---
name: "debmany"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "debian-goodies"
version: "0.88.2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/debmany"
---

# debmany(1)

select manpages or documentation files from installed packages, packages from the repository or .deb-files for viewing using "man", "sensible-pager" or an alternative viewer.

## NAME

debmany - select manpages or documentation files from installed packages, packages from the repository or .deb-files for viewing using "man", "sensible-pager" or an alternative viewer.

## SYNOPSIS

**debmany** *--help*\
 **debmany** *\[-v\[v\]\] \[-k\|-x\] \[-m manpageviewer\] \[-o otherviewer\] \[-L limit\] \[-l lang1\[,...\]\] package\|package.deb*\
 **debmany** *\[-v\[v\]\] \[-k\|-x\] \[-m manpageviewer\] \[-o otherviewer\] \[-L limit\] \[-l lang1\[,...\]\] -z \[package\|package.deb\]*

## DESCRIPTION

Select a manpage or files in /usr/share/doc from a Debian package for viewing with "man", "sensible-pager" or an alternative viewer. The list of files is displayed in a dialog. Supported locations for Debian packages are: local .deb-file, a package in the repository or an installed package.

- **--help**

  display a short usage guide and exit

- **-k**

  Display the manpage using your preferred viewer (must support .gz files) if you use KDE - this is the short form of -m 'kfmclient exec man:%s'. "kfmclient" is a part of the package "konqueror" (at least in Debian Buster).

- **-x**

  Display the manpage using your preferred viewer (must support .gz files) if you use KDE/GNOME/Xfce - this is the short form of -m 'xdg-open man:%s'. "xdg-open" is a part of the package "xdg-utils" (at least in Debian Buster).

- **-m manpageviewer**

  Optionally set a manpage viewer. The viewer must support .gz files. You must define the complete request. "%s" gets replaced with the path to the manpage. If "%s" is missing " %s" is appended to the manpageviewer. The manpageviewer must be enclosed with "" or '' - see examples. If you use a graphical viewer you must ensure that you have access to your desktop (if necessary: sux or ssh with X-forwarding)

- **-o otherviewer**

  Optionally set a viewer for other files (/usr/share/doc).

- **-L limit**

  If a file which must be downloaded exceeds this limit, you are asked if the download should start. Without unit the value is in bytes. You can append K, M, G or T to the value to change the unit.

- **-l lang1\[,...\]**

  English manpages are displayed always. If you want more languages you can specify them here. Provide a comma separated list of the folder names in the manpage folders (/usr/share/man) - e.g. de,fr or "zh\*" if you want to see all Chinese manpages (Simplified and Traditional Chinese as well). It is safe always to use "\*" at the end of your language. Character set versions automatically generated during installation are not available for selection.

- **-z**

  Zenity (a graphical dialog) is used to select the files and if necessary to enter the package name. You must have the rights to start X programs. This option combined with the parameters -k, -x or -m and -o make it possible to use debmany without console.

The manpages are temporarily extracted to a temporary directory under /tmp (or /var/tmp, if /tmp is not a directory). You can override the path if you set and export the environment variable TMPDIR or set it as a temporary variable.

You need to have the Debian package "whiptail" (preferred) or "dialog" as well as "apt" installed.

## EXAMPLES

- debmany coreutils

  Show all manpages from the installed Debian package "coreutils" using man.

- debmany 3dchess

  Show all manpages from the package "3dchess" using man. Since it is not already installed the package is accessed from the repository - even downloading is done if needed.

- debmany test.deb

  Show all manpages from the local Debian package "./test.deb" using man.

- debmany -k sc

  Use your preferred man-viewer (for KDE users).

- debmany -g sc

  Use your preferred man-viewer (for GNOME users).

- debmany -x sc