Download apps to harddrive
 

Guys,
Can we download apps from a server etc to save on our harddrive. So when we reflash the phone we don't have to chew up extra data downloading them?

Stephen

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

I assume N900 user? Additionally I assume Maemo5? This won't work for anything downloaded from ovi store fyi.

Save the .deb packages locally and copy them somewhere.
Then you can simply copy them back to the N900 and dpkg -i *.deb

As far as the packages you have installed go (provided you have not done a apt-get clean)

Something like this to backup to another computer
# scp /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb user@server:/home/user/maemo/

Later
# scp user@server:/home/user/maemo/* /home/user/MyDocs/
# dpkg -i /home/user/MyDocs/*.deb

If you want to just download packages to install later then you can:
# apt-get -d install unzip
# dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/unzip_5.52-14-maemo6_armel.deb

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

Yes mate,
N900 Maemo 5 user.
I think the last comments is more what I am looking for though not clear.
I wish to download the files and be able to save them on a harddrive so if required later. I can simply copy to a location and then extract rather download all over again. I hope that is clearer?

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

Mate,
what does that last uzip package do?

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

when you download stuff and something gets updated in the servers, you have to make updates (and most packages have some dependencies that has to be downloaded)

trust me, you don't want to do what you are suggesting. I've learned my lesson with debian installing application and a dozen dependent packages manually....

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

Unzip what just an example of a package. That is all.

By harddrive, do you mean a random harddrive (on a desktop for instance) or are you referring to the eMMC (internal SD card) in the N900? I suppose you could even simply save the files to a microSD card.

Yeah so when you install packages they are first downloaded by the package manager and saved to the location /var/cache/apt/archives/ temporarily before they are installed.

They aren't deleted from the location usually unless you delete them manually or with autoclean (or similar).

Anyway, you can just go ahead and copy them to your sd card (I'm not sure where it's mounted in your case; I'm an N810 user and not too familiar with the N900; my suggestions are generic debian-based instructions)

# mkdir /media/mmc1/debz
# cp /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb /media/mmc1/debz/

might work for you but again I'm not sure that's the right mount point.

Now if you want to be sure you are getting all the debian packages, you can be sure to

# apt-get -d install foo
# cp /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb /media/mmc1/debz/
# apt-get install foo

Hope that helps

EDIT: For people that just want a list of installed packages (that way you can just go somewhere that has free wifi access and download all the packages in one shot after reflashing)

Backup:
foo=`dpkg -l | grep ii | awk '{ print $2 }'`; echo $foo > /media/mmc1/copymesomewheresafe

Restore:
bar=`cat /media/mmc1/copymesomewheresafe`; apt-get install $bar

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

/media/mmc1 is correct so the instructions apply

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

That is perfect mate, much , much appreciated. Both options are perfect!
For a guy like me that makes errors and has little idea, lmao.
Trying different suggestions, kernels, overclocking, porting OS etc. This has needed me to reflash a few times now, each time downloading approx 50 apps must be killing my data. Hence why I asked, after run the update and anything missed will be updated and current. The update saves the wasted +70% of apps that were current being downloaded.

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

Mate,
I have done a reflash and fresh install so time to use these codes given. First part was easy though after adding 48 apps, only 3 listed in archives. So went to next step (see bold and in red), returns E: Couldn't find package foo.
What do I do here?

Stephen

Re: Download apps to harddrive
 

"foo" is just an example used, replace foo with the exact name of the package, apt-get -d will just download the package to *.../archives directory and not install it, so you can save it to somewhere safe and then install it.