dpkg-query placeholders “Filename”, “MD5sum” and “Size” are always empty

Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP

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down vote

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I'm currently trying to get some info about the installed pakages und systems that use dpkg. So I tried to use dpkg-query. Most placeholders work fine and I get what I need, however I noticed that the placeholders Filename, MD5sum and Size are always empty.

Simple command to see the issue:

dpkg-query -W -f '"location":"$Filename","md5":"$MD5sum","size":"$Size"\n'

This will result in loads of lines of just

"location":"","md5":"","size":""

package-management dpkg

share|improve this question

edited Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

asked Aug 22 at 12:52

BrainStone

1,10371940

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

I'm currently trying to get some info about the installed pakages und systems that use dpkg. So I tried to use dpkg-query. Most placeholders work fine and I get what I need, however I noticed that the placeholders Filename, MD5sum and Size are always empty.

Simple command to see the issue:

dpkg-query -W -f '"location":"$Filename","md5":"$MD5sum","size":"$Size"\n'

This will result in loads of lines of just

"location":"","md5":"","size":""

package-management dpkg

share|improve this question

edited Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

asked Aug 22 at 12:52

BrainStone

1,10371940

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

I'm currently trying to get some info about the installed pakages und systems that use dpkg. So I tried to use dpkg-query. Most placeholders work fine and I get what I need, however I noticed that the placeholders Filename, MD5sum and Size are always empty.

Simple command to see the issue:

dpkg-query -W -f '"location":"$Filename","md5":"$MD5sum","size":"$Size"\n'

This will result in loads of lines of just

"location":"","md5":"","size":""

package-management dpkg

share|improve this question

edited Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

asked Aug 22 at 12:52

BrainStone

1,10371940

I'm currently trying to get some info about the installed pakages und systems that use dpkg. So I tried to use dpkg-query. Most placeholders work fine and I get what I need, however I noticed that the placeholders Filename, MD5sum and Size are always empty.

Simple command to see the issue:

dpkg-query -W -f '"location":"$Filename","md5":"$MD5sum","size":"$Size"\n'

This will result in loads of lines of just

"location":"","md5":"","size":""

package-management dpkg

share|improve this question

edited Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

asked Aug 22 at 12:52

BrainStone

1,10371940

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

edited Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

edited Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

143k22312377

asked Aug 22 at 12:52

BrainStone

1,10371940

asked Aug 22 at 12:52

BrainStone

1,10371940

asked Aug 22 at 12:52

BrainStone

1,10371940

1,10371940

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

As mentioned in the manpage, these fields are “internal, front-end related”. In fact they’re only used in dselect.

This means you can’t rely on them in dpkg-query, by default. They correspond to values stored in the “available” database, /var/lib/dpkg/available; dpkg-query by default only considers /var/lib/dpkg/status nowadays. You can add the --load-avail option to merge the information from the “available” database, in theory — but that requires using dselect as your package installation tool, since /var/lib/dpkg/available is only kept up-to-date by dselect. If you use APT this won’t work, as described in the documentation for the -p command:

Users of APT-based frontends should use apt-cache show package-name instead as the available file is only kept up-to-date when using dselect.

It might help if I expand a bit on the meaning of the fields: Filename, MD5sum and Size (and MSDOS-Filename) all give information on the file containing a package (its filename, checksum and size). They aren’t germane to the packages themselves, so the status database doesn’t need them and doesn’t store them. A package, installed or otherwise, remains the same regardless of where its package file lives and what its characteristics are. That information is only useful for front-ends which retrieve packages and provide them to dpkg.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I saw these in the manpages, however could not find any reference as to what internal and front-end related mean. Also according to said mainpage they should be available.
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:02
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  That isn't really clear from the man page. The man states that (emphasis mine) "The following fields are recognized but they are not necessarily available in the status file (only internal fields or fields stored in the binary package end up in it)" which would suggest that, contrary to what your answer states, it's the internal fields that will be included.
  – terdon♦
  Aug 22 at 13:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @terdon right, I wrote my answer based on the source code, not the documentation ;-).
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @StephenKitt is there a format option for apt-cache show too? Else the manipulation of the texts is gonna be a nightmare...
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:25
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @BrainStone not with apt-cache, but the output follows RFC 822 and is designed to be parsed. If you want a controllable format using APT-based tools, look at aptitude search and its -F option.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:28
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

up vote
4
down vote

You can use grep-available tool instead (or more better grep-aptavail as mentioned @Stephen Kitt) :

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX <package_name>

Example:

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX dpkg

sample output:

Filename: pool/main/d/dpkg/dpkg_1.18.24_amd64.deb
MD5sum: 5553b3fac608f5c4f9fa3ddbff18c2c5
Size: 2106696

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:47

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Or better yet in most cases, grep-aptavail.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:37
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I think this is a great answer for the general public, but not for me, as I need a portable solution. (That's why I won't accept it)
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:42
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

As mentioned in the manpage, these fields are “internal, front-end related”. In fact they’re only used in dselect.

