# phpman > man > dpkg-scanpackages(1)

[dpkg-scanpackages(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-scanpackages/1/markdown)                         dpkg suite                         [dpkg-scanpackages(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-scanpackages/1/markdown)



## NAME
       dpkg-scanpackages - create Packages index files

## SYNOPSIS
       **dpkg-scanpackages** [_option_...] _binary-path_ [_override-file_ [_path-prefix_]] **>** _Packages_

## DESCRIPTION
       **dpkg-scanpackages** sorts through a tree of Debian binary packages and creates a Packages file,
       used by [**apt**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/apt/8/markdown), [**dselect**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dselect/1/markdown), etc, to tell the user what packages are available for
       installation. These Packages files are the same as those found on Debian archive sites and
       CD-ROMs. You might use **dpkg-scanpackages** yourself if making a directory of local packages to
       install on a cluster of machines.

       **Note:** If you want to access the generated Packages file with [**apt**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/apt/8/markdown) you will probably need to
       compress the file with [**xz**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/xz/1/markdown) (generating a Packages.xz file), [**bzip2**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/bzip2/1/markdown) (generating a
       Packages.bz2 file) or [**gzip**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/gzip/1/markdown) (generating a Packages.gz file).  [**apt**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/apt/8/markdown) ignores uncompressed
       Packages files except on local access (i.e.  **file://** sources).

       _binary-path_ is the name of the tree of the binary packages to process (for example,
       **contrib/binary-i386**).  It is best to make this relative to the root of the Debian archive,
       because every Filename field in the new Packages file will start with this string.

       _override-file_ is the name of a file to read which contains information about how the package
       fits into the distribution (the file can be compressed since dpkg 1.15.5); see **deb-**
       [**override**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/override/5/markdown).

       _path-prefix_ is an optional string to be prepended to the Filename fields.

       If more than one version of a package is found only the newest one is included in the output.
       If they have the same version and only differ in architecture only the first one found is
       used.

## OPTIONS
### -t --type
           Scan for *._type_ packages, instead of *.deb.

### -e --extra-override
           Scan _file_ to find supplementary overrides (the file can be compressed since dpkg 1.15.5).
           See [**deb-extra-override**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-extra-override/5/markdown) for more information on its format.

### -a --arch
           Use a pattern consisting of _*_all.deb_ and _*_arch.deb_ instead of scanning for all debs.

### -h --hash
           Only generate file hashes for the comma-specified list specified (since dpkg 1.17.14).
           The default is to generate all currently supported hashes.  Supported values: **md5**, **sha1**,
           **sha256**.

### -m --multiversion
           Include all found packages in the output.

### -M --medium
           Add an **X-Medium** field containing the value _id-string_ (since dpkg 1.15.5).  This field is
           required if you want to generate **Packages.cd** files for use by the multicd access method
           of dselect.

       **-?**, **--help**
           Show the usage message and exit.

### --version
           Show the version and exit.

## ENVIRONMENT
       **DPKG**___**COLORS**
           Sets the color mode (since dpkg 1.18.5).  The currently accepted values are: **auto**
           (default), **always** and **never**.

       **DPKG**___**NLS**
           If set, it will be used to decide whether to activate Native Language Support, also known
           as internationalization (or i18n) support (since dpkg 1.19.0).  The accepted values are:
           **0** and **1** (default).

## DIAGNOSTICS
       **dpkg-scanpackages** outputs the usual self-explanatory errors. It also warns about packages
       that are in the wrong subdirectory, are duplicated, have a Filename field in their control
       file, are missing from the override file, or have maintainer substitutions which do not take
       effect.

## SEE ALSO
       [**dpkg**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg/1/markdown), [**dselect**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dselect/1/markdown), [**deb-override**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-override/5/markdown), [**deb-extra-override**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/deb-extra-override/5/markdown), [**dpkg-scansources**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-scansources/1/markdown).



1.21.1                                       2025-09-09                         [dpkg-scanpackages(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dpkg-scanpackages/1/markdown)