apt-sortpkgs

apt-sortpkgs [options] [filenames]

-h, --help
    Show Help
Displays a short help text and exits.

-v, --version
    Show Version
Displays the program version and exits.

-s, --stdout
    Standard Output
Writes the sorted output to standard output instead of sorting files in-place.

-m, --merge-filename
    Merge Files
When processing multiple input files, merges them into a single sorted output. This option implies --stdout.

-c, --check-only
    Check Only
Performs a check to see if the input file(s) are already sorted correctly. Exits with status 0 if sorted, 1 otherwise.

-o, --option
    Configuration Option
Set an arbitrary configuration option. For example, -o APT::SortPkgs::Fields can be used to customize the field sorting order.

-k, --keep-empty-lines
    Keep Empty Lines
Prevents the removal of extra empty lines between package records.

-q, --quiet
    Quiet Mode
Suppresses status messages during operation.

apt-sortpkgs is a utility designed to sort package description files such as Packages and Sources files, commonly found in APT repositories. It reorders fields within each package entry based on a predefined list of standard Debian control file fields (e.g., Package, Version, Description). Fields not in the predefined list are appended alphabetically. This sorting is crucial for the efficient processing of these files by other APT tools, like apt-file, ensuring consistent and predictable data structures. By default, it sorts files in-place unless specified to output to standard output. It can also check if a file is already sorted without modifying it.

apt-sortpkgs is primarily an internal tool used for APT repository maintenance or by utilities like apt-file for efficient indexing. It is not typically used directly by end-users. Be cautious with in-place sorting as it overwrites the original files.

Exit Status
The command returns 0 on success. If used with the -c (--check-only) option, it returns 1 if the file is not sorted correctly. It also returns 1 for malformed input files.

Default Behavior
By default, apt-sortpkgs sorts the input files in-place, overwriting the original files with the sorted content. Use the -s (--stdout) option to output to standard output instead, which is safer for testing.

apt-sortpkgs is part of the apt-file package, a critical component for searching files within Debian packages. Its development is closely tied to the need for efficient indexing and searching of package contents, where consistently sorted Packages and Sources files are crucial for performance. It has been a stable and essential utility within the Debian/Ubuntu ecosystem for many years, facilitating reliable package management operations.

apt-file(1), apt.conf(5), dpkg-scanpackages(1), dpkg-scansources(1)