This means you can’t rely on them in dpkg-query, by default. They correspond to values stored in the “available” database, /var/lib/dpkg/available; dpkg-query by default only considers /var/lib/dpkg/status nowadays. You can add the --load-avail option to merge the information from the “available” database, in theory — but that requires using dselect as your package installation tool, since /var/lib/dpkg/available is only kept up-to-date by dselect. If you use APT this won’t work, as described in the documentation for the -p command:

Users of APT-based frontends should use apt-cache show package-name instead as the available file is only kept up-to-date when using dselect.

It might help if I expand a bit on the meaning of the fields: Filename, MD5sum and Size (and MSDOS-Filename) all give information on the file containing a package (its filename, checksum and size). They aren’t germane to the packages themselves, so the status database doesn’t need them and doesn’t store them. A package, installed or otherwise, remains the same regardless of where its package file lives and what its characteristics are. That information is only useful for front-ends which retrieve packages and provide them to dpkg.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I saw these in the manpages, however could not find any reference as to what internal and front-end related mean. Also according to said mainpage they should be available.
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:02
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  That isn't really clear from the man page. The man states that (emphasis mine) "The following fields are recognized but they are not necessarily available in the status file (only internal fields or fields stored in the binary package end up in it)" which would suggest that, contrary to what your answer states, it's the internal fields that will be included.
  – terdon♦
  Aug 22 at 13:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @terdon right, I wrote my answer based on the source code, not the documentation ;-).
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @StephenKitt is there a format option for apt-cache show too? Else the manipulation of the texts is gonna be a nightmare...
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:25
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @BrainStone not with apt-cache, but the output follows RFC 822 and is designed to be parsed. If you want a controllable format using APT-based tools, look at aptitude search and its -F option.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:28
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

As mentioned in the manpage, these fields are “internal, front-end related”. In fact they’re only used in dselect.

This means you can’t rely on them in dpkg-query, by default. They correspond to values stored in the “available” database, /var/lib/dpkg/available; dpkg-query by default only considers /var/lib/dpkg/status nowadays. You can add the --load-avail option to merge the information from the “available” database, in theory — but that requires using dselect as your package installation tool, since /var/lib/dpkg/available is only kept up-to-date by dselect. If you use APT this won’t work, as described in the documentation for the -p command:

Users of APT-based frontends should use apt-cache show package-name instead as the available file is only kept up-to-date when using dselect.

It might help if I expand a bit on the meaning of the fields: Filename, MD5sum and Size (and MSDOS-Filename) all give information on the file containing a package (its filename, checksum and size). They aren’t germane to the packages themselves, so the status database doesn’t need them and doesn’t store them. A package, installed or otherwise, remains the same regardless of where its package file lives and what its characteristics are. That information is only useful for front-ends which retrieve packages and provide them to dpkg.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I saw these in the manpages, however could not find any reference as to what internal and front-end related mean. Also according to said mainpage they should be available.
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:02
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  That isn't really clear from the man page. The man states that (emphasis mine) "The following fields are recognized but they are not necessarily available in the status file (only internal fields or fields stored in the binary package end up in it)" which would suggest that, contrary to what your answer states, it's the internal fields that will be included.
  – terdon♦
  Aug 22 at 13:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @terdon right, I wrote my answer based on the source code, not the documentation ;-).
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @StephenKitt is there a format option for apt-cache show too? Else the manipulation of the texts is gonna be a nightmare...
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:25
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @BrainStone not with apt-cache, but the output follows RFC 822 and is designed to be parsed. If you want a controllable format using APT-based tools, look at aptitude search and its -F option.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:28
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

up vote
4
down vote



accepted

As mentioned in the manpage, these fields are “internal, front-end related”. In fact they’re only used in dselect.

