Octopi vs. Synaptic

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Octopi vs. Synaptic

30 January 2025, 07:42:20

Package managers differ in the way they handle packages. From the get-go, I installed Octopi and had since only used it a handful of times. Most days, I update my install with sudo pacman -Syu (alias agu).

Octopi is an OK package manager but, to me, it lacks the extensiveness of Synaptic. For one, a click can display packages and libraries already installed. But what's important to me, I guess, is log/history of when packages were installed and updated.

My question is do we have anything in the repo that might equal or close to the capabilities of Synaptic?

I will hold on to Octopi for the meantime.

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #1 – 30 January 2025, 10:26:45

Quote from: Archie – on 30 January 2025, 07:42:20

My question is do we have anything in the repo that might equal or close to the capabilities of Synaptic?

How about pkgbrowser .

You can install it from the omniverse repo:

https://eu-mirror.artixlinux.org/omniverse/x86_64/pkgbrowser-0.28.1-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

or build it yourself:

https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/snapshot/pkgbrowser.tar.gz

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #2 – 30 January 2025, 14:00:49

I use nano for this:

Code: [Select]

$ nano /var/log/pacman.log

Although I do uncomment these options (remove the #) in /etc/nanorc to get line wrapping and code highlighting

Code: [Select]

# include /usr/share/nano/*.nanorc
# set constantshow
# set stateflags
# set softwrap
# set brackets ""')>]}"
# set wordbounds

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #3 – 30 January 2025, 16:54:48

A TUI is not an issue. The output just seem overwhelming and long.

Code: [Select]

~ > cat /var/log/pacman.log | grep -i "installed\|reinstalled\|upgraded"
[2024-12-24T12:54:50+0800] [ALPM] upgraded adwaita-cursors (46.2-1 -> 47.0-1)
[2024-12-24T12:54:50+0800] [ALPM] upgraded adwaita-icon-theme-legacy (46.2-1 -> 46.2-3)
[2024-12-24T12:54:50+0800] [ALPM] upgraded adwaita-icon-theme (46.2-1 -> 47.0-1)
---snip---
[2025-01-27T15:14:01+0800] [ALPM] upgraded abseil-cpp (20240722.0-1 -> 20240722.1-1)
[2025-01-27T15:14:01+0800] [ALPM] upgraded fastfetch (2.34.0-1 -> 2.35.0-1)
[2025-01-27T15:14:01+0800] [ALPM] upgraded libpng (1.6.45-1 -> 1.6.46-1)
[2025-01-27T15:14:01+0800] [ALPM] upgraded xz (5.6.3-1 -> 5.6.4-1)
[2025-01-27T15:14:02+0800] [ALPM] upgraded gtk3 (1:3.24.43-4 -> 1:3.24.48-1)
[2025-01-27T15:14:02+0800] [ALPM] upgraded procps-ng (4.0.5-1 -> 4.0.5-2)
[2025-01-27T15:14:02+0800] [ALPM] upgraded gvfs (1.56.1-1 -> 1.56.1-2)
[2025-01-27T15:14:02+0800] [ALPM] upgraded gvfs-mtp (1.56.1-1 -> 1.56.1-2)
[2025-01-27T15:14:02+0800] [ALPM] upgraded libvlc (3.0.21-11 -> 3.0.21-12)
[2025-01-27T15:14:03+0800] [ALPM] upgraded man-pages (6.9.1-1 -> 6.10-1)
[2025-01-27T15:14:03+0800] [ALPM] upgraded vlc (3.0.21-11 -> 3.0.21-12)
[2025-01-27T15:14:03+0800] [ALPM] upgraded vte-common (0.78.2-1 -> 0.78.3-1)
[2025-01-27T15:14:03+0800] [ALPM] upgraded vte3 (0.78.2-1 -> 0.78.3-1)
[2025-01-28T15:11:16+0800] [ALPM] installed fish (3.7.1-2)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded libvorbis (1.3.7-3 -> 1.3.7-4)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded fluidsynth (2.4.2-1 -> 2.4.3-1)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded gmic (3.5.0-2 -> 3.5.1-1)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded gupnp (1:1.6.7-1 -> 1:1.6.8-1)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded libnm (1.50.1-2 -> 1.50.2-1)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded networkmanager (1.50.1-2 -> 1.50.2-1)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded python-pip (24.3.1-3 -> 25.0-1)
[2025-01-29T11:53:15+0800] [ALPM] upgraded qt6gtk2 (0.3-2.2 -> 0.3-2.3)
[2025-01-29T19:54:47+0800] [ALPM] upgraded gmic (3.5.1-1 -> 3.5.2-1)
[2025-01-29T21:26:13+0800] [ALPM] installed krusader (2.9.0-1)

I will check pkgbrowser and see if they can provide me with something like:

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #4 – 30 January 2025, 18:56:21

Quote from: Archie – on 30 January 2025, 07:42:20

Octopi is an OK package manager but, to me, it lacks the extensiveness of Synaptic. For one, a click can display packages and libraries already installed. But what's important to me, I guess, is log/history of when packages were installed and updated.

Octopi does this, yes?

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #5 – 31 January 2025, 01:23:36

I suppose clicking on the table headers' to sort out is a way. I did not know it could be done in such a way. It isn't as efficient and easy but I suppose it'll do. Thank you.

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #6 – 01 February 2025, 05:23:55

Quote from: Archie – on 30 January 2025, 16:54:48

... and see if they can provide me with something like:

You are looking for pacmanlogviewer.

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #7 – 01 February 2025, 08:47:37

I get it. However, what I wanted to indicate is the difference in the way our package managers and Synaptic's view display of installed/removed/upgraded packages. Synaptic breaks it down in dates which makes it much easier to see when packages were installed, updated or removed.

I like Synaptic but I can make do with Octopi or pkgbrowser. A bit more clicks but it's fine.

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #8 – 01 February 2025, 17:14:46

Quote from: Archie – on 31 January 2025, 01:23:36

I suppose clicking on the table headers' to sort out is a way. I did not know it could be done in such a way. It isn't as efficient and easy but I suppose it'll do. Thank you.

I do not understand.
you can search for the package by name and see all before you finish typing, right? Or click the package then info see everything

How is it more clicks if you do not have to hit history to see it?

How do you sort by "install date" or "install reason" or "build date in synaptic? is it click on a header easy or more difficult?

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #9 – 02 February 2025, 14:07:39

Perhaps some visuals can help explain what I mean by History in Synaptic:

But like I mentioned, it's not a big deal. I can adapt to the tools at hand ... and we have grep. I will be following this up with how I can use grep or sed with date patterns.

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #10 – 03 February 2025, 07:21:17

Quote from: Archie – on 02 February 2025, 17:46:29

Grouping a particular date, never mind the time duration, is what I wanted to point out on the above mentioned thread/discussion.

Second attempt ...

Re: Octopi vs. Synaptic

Reply #11 – 03 February 2025, 11:37:33

Thank you for your interest, @lq.

pacmanlogviewer is yet another package (yap 😉) to install, which is basically separate from the main package managers. As you can see from the screenshots I posted on my previous post, the filter, i.e. grouping by date is already incorporated into Synaptic.

Anyway, I appreciate your pacmanlogviewer suggestion.