When I install a package with YAST, it automatically adds the other packages (sometimes up to a dozen) required to run it, which is great. When I remove that package, it doesn’t seem to care about all those other packages anymore, and just leaves them lying around.
For example, I installed Banshee audio player to give it a try, and it auto-installed about eight other packages. I decided it wasn’t for me, and want to remove it, but I don’t remember exactly what all the other packages were. As near as I can tell, if I remove Banshee, all those other backend libraries and things stick around. Is there some way to get that list back so they can be removed?
You can list the package dependencies in the YAST “Install Software” module (click on the “Dependencies” tab at the bottom after highlighting the package in question.)
Normally you don’t worry about leaving the dependencies on the machine because any similar program will require them also. For example if you install another media player (Amarok, SMplayer, Kaffiene, VLC, etc.) you’ll find they will need most, if not all, of the same dependencies as the one you uninstalled.
Thanks for the quick reply! I’m aware of the dependecies list, I guess what I’m looking for is a package installation session log, or a way to roll back one Software Management session.
In this specific instance, the shared packages were all on the system already (since I’ve got amarok, songbird, et al.) but banshee still comes with 8 or 9 others. I’d like a fast way of determining which of the dependencies I installed yesterday and which I’ve had for months. Is that a possibility?
This is something many asked for, but is not available at the moment. I think the search function on this forum will give you some of them.
I personally write them down (or take a copy of the YaST window that shows what it adds) when it is only for testing the usefullness of the software, so I can remove within say a few days. After that I forget about it (disk is big enough nowadays).