To compile something, I needed the zlib1g-dev package to be installed so I launched an apt-get install zlib1g-dev.
apt-get informed me nicely that the package was already auto-installed because of an other package, and that it understands that I want it installed explicitly now :
# apt-get install zlib1g-dev
zlib1g-dev is already the newest version.
zlib1g-dev set to manually installed.
My compilation done, I don't need it any more explicitly, so I want to revert its status to the previous one : auto-installed. This way it will be pruned automatically when it will not be needed any more with a simple apt-get autoremove.
I cannot do an apt-get remove zlib1g-dev since some packages still depends on it.
So how may I revert the package zlib1g-devinstallation state to auto-installed ?
I know that I might edit /var/lib/apt/extended_states by hand from
Package: zlib1g-dev
Auto-Installed: 0
to
Package: zlib1g-dev
Auto-Installed: 1
… but it just doesn't feel right.
Best Answer
Aptitude can help you when you initially install the package:
Or, after your have installed the package:
Edit: If you do not have aptitude, you can use