dpkg-depcheck (1)

dpkg-depcheck [options] command

This program runs the specified command under strace and then determines and outputs the packages used in the process. The list can be trimmed in various ways as described in the options below. A good example of this program would be the command dpkg-depcheck -b debian/rules build, which would give a good first approximation to the Build-Depends line needed by a Debian package. Note, however, that this does not give any direct information on versions required or architecture-specific packages.

-a, --all

Report all packages used to run command. This is the default behaviour. If used in conjunction with -b, -d or -m, gives additional information on those packages skipped by these options.

-b, --build-depends

Do not report any build-essential or essential packages used, or any of their (direct or indirect) dependencies.

-d, --ignore-dev-deps

Do not show packages used which are direct dependencies of -dev packages used. This implies -b.

-m, --min-deps

Output a minimal set of packages needed, taking into account direct dependencies. Using -m implies -d and also -b.

-C, --C-locale

Run command with the C locale.

--no-C-locale

Don't change locale when running command.

-l, --list-files

Also report the list of files used in each package.

--no-list-files

Do not report the files used in each package. Cancels a -l option.

-o, --output=FILE

Output the package diagnostics to FILE instead of stdout.

-O, --strace-output=FILE

Write the strace output to FILE when tracing command instead of using a temporary file.

-I, --strace-input=FILE

Get strace output from FILE instead of tracing command; strace must have be run with the -f -q options for this to work.

-f, --features=LIST

Enable or disabled features given in the comma-separated LIST as follows. A feature is enabled with +feature or just feature and disabled with -feature. The currently recognised features are:

warn-local

Warn if files in /usr/local or /var/local are used. Enabled by default.

discard-check-version

Discards execve when only a --version argument is given to the program; this works around some configure scripts that check for binaries they don't actually use. Enabled by default.

trace-local

Also try to identify files which are accessed in /usr/local and /var/local. Not usually very useful, as Debian does not place files in these directories. Disabled by default.

catch-alternatives

Warn about access to files controlled by the Debian alternatives mechanism. Enabled by default.

discard-sgml-catalogs

Discards access to SGML catalogs; some SGML tools read all the registered catalogs at startup. Files matching the regexp /usr/share/sgml/.*\.cat are recognised as catalogs. Enabled by default.

--no-conf, --noconf

Do not read any configuration files. This can only be used as the first option given on the command-line.

-h, --help

Display usage information and exit.

-v, --version

Display version and copyright information and exit.

The two configuration files /etc/devscripts.conf and ~/.devscripts are sourced in that order to set configuration variables. Command line options can be used to override configuration file settings. Environment variable settings are ignored for this purpose. The currently recognised variable is:

DPKG_DEPCHECK_OPTIONS

These are options which are parsed before the command-line options. For example,

• DPKG_DEPCHECK_OPTIONS="-b -f-catch-alternatives"

• which passes these options to dpkg-depcheck before any command-line options are processed. You are advised not to try tricky quoting, because of the vagaries of shell quoting!

dpkg(1), strace(1), devscripts.conf(5), update-alternatives(8)

Copyright 2001 Bill Allombert <[email protected]>. Modifications copyright 2002,2003 Julian Gilbey <[email protected]>. dpkg-depcheck is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, version 2 or (at your option) any later version, and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under certain conditions. There is absolutely no warranty for dpkg-depcheck.