are currently supported.

       --options, -o
              Specifies  a  set  of  options  to  be used while generating the
              script.  A warning is issued only if an option is unkown to apt-
              zip-list,  but  all  known  options  may not be supported by all
              methods.  Options may be given a value,  with  the  option=value
              syntax.

              Currently available options include:

              tar[=gnutarprogram]
                     causes  the dowloaded files to be grouped into a tarball.
                     The name of a tar program on the download machine can  be
                     specified, if different from tar.  Example: tar=gtar.

                     When  used  in conjunction with the restart option, a GNU
                     tar  must  be  specified,  so  that  2  tarballs  man  be
                     concatenated  -  this  is  only  needed  on  the  3rd and
                     subsequent runs of the fetch script.

              restart
                     causes the downloaded files to be grouped into a tarball.

       --accept , -A / --reject , -R
              Comma-separated   list   of   accepted/rejected   protocols  for
              download. By default are only accepted http and ftp.

CONFIG FILE

       The /etc/apt/apt-zip.conf file can be used  to  set  defaults:  method,
       removable   medium,   options,  apt-get  action  and  accepted/rejected
       protocols.  It is a self-explainatory bourne-shell script snippet.   It
       allows to provide site defaults for command-line options.

METHOD API

       A  method  is handled by an executable object (usually a script) placed
       in the /usr/share/apt-zip/methods/ directory.  This executable  is  fed
       on standard input with the output of apt-get --print-uris.

       It is communicated the state of requested options using for each option
       an environment variables named OPTION_OPTNAME,  where  OPTNAME  is  the
       uppercased name of an option.

       Additional  environment  variables are also set, such as APTZIPVERSION,
       APTZIPTARFILE, APTZIPINSFILE, and OPTIONS.

LIMITATIONS

       · Only one disk can be used.  If your packages do not fit on  one,  you
         have to deselect some packages using dselect(8) or you have to select
         a suitable list of package.

       · The  files  on  an  Internet  distribution  site  can  change  rather
         frequently.   It  is  up  to  the  user to make sure the site was not
         updated between the build of the fetch script by apt-zip-list and the
         fetch  itself,  otherwise  some required files may not be possible to
         fetch.

FILES

       /etc/apt/apt-zip.conf

       /usr/share/apt-zip/methods/

BUGS

       · The restart feature is really slow.  The tar command  on  Solaris(tm)
         has  an option to seek in the file instead of assuming a non-seekable
         device, which greatly improves performance.  GNU tar does not seem to
         be able to do that.

       · Virtually   no  error-checking  is  done.   Examples  of  such  error
         conditions include: - out-of-diskspace on both the  removable  medium
         and in apt archive cache when using tar option.

       · Somewhat  consequently,  error-recovery also nears non-existence.  As
         examples, an interrupted fetch in tar mode has to be  restarted  from
         zero;  changes  in  status file between runs of apt-zip-list and apt-
         zip-inst are not detected and may lead to failure.

AUTHOR

       The programs were written by  YannDirson  <dirson@debian.org>.  It  was
       maintained  previously  by  SantiBejar <tiarda@yahoo.es>, and currently
       maintained  by  GiacomoCatenazzi  <cate@debian.org>   for  the   Debian
       GNU/Linux system.

       The  source  for  this  reference  page  is  an SGML file, which can be
       converted to UNIX manpages using docbook2man(1)

SEE ALSO

       apt(8), apt-get(8), dselect(8).