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Completely uninstall related packages installed with a package

rated 0 times [ 2] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 2669 / 3 Years ago, sun, june 13, 2021, 1:43:44

How do I remove exactly same stuff I have installed or system have installed with adding support for a language for example? Is there a procedure I can follow? Apt-get remove, autoremove or purge is not what I am looking for, it leaves stuff behind.

I am currently looking into debfoster, but I hope that I am overseeing something easier and more native.

In this moment I have to restore my system from a snapshot to get it into previous setup, I am working on international application, when I install and uninstall for example Chinese, I will end up with several unwanted fonts that were not there before and it makes my testing pointless.

Update:

To update and clarify my question, I already know that package installations are logged a month ago I asked How to properly remove Chinese support and I found a solution, packages installed including fonts I want to delete are only in /var/log/dpkg.log. I am looking for automation or some tool, that will automate this so I do not have to process logs every time I install and uninstall new language or an application. Apparently Ubuntu has a tiny flaw and it does not uninstall fonts on language removal, I do install a new language and then delete it several times a day for testing, I have a script I made today where I put everything from logs that does not uninstall and I still hope I am reinventing a wheel and there is already some procedure in place that keeps track of what files and other stuff package is touching and making sure it will be deleted on removal.

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rhaeams

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4 Years ago

answered 3 Years ago ionash · Accepted Answer

Application debfoster I mention in the question does the trick after all, it just took me a while to figure out how it is used.

sudo apt-get install debfoster

Generate keepers file, stored in /var/lib/debfoster/keepers:

sudo debfoster -q

This keepers file contains all the currently installed packages, the next time something is installed, just run:

sudo debfoster

It will start listing all the packages installed from the time last keepers file was generated. Questions will be asked giving 9 options, first 4 are important:

Yes        Keep the package. [default]

No         Delete the package.

Prune      Delete the package and the packages it is keeping installed.

Skip       Skip this question.

More information man debfoster or debfoster --help.

This actually lists even fonts that are omitted with apt-get autoremove or when uninstalling language packages with Language Settings GUI.