# HELP: MX Package Installer

It is listed in the Favorites of Whisker menu by default; but if that has been removed, click Start menu ≻ System ≻ MX Package installer and provide the root password.

## Popular Applications

- Expand the categories with the little arrow to see the packages available; more information (including screenshots where possible) is available by clicking on the small information icon.
- The Search box will parse application names and display matches in the tree.
- Check those that you want, and click Install.
- The terminal output will be displayed as first the repos are updated and then your packages are installed.
- If a package is already installed, you will have the option to uninstall or reinstall.
- If there are problems, there is a log at /var/log/mxpi.log and mxpi.log.old for you to post in the forum.

## Stable Repo

This tab gives you access to the full catalog of apps available for MX Linux. It has a limited feature set and is not a replacement for a full package manager like the default Synaptic. Consider the MX PackageInstaller supplementary to Synaptic.

- Packages then can be manipulated in similar fashion to the Popular Applications Tab.

## MX Test Repo

- This tab allows the user to browse packages available in the MX Test repo without needing to change any apt sources manually.
- If the user chooses to install a Test repo package via the MX PackageInstaller, the Test repo sources will be automatically added for the duration of the application install process. The Test repo sources will be disabled after the installation is complete.

## Debian Backports

- Similar to the MX Test Repo tab, this tab allows the user to browse packages available in the Debian Backports repository maintained by Debian, without needing to change any apt sources manually.
- If the user chooses to install a Debian Backports package via the MX PackageInstaller, the Debian Backports repo sources will be automatically added for the duration of the application install process. The Debian Backports repo sources will be disabled after the installation is complete.

## Flatpaks

Flatpaks are a type of package that has all the dependencies included that’s supposed to work on multiple Linux distributions.

- They are not perfect: some might not work well, might not follow your theme, etc.
- The first flatpak that you install will probably pull a huge runtime, so it will take a long time to download and will take a lot of space on your harddrive (probably around 2GB), but the next flatpak will most likely be able to use that runtime, so it gets a bit better after you install a couple of flatpaks.
- By default, the “flathub” remote “repo” is used by default. Others can be added via the Advanced dialog.
- You can also install flatpaks via ref files via the Advanced dialog

## Q & A

- What effect does ticking “Hide library and developer packages” actually have? Does it just hide stuff as a de-clutter convenience, or could it possibly prevent essential libraries from being installed ?
  - it hides application libraries (lib* packages) from the listing. but nothing prevents them from being installed if they are needed by an application.
- What effect does unticking “Also Install Recommended Packages” actually have? Does it just prevent unsolicited clutter, or might it prevent required dependencies?
  - Debian has three levels of dependencies on packages: 1) depends, which are neccessary; 2) recommends, which can be nice and extend functionality, but are not strictly speaking required; and suggests, which are usually other applications that might compliment the package. By default, MX does not install the “recommends” by default. but checking the option means it will.
- If subsequently regretting installing a program plus its recommended packages? Is there any way to uninstall not just the originally selected program, but all of its recommended packages that came with it as well?
  - For the most part, when uninstalling a package, its dependent packages will be marked “autoremovable.” We do not remove those by default, but you can from the command line by entering the code below.
  - Look at the list carefully to make sure nothing you want or need is autoremovable. Usually things like libraries and “data” packages are small and ok to remove. things like Xorg/xserver, xfce, kde...big stuff like that should not be autoremoved.

      sudo apt autoremove

Development history: Dolphin_Oracle, Adrian

License: here.

v. 20200714