Install downloaded packages with dependencies

Question

I sometimes download .deb packages from the internet and install them with dpkg -i package.deb If the packages have unmet dependencies. How can I install the dependencies automatically (similar to apt-get install package, and mark these dependencies as installed automatically instead of manually.

Answer 1

The usual way to handle this is to just do

#dpkg -i packagename

and then resolve the dependencies after the event by doing

#apt-get -f install

If the dependencies cannot be satisfied, apt will normally remove the package for you. Of course, if it doesn't you can do so yourself. This procedure should not mark the packages as manually installed.

Answer 2

While installing a package, if some dependency crops up which is uninstalled, you can use apt-file search dep and find the package that provides it and then download that package and then install it.