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Ubuntu: Install packages to ~/.bin

 
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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2025 9:12 pm    Post subject: Ubuntu: Install packages to ~/.bin Reply with quote
I am looking for a way to how to set up apt so that I can install as a regular user packages to my home directory.

Basically i need a few packages installed that the admin would rather not install so i'm looking on how to setup apt to install these packages to my local home directory where i actually have write permissions.

unfortunately while i know it is possible my google-fu is lacking today as I cannot find out *how* to do it.

Could one assist with the google-fu and guide me to the correct guide?



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platinummonkey
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2025 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
one way would be to create your own apt.conf and use apt-get -c ~/apt.conf (or a simple alias so you dont have to type that in everytime Razz)
in there you can specify installation prefix using the Dir::* settings

http://linux.die.net/man/8/apt-get
http://linux.die.net/man/5/apt.conf



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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2025 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well that works? but now i get presented with this:

Code:
plibby@batman ~ $ touch  ~/.var/lib/dpkg/lock
plibby@batman ~ $ apt-get -c .apt.conf install vnc
E: Could not open lock file ~/.var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (2 No such file or directory)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (~/.var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?


and of course the reason i'm doing this is because i can't be root....so...???



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platinummonkey
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2025 2:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
im almost positive apt wont recognize ~ in its configuration. use the full pathname.



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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2025 4:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
that would make sense......

Ok. making progress now.

Code:
plibby@batman ~ $ apt-get update
E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (13 Permission denied)
E: Unable to lock the list directory


okay.... man pages.... tell me where to override that setting..... It's gotta be in one of them!



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platinummonkey
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2025 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
maybe this will help?
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=414202
seems that Dir::State is very important :/

if all else fails, chroot in your home dir and you should be good prob Wink



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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2025 1:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'd rather avoid having the chroot... if at all possible. I'll use my desktop for the project if i have to.

I must be doing something wrong here... i get through the permissions denied piece and end up with this:
Code:
plibby@batman ~ $ apt-get update -c .apt.conf
Reading package lists... Done
plibby@batman ~ $ apt-get -c .apt.conf install vnc
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
E: Couldn't find package vnc
plibby@batman ~ $ ls /home/students/plibby/.var/lib/apt/lists
lock  partial
plibby@batman ~ $


hmm.... missing repos maybe?



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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2025 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
yep. sources.list in ~/.etc/apt

okay.... i think i have everything now...

let's see if it works!



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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2025 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It does.... but it also doesn't recognize any of the already installed packages...
i just want to install suplimentary packages, not another version of ubuntu....

hmm.... there should still be some way to do this....



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platinummonkey
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2025 1:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
make use of "ignore" Wink yeah yeah... it will be a pain in the rear end; but, it should work.



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Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2025 4:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ignore...... ugh.... i could...

will probably have to.....

grrr.........



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