Chapter 9. PackageKit CLI
This manual has deepened in the YUM system as a native tool for software management in the command line, but it is interesting to note that PackageKit CLI suite offers the promise of universal commands at command line across multiple Linux distributions. PackageKit CLI has relatively little documentation and it is not the main focus of PackageKit and project development, so we will give an overview of their current capabilities.
pkcon is the PackageKit's command line interface or software management CLI.
In general, actions that require privileges will require you to provide the root password at the graphical environment, something not so orthodox as we are using a CLI tool. You can also use sudo on the command line to run pkcon to gain the privileges or simply run the command directly as root with the help of su or after a root shell login via a virtual console or other remote console mechanism.
Because there is no further documentation, the most of the text below are examples of use for common operations. Also note that some subcommands simply do not work.
Online Help
Usage:
pkcon [OPTION...] PackageKit Console Program
PackageKit Console Interface
Subcommands:
get-actions
get-groups
get-filters
get-transactions
get-time
search [name|details|group|file] [data]
install [packages]
install-local [files]
download [directory] [packages]
install-sig [type] [key_id] [package_id]
remove [package]
update <package>
refresh [--force]
resolve [package]
get-updates
get-depends [package]
get-requires [package]
get-details [package]
get-distro-upgrades
get-files [package]
get-update-detail [package]
get-packages
repo-list
repo-enable [repo_id]
repo-disable [repo_id]
repo-set-data [repo_id] [parameter] [value];
what-provides [search]
get-categories
Help Options:
-h, --help Show help options
--help-all Show all help options
--help-debug Show debugging options
Application Options:
--version Show the program version and exit
--filter Set the filter, e.g. installed
--root Set the install root, e.g. '/' or '/mnt/ltsp'
-n, --nowait Exit without waiting for actions to complete
-y, --noninteractive Install the packages without asking for confirmation
--background Run the command using idle network bandwidth and also using less power
-p, --plain Print to screen a machine readable output, rather than using animated widgets
-v, --verbose Show debugging information for all files
Search by Name
Search by pattern matching in the package name.
search [name|details|group|file] [data]
$ pkcon search name octa
Transaction:\tSearching by name
Status: \tStarting
Status: \tQuerying
Package:\tGMT-octave-4.5.3-3.fc14.x86_64
Package:\toctave-6:3.2.4-3.fc14.i686
Package:\toctave-6:3.2.4-3.fc14.x86_64
...
Package:\tpfstools-octave-1.8.1-1.fc14.2.x86_64
Package:\tplplot-octave-5.9.6-5.fc14.x86_64
Package:\tqtoctave-0.9.1-2.fc14.x86_64
...
Available pfstools-octave-1.8.1-1.fc14.2.x86_64
Available plplot-octave-5.9.6-5.fc14.x86_64
Available qtoctave-0.9.1-2.fc14.x86_64
9.1.3. Install, update and remove packages
Install packages from the repositories
$ su -c "pkcon install qtoctave"
Password:
Transaction:\tInstalling
Status: \tWaiting for authentication
Percentage:\t0
Status: \tRunning
Status: \tResolving dependencies
Percentage:\t10
Status: \tDownloading packages
Percentage:\t40
Status: \tChecking signatures
Status: \tTesting changes
Package:\tsuitesparse-3.4.0-2.fc12.x86_64
Status: \tInstalling packages
Percentage:\t70
Package:\toctave-6:3.2.4-3.fc14.x86_64
Percentage:\t80
Package:\tqtoctave-0.9.1-2.fc14.x86_64
Percentage:\t100
Status: \tScanning applications
Status: \tGetting information
Results:
Installed octave-6:3.2.4-3.fc14.x86_64
Installed qtoctave-0.9.1-2.fc14.x86_64
Installed suitesparse-3.4.0-2.fc12.x86_64
Install packages from rpm files
$ su -c "pkcon install-local /home/makerpm/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/fox-1.6.38-1.fc13.x86_64.rpm"
Password:
Transaction:\tInstalling files
Status: \tWaiting for authentication
Status: \tStarting
Percentage:\t0
Status: \tRunning
Transaction:\tInstalling files
Status: \tWaiting for authentication
Percentage:\t0
Status: \tRunning
Status: \tResolving dependencies
Status: \tTesting changes
Package:\tfox-1.6.38-1.fc13.x86_64
Status: \tInstalling packages
Percentage:\t100
Results:
Installed fox-1.6.38-1.fc13.x86_64
Update packages
$ su -c "pkcon update binutils"
Password:
Transaction:\tUpdating packages
Status: \tWaiting for authentication
Status: \tChecking applications in use
Percentage:\t0
Status: \tRunning
Status: \tResolving dependencies
Percentage:\t10
Status: \tDownloading packages
Status: \tTesting changes
Package:\tbinutils-2.20.51.0.7-6.fc14.x86_64
Status: \tInstalling updates
Percentage:\t60
Percentage:\t70
Package:\tbinutils
Status: \tCleaning up packages
Status: \tChecking applications in use
Status: \tGetting information
Results:
Updated binutils-2.20.51.0.7-6.fc14.x86_64
Remove packages
$ su -c "pkcon remove suitesparse"
Password:
Transaction:\tRemoving
Status: \tWaiting for authentication
Status: \tStarting
Percentage:\t0
Status: \tRunning
Status: \tResolving dependencies
Status: \tTesting changes
Package:\tqtoctave
Percentage:\t70
Status: \tRemoving packages
Package:\toctave
Package:\tsuitesparse
Percentage:\t100
Results:
Removed octave
Removed qtoctave
Removed suitesparse
Listing all packages
$ pkcon get-packages
Transaction: Getting packages
Status: Starting
Status: Querying
Package: libconfig-1.4.5-1.fc14.x86_64
Package: clucene-core-0.9.21b-2.fc14.x86_64
Package: ncurses-5.7-8.20100703.fc14.x86_64
Package: fontconfig-2.8.0-2.fc14.x86_64
Package: telepathy-filesystem-0.0.2-1.fc12.noarch
Package: python-libs-2.7-8.fc14.1.x86_64
...
