install-docs

install-docs [options] <action> <doc-id>
install-docs [options] {--check-all|--update-all|--remove-all|--report-broken}

--verbose, -v
    Show more verbose output during execution.

--check-all
    Check the integrity and correctness of all currently registered documentation files.

--update-all
    Re-process and update the registration for all documentation files that are already registered.

--remove-all
    Unregister and remove all documentation entries from the system's doc-base database.

--report-broken
    Scan and report any broken or invalid doc-base files found on the system.

--root=<dir>
    Operate on a different root directory, useful for chroot environments or system restoration.

--help, -h
    Display a brief help message and exit.

--version
    Show the program's version number and exit.

The install-docs command is a crucial part of the Debian documentation system, primarily utilized by the doc-base package. Its main function is to register and manage documentation provided by installed software packages. When a package is installed, its post-installation scripts often invoke install-docs to process its doc-base control file, typically located in /usr/share/doc-base/.

These control files contain metadata about the documentation, such as its location, format, and categorization. By processing these files, install-docs updates a central database (e.g., /var/lib/doc-base/documents), making the documentation discoverable and accessible through various system tools like dhelp or dwww.

It ensures that all documentation is properly indexed and can be easily navigated by users or other system utilities, facilitating a unified and organized documentation experience across the Debian ecosystem. While typically invoked automatically by package managers, it can also be run manually for specific operations.

This command is primarily used on Debian-based systems (like Ubuntu) as part of their specific documentation management infrastructure (doc-base).

It's generally invoked by package managers (dpkg) during package installation, upgrade, or removal, rather than directly by end-users. Manual invocation is typically for debugging or system maintenance.

These subcommands define the primary operations install-docs performs on individual document entries:

• install <doc-id>: Registers a new document defined by the control file <doc-id>.doc-base.
• remove <doc-id>: Unregisters a document previously installed with <doc-id>.
• update <doc-id>: Re-registers an existing document, useful after changes to its control file.
• check <doc-id>: Verifies the integrity and correctness of a specified document's registration.

install-docs has been an integral part of Debian's approach to centralized documentation management since the early days of the doc-base package. Its development was driven by the need to provide a consistent and easily navigable system for accessing documentation from various software packages. It automates the process of integrating package-specific documentation into a unified system, ensuring that users can find relevant information regardless of its originating package. This command, along with doc-base and tools like dhelp and dwww, forms the backbone of Debian's user documentation infrastructure.

doc-base(7), dhelp(1), dwww(1), dpkg(8)