This means you can’t rely on them in dpkg-query, by default. They correspond to values stored in the “available” database, /var/lib/dpkg/available; dpkg-query by default only considers /var/lib/dpkg/status nowadays. You can add the --load-avail option to merge the information from the “available” database, in theory — but that requires using dselect as your package installation tool, since /var/lib/dpkg/available is only kept up-to-date by dselect. If you use APT this won’t work, as described in the documentation for the -p command:

Users of APT-based frontends should use apt-cache show package-name instead as the available file is only kept up-to-date when using dselect.

It might help if I expand a bit on the meaning of the fields: Filename, MD5sum and Size (and MSDOS-Filename) all give information on the file containing a package (its filename, checksum and size). They aren’t germane to the packages themselves, so the status database doesn’t need them and doesn’t store them. A package, installed or otherwise, remains the same regardless of where its package file lives and what its characteristics are. That information is only useful for front-ends which retrieve packages and provide them to dpkg.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

As mentioned in the manpage, these fields are “internal, front-end related”. In fact they’re only used in dselect.

This means you can’t rely on them in dpkg-query, by default. They correspond to values stored in the “available” database, /var/lib/dpkg/available; dpkg-query by default only considers /var/lib/dpkg/status nowadays. You can add the --load-avail option to merge the information from the “available” database, in theory — but that requires using dselect as your package installation tool, since /var/lib/dpkg/available is only kept up-to-date by dselect. If you use APT this won’t work, as described in the documentation for the -p command:

Users of APT-based frontends should use apt-cache show package-name instead as the available file is only kept up-to-date when using dselect.

It might help if I expand a bit on the meaning of the fields: Filename, MD5sum and Size (and MSDOS-Filename) all give information on the file containing a package (its filename, checksum and size). They aren’t germane to the packages themselves, so the status database doesn’t need them and doesn’t store them. A package, installed or otherwise, remains the same regardless of where its package file lives and what its characteristics are. That information is only useful for front-ends which retrieve packages and provide them to dpkg.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

edited Aug 22 at 13:25

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

answered Aug 22 at 13:00

Stephen Kitt

143k22312377

143k22312377

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I saw these in the manpages, however could not find any reference as to what internal and front-end related mean. Also according to said mainpage they should be available.
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:02
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  That isn't really clear from the man page. The man states that (emphasis mine) "The following fields are recognized but they are not necessarily available in the status file (only internal fields or fields stored in the binary package end up in it)" which would suggest that, contrary to what your answer states, it's the internal fields that will be included.
  – terdon♦
  Aug 22 at 13:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @terdon right, I wrote my answer based on the source code, not the documentation ;-).
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @StephenKitt is there a format option for apt-cache show too? Else the manipulation of the texts is gonna be a nightmare...
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:25
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @BrainStone not with apt-cache, but the output follows RFC 822 and is designed to be parsed. If you want a controllable format using APT-based tools, look at aptitude search and its -F option.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:28
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I saw these in the manpages, however could not find any reference as to what internal and front-end related mean. Also according to said mainpage they should be available.
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:02
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  That isn't really clear from the man page. The man states that (emphasis mine) "The following fields are recognized but they are not necessarily available in the status file (only internal fields or fields stored in the binary package end up in it)" which would suggest that, contrary to what your answer states, it's the internal fields that will be included.
  – terdon♦
  Aug 22 at 13:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @terdon right, I wrote my answer based on the source code, not the documentation ;-).
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @StephenKitt is there a format option for apt-cache show too? Else the manipulation of the texts is gonna be a nightmare...
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:25
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @BrainStone not with apt-cache, but the output follows RFC 822 and is designed to be parsed. If you want a controllable format using APT-based tools, look at aptitude search and its -F option.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:28
  

  
  
  
  

I saw these in the manpages, however could not find any reference as to what internal and front-end related mean. Also according to said mainpage they should be available.
– BrainStone
Aug 22 at 13:02

I saw these in the manpages, however could not find any reference as to what internal and front-end related mean. Also according to said mainpage they should be available.
– BrainStone
Aug 22 at 13:02

1

1

That isn't really clear from the man page. The man states that (emphasis mine) "The following fields are recognized but they are not necessarily available in the status file (only internal fields or fields stored in the binary package end up in it)" which would suggest that, contrary to what your answer states, it's the internal fields that will be included.
– terdon♦
Aug 22 at 13:03