Available Frodo-gui-4.1b-6.fc11.x86_64
Installed GConf2-2.31.91-1.fc14.x86_64
Installed GConf2-2.31.91-1.fc14.i686
Available GConf2-devel-2.31.91-1.fc14.x86_64
Available GConf2-devel-2.31.91-1.fc14.i686
Installed GConf2-gtk-2.31.91-1.fc14.x86_64
Available GLC_Player-2.0.0-2.fc12.x86_64
...
Installed zziplib-0.13.49-8.fc12.x86_64
Available zziplib-0.13.49-8.fc12.i686
Available zziplib-devel-0.13.49-8.fc12.i686
Available zziplib-devel-0.13.49-8.fc12.x86_64
Available zziplib-utils-0.13.49-8.fc12.x86_64
Available zzuf-0.13-1.fc13.x86_64
Package Details
$ pkcon get-details fwsnort
Transaction:\tGetting details
Status: \tStarting
Status: \tGetting information
Results:
Package description
package: fwsnort-1.0.6-8.fc14.noarch
license: GPLv2+
group: other
description: fwsnort translates Snort rules into equivalent iptables rules and generates
a Bourne shell script that implements the resulting iptables commands.
In addition, fwsnort (optionally) uses the IPTables::Parse module to parse the
iptables ruleset on the machine to determine which Snort rules are applicable
to the specific iptables policy.
fwsnort is able to translate approximately 60% of all rules from the
Snort-2.3.3 IDS into equivalent iptables rules.
size: 5246625 bytes
url: http://www.cipherdyne.org/fwsnort/
Update details of a package
It is not necessary to have the package previously installed to see this information.
$ pkcon get-update-detail fwsnort
Transaction:\tGetting update details
Status: \tStarting
Status: \tGetting information
Results:
Details about the update:
Package: fwsnort-1.0.6-8.fc14.noarch
Updates: fwsnort;1.0.6-8.fc14;noarch;installed
Obsoletes:
Vendor: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/updates/F14/FEDORA-2010-16198;Fedora 14 Update FEDORA-2010-16198
Bugzilla:
CVE:
Update text: Minor spec adjust for improved perl packaging guidelines compliance.
Changes:
State: stable
Issued: 2010-10-13T06:08:15
Updated:
$ su -c "pkcon update"
Password:
Transaction: Updating system
Status: Starting
Status: Downloading repository information
Status: Downloading list of packages
Percentage: 0
Status: Running
Status: Resolving dependencies
Percentage: 10
Status: Downloading packages
Percentage: 40
...
Package: ncurses-libs-5.7-9.20100703.fc14.i686
Package: selinux-policy-targeted-3.9.7-18.fc14.noarch
Package: git-gui-1.7.3.4-1.fc14.noarch
Package: cronie
Status: Cleaning up packages
Package: cronie-anacron
Package: ncurses
Package: ncurses-libs
Package: ImageMagick-perl
Package: ImageMagick-c++
Package: ncurses-libs
Percentage: 80
...\
Updated cronie-anacron-1.4.5-4.fc14.x86_64
Cleaned up cronie-anacron
Updated git-1.7.3.4-1.fc14.x86_64
Cleaned up git
Updated git-gui-1.7.3.4-1.fc14.noarch
Cleaned up git-gui
Updated gitk-1.7.3.4-1.fc14.noarch
Cleaned up gitk
...\
Updated perl-Git-1.7.3.4-1.fc14.noarch
Cleaned up perl-Git
Updated selinux-policy-3.9.7-18.fc14.noarch
Cleaned up selinux-policy
Updated selinux-policy-targeted-3.9.7-18.fc14.noarch
Cleaned up selinux-policy-targeted
Session restart required: cronie-1.4.5-4.fc14.x86_64
Please logout and login to complete the update.
$ pkcon get-updates
Transaction:\tGetting updates
Package:\tbinutils-2.20.51.0.7-6.fc14.x86_64
Package:\ttelepathy-logger-0.1.7-1.fc14.x86_64
Package:\tmdadm-3.1.3-0.git20100804.2.fc14.x86_64
Package:\tlibicu-4.4.1-6.fc14.x86_64
Results:
Bug fix binutils-2.20.51.0.7-6.fc14.x86_64
Bug fix libicu-4.4.1-6.fc14.x86_64
Bug fix mdadm-3.1.3-0.git20100804.2.fc14.x86_64
Bug fix telepathy-logger-0.1.7-1.fc14.x86_64
Listing Groups
$ pkcon get-groups
admin-tools
desktop-gnome
desktop-kde
desktop-other
desktop-xfce
education
fonts
games
graphics
internet
legacy
localization
multimedia
office
other
programming
publishing
servers
system
virtualization
collections
newest
Listing Repositories
$ pkcon repo-list
Transaction:\tGetting repositories
Status: \tStarting
Results:
Disabled rpmfusion-nonfree-updates-testing RPM Fusion for Fedora 14 - Nonfree - Test Updates
Disabled _local Automatic local repo. (manged by the "local" yum plugin).
Disabled updates-debuginfo Fedora 14 - x86_64 - Updates - Debug
Disabled rawhide-source Fedora - Rawhide - Source
Disabled updates-testing Fedora 14 - x86_64 - Test Updates
Disabled updates-testing-source Fedora 14 - Test Updates Source
Enabled fedora Fedora 14 - x86_64
Disabled fedora-latam Fedora Latam 14 - x86_64
Enabled fedora-chromium Chromium web browser and deps
Disabled updates-source Fedora 14 - Updates Source
Disabled rawhide-debuginfo Fedora - Rawhide - Debug
Disabled fedora-debuginfo Fedora 14 - x86_64 - Debug
Disabled updates-testing-debuginfo Fedora 14 - x86_64 - Test Updates Debug
Disabled rawhide Fedora - Rawhide - Developmental packages for the next Fedora release
Disabled fedora-source Fedora 14 - Source
Disabled rpmfusion-free-updates-debuginfo RPM Fusion for Fedora 14 - Free - Updates Debug
Disabled rubyera Rubyera repo
Enabled updates Fedora 14 - x86_64 - Updates
Enable a Repository
$ pkcon repo-enable rubyera
Transaction:\tEnabling repository
Status: \tWaiting for authentication
Status: \tStarting
Status: \tGetting information
Results:
Disable a Repository
$ pkcon repo-disable rubyera
Transaction:\tEnabling repository
Status: \tWaiting for authentication
Status: \tStarting
Results:
9.1.9. Downloading Packages
You must specify a directory where to download, and the package name.
$ pkcon download . fwsnort
Transaction:\tDownloading packages
Status: \tStarting
Package:\tfwsnort-1.0.6-8.fc14.noarch
Percentage:\t0
Status: \tDownloading packages
Percentage:\t100
Status: \tCopying files
Percentage:\t70
Percentage:\t100
Results:
Downloaded fwsnort-1.0.6-8.fc14.noarch
$ ls
fwsnort-1.0.6-8.fc14.noarch.rpm
Listing available Filters
$ pkcon get-filters
\t
installed
devel
gui
free
basename
newest
arch
Using an example filter
Available updates for GUI graphical applications.
$ pkcon --filter=gui get-updates
Transaction:\tGetting updates
Bug fix\tgoffice-0.8.10-1.fc13.x86_64 \tGoffice support libraries
Listing Transactions
$ pkcon get-transactions
Transaction:\tGetting transactions
Results:
Transaction: /5107_dcbacbcc_data
System time: 2010-12-08T07:47:51.024966Z
Succeeded: True
Role: update-system
Duration: 53 (seconds)
Command line: pkcon
User ID: 0
Username: root
Real name: root
Affected packages:
- updating binutils-2.20.51.0.7-6.fc14.x86_64
- updating mdadm-3.1.3-0.git20100804.2.fc14.x86_64
- updating libicu-4.4.1-6.fc14.x86_64
- updating telepathy-logger-0.1.7-1.fc14.x86_64
- cleanup binutils
- cleanup mdadm
- cleanup libicu
- cleanup telepathy-logger
Transaction: /5092_bbcceeab_data
System time: 2010-12-08T07:10:02.594755Z
Succeeded: True
Role: remove-packages
Command line: pkcon
User ID: 0
Username: root
Real name: root
Affected packages:
- removing qtoctave
- removing octave
- removing suitesparse
Transaction: /5089_daabbacb_data
System time: 2010-12-08T07:05:05.794247Z
Succeeded: True
Role: update-packages
Duration: 192 (seconds)
Command line: pkcon
User ID: 0
Username: root
Real name: root
Affected packages:
- updating binutils-2.20.51.0.7-6.fc14.x86_64
- cleanup binutils
...
