# dpkg-scanpackages

## NAME



           dpkg-scanpackages - create Packages index files
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **dpkg-scanpackages**[_option_...] _binary-path_ [_override-file_ [_path-_
           _prefix_]] **> **_Packages_
    


## DESCRIPTION



           **dpkg-scanpackages** sorts through a tree of Debian binary packages
           and creates a Packages file, used by **apt**(8), dselect(1), etc, to
           tell the user what packages are available for installation.  These
           Packages files are the same as those found on Debian archive sites
           and media discs.  You might use **dpkg-scanpackages** yourself if
           making a directory of local packages to install on a cluster of
           machines.
    
           **Note** : If you want to access the generated Packages file with
           **apt**(8) you will probably need to compress the file with **xz**(1)
           (generating a Packages.xz file), **bzip2**(1) (generating a
           Packages.bz2 file) or **gzip**(1) (generating a Packages.gz file).
           **apt**(8) ignores uncompressed Packages files except on local access
           (i.e.  **file://** sources).
    
           _binary-path_ is the name of the tree of the binary packages to
           process (for example, **contrib/binary-i386**).  It is best to make
           this relative to the root of the Debian archive, because every
           Filename field in the new Packages file will start with this
           string.
    
           _override-file_ is the name of a file to read which contains
           information about how the package fits into the distribution (the
           file can be compressed since dpkg 1.15.5); see deb-override(5).
    
           _path-prefix_ is an optional string to be prepended to the Filename
           fields.
    
           If more than one version of a package is found only the newest one
           is included in the output.  If they have the same version and only
           differ in architecture only the first one found is used.
    


## OPTIONS



           **-t** , **--type** _type_
               Scan for *._type_ packages, instead of *.deb.
    
           **-e** , **--extra-override** _file_
               Scan _file_ to find supplementary overrides (the file can be
               compressed since dpkg 1.15.5).  See deb-extra-override(5) for
               more information on its format.
    
           **-a** , **--arch** _arch_
               Use a pattern consisting of _*_all.deb_ and _*_arch.deb_ instead
               of scanning for all debs.
    
           **-h** , **--hash** _hash-list_
               Only generate file hashes for the comma-specified list
               specified (since dpkg 1.17.14).  The default is to generate
               all currently supported hashes.  Supported values: **md5** , **sha1** ,
               **sha256**.
    
           **-m** , **--multiversion**
               Include all found packages in the output.
    
           **-M** , **--medium** _id-string_
               Add an **X-Medium** field containing the value _id-string_ (since
               dpkg 1.15.5).  This field is required if you want to generate
               **Packages.cd** files for use by the **media** access method of
               **dselect**.
    
           **-?** , **--help**
               Show the usage message and exit.
    
           **--version**
               Show the version and exit.
    


## ENVIRONMENT



           **DPKG_COLORS**
               Sets the color mode (since dpkg 1.18.5).  The currently
               accepted values are: **auto**(default), **always** and **never**.
    
           **DPKG_NLS**
               If set, it will be used to decide whether to activate Native
               Language Support, also known as internationalization (or i18n)
               support (since dpkg 1.19.0).  The accepted values are: **0** and **1**
               (default).
    


## DIAGNOSTICS



           **dpkg-scanpackages** outputs the usual self-explanatory errors.  It
           also warns about packages that are in the wrong subdirectory, are
           duplicated, have a Filename field in their control file, are
           missing from the override file, or have maintainer substitutions
           which do not take effect.
    


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