That isn't really clear from the man page. The man states that (emphasis mine) "The following fields are recognized but they are not necessarily available in the status file (only internal fields or fields stored in the binary package end up in it)" which would suggest that, contrary to what your answer states, it's the internal fields that will be included.
– terdon♦
Aug 22 at 13:03

1

1

@terdon right, I wrote my answer based on the source code, not the documentation ;-).
– Stephen Kitt
Aug 22 at 13:19

@terdon right, I wrote my answer based on the source code, not the documentation ;-).
– Stephen Kitt
Aug 22 at 13:19

@StephenKitt is there a format option for apt-cache show too? Else the manipulation of the texts is gonna be a nightmare...
– BrainStone
Aug 22 at 13:25

@StephenKitt is there a format option for apt-cache show too? Else the manipulation of the texts is gonna be a nightmare...
– BrainStone
Aug 22 at 13:25

1

1

@BrainStone not with apt-cache, but the output follows RFC 822 and is designed to be parsed. If you want a controllable format using APT-based tools, look at aptitude search and its -F option.
– Stephen Kitt
Aug 22 at 13:28

@BrainStone not with apt-cache, but the output follows RFC 822 and is designed to be parsed. If you want a controllable format using APT-based tools, look at aptitude search and its -F option.
– Stephen Kitt
Aug 22 at 13:28

 | 
show 2 more comments

up vote
4
down vote

You can use grep-available tool instead (or more better grep-aptavail as mentioned @Stephen Kitt) :

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX <package_name>

Example:

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX dpkg

sample output:

Filename: pool/main/d/dpkg/dpkg_1.18.24_amd64.deb
MD5sum: 5553b3fac608f5c4f9fa3ddbff18c2c5
Size: 2106696

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:47

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Or better yet in most cases, grep-aptavail.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:37
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I think this is a great answer for the general public, but not for me, as I need a portable solution. (That's why I won't accept it)
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:42
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

You can use grep-available tool instead (or more better grep-aptavail as mentioned @Stephen Kitt) :

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX <package_name>

Example:

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX dpkg

sample output:

Filename: pool/main/d/dpkg/dpkg_1.18.24_amd64.deb
MD5sum: 5553b3fac608f5c4f9fa3ddbff18c2c5
Size: 2106696

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:47

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Or better yet in most cases, grep-aptavail.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:37
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I think this is a great answer for the general public, but not for me, as I need a portable solution. (That's why I won't accept it)
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:42
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

up vote
4
down vote

You can use grep-available tool instead (or more better grep-aptavail as mentioned @Stephen Kitt) :

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX <package_name>

Example:

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX dpkg

sample output:

Filename: pool/main/d/dpkg/dpkg_1.18.24_amd64.deb
MD5sum: 5553b3fac608f5c4f9fa3ddbff18c2c5
Size: 2106696

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:47

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

You can use grep-available tool instead (or more better grep-aptavail as mentioned @Stephen Kitt) :

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX <package_name>

Example:

grep-available -s Filename,MD5sum,size -PX dpkg

sample output:

Filename: pool/main/d/dpkg/dpkg_1.18.24_amd64.deb
MD5sum: 5553b3fac608f5c4f9fa3ddbff18c2c5
Size: 2106696

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 22 at 13:47

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

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edited Aug 22 at 13:47

edited Aug 22 at 13:47

edited Aug 22 at 13:47

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

answered Aug 22 at 13:34

GAD3R

22.7k154895

22.7k154895

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  Or better yet in most cases, grep-aptavail.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:37
  

  
  
  
  


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  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I think this is a great answer for the general public, but not for me, as I need a portable solution. (That's why I won't accept it)
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:42
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Or better yet in most cases, grep-aptavail.
  – Stephen Kitt
  Aug 22 at 13:37
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I think this is a great answer for the general public, but not for me, as I need a portable solution. (That's why I won't accept it)
  – BrainStone
  Aug 22 at 13:42
  

  
  
  
  

1

1

Or better yet in most cases, grep-aptavail.
– Stephen Kitt
Aug 22 at 13:37

Or better yet in most cases, grep-aptavail.
– Stephen Kitt
Aug 22 at 13:37

1

1

I think this is a great answer for the general public, but not for me, as I need a portable solution. (That's why I won't accept it)
– BrainStone
Aug 22 at 13:42

I think this is a great answer for the general public, but not for me, as I need a portable solution. (That's why I won't accept it)
– BrainStone
Aug 22 at 13:42

add a comment | 

 

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