Debian

Timezone

Set system timezone:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

Services

update-rc.d:

  • Make a service run in its default runlevels:

    update-rc.d <service> defaults
    

or:

update-rc.d <service> enable
  • Make a service not run in any runlevel:

    update-rc.d <service> disable
    

Making a new init script:

  • Read /etc/init.d/README, which will point to other docs

  • Copy /etc/init.d/skeleton and edit it.

Packages

  • List packages that match a pattern: dpkg -l <pattern>

  • List contents of a package: dpkg -L packagename

  • Show packages that installed files matching pattern: dpkg -S pattern

  • Show info about an installed package: dpkg-query -s packagename

  • show info about a package that is known: apt-cache showpkg packagename

  • Reconfigure a package: dpkg-reconfigure packagename

  • Change alternatives: update-alternatives ...

Alternatives

Change ‘alternatives’ default browser or editor:

sudo update-alternatives --set x-www-browser /usr/bin/chromium-browser
sudo update-alternatives --set editor /usr/bin/emacs24

If you get an error like:

update-alternatives: error: alternative /snap/bin/firefox for x-www-browser not registered; not setting

then you can add the new alternative with:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser /snap/bin/firefox 50

and then try again.

Be prompted for which alternative you prefer for a link group:

sudo update-alternatives --config x-www-browser

Find out what the top-level link groups are:

sudo update-alternatives --get-selections

Set xdg program to open/browse a directory (DOES NOT WORK) (do NOT use sudo):

xdg-mime default /usr/share/applications/Thunar.desktop x-directory/normal

Change ‘xdg’ default browser (for user):

xdg-settings get default-web-browser
xdg-settings set default-web-browser google-chrome.desktop
xdg-settings set default-web-browser firefox.desktop

Install without any prompts (http://askubuntu.com/questions/146921/how-do-i-apt-get-y-dist-upgrade-without-a-grub-config-prompt):

sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -y \
-o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" \
<COMMAND>

Desktop applications

Put your own .desktop files in ~/.local/share/applications.

Archlinux on desktop entries

Desktop file spec

To let the system know about new or changed desktop files:

update-desktop-database [directory]

Launch the application from command line that has a <name>.desktop file somewhere:

gtk-launch <name>