Synaptic
Brief Guide to Working with Synaptic
Synaptic is a graphical interface for the APT package management program. With Synaptic, you can manage package sources (repositories), get information about available packages, install/remove/update packages, and perform keyword searches among available packages.
Running
You can run Synaptic:
- from menu of you desktop environment:
- Mate: MATE menu ▷ Applications ▷ Preferences ▷ Synaptic Package Manager;
- KDE: Applicaton Menu ▷ Settings ▷ Synaptic (Package Manager);
- Xfce: Applications ▷ Settings ▷ Package Manager;
- from terminal:
$ synaptic
Before starting, the program will ask you to enter the superuser password:
Immediately after starting, the program window looks like this:
On the right side of the program, there is a list of programs with their current status indicated. When you select a package from the list, information and a description about it are displayed at the bottom.
Package source settings
If you have not yet configured package sources (repositories), select the menu option Settings ▷ Repositories. A window will appear with a list of package sources for your distribution:
For each available repository, several mirrors are specified (e.g., ftp.altlinux.org and mirror.yandex.ru), and three access methods: ftp, http, rsync. Choose the most convenient method for you, such as one that your provider has not blocked, and the fastest server.
The presence of the x86_64-i586 repository is necessary to support 32-bit applications in a 64-bit system. If such support is not required, the repository is also not needed.
A source with the noarch type provides packages identical for both x86 platforms (not used in the case of arm and armh types). Typically, these are data, non-binary libraries for Perl, Python, etc.
Note that the list of repositories may also include the CD/DVD from which you installed the system:
If you plan to install programs from the internet, you can disable the repository with the disc.
You can add any repositories to the suggested list by clicking the "Create" button and entering the necessary information:
After editing the list of sources, the program will notify you that "Repositories changed":
Update the repository information by clicking the "Reload" button on the toolbar.
Upgrade of installed packages
By default, Synaptic uses smart upgrade (the action of smart upgrade is similar to the command apt-get dist-upgrade). To change the system update method, open the "Preferences" dialog (Settings ▷ Preferences) and on the "General" tab, select the desired method from the "System upgrade" list.
To update packages, follow these steps:
- Press the "Reload" button (<Ctrl>+<R>) to download the list of the latest software versions.
- Press the "Mark All Upgrades" button (<Ctrl>+<G>) to let Synaptic mark all packages for upgrade. The program may display a window with a list of the changes to be made:
It is advisable to review the list of packages to be removed. If it includes any important system packages (e.g., glibc*, apt*, rpm*, etc.), it is better to consult mailing lists, forums, or technical support before proceeding with the upgrade.
If you agree with the proposed changes, click the "Apply" button. The package tree display will look something like this:
Note how the icons next to the package names have changed. Explanations for the icons can be found in the Help ▷ Icon Legend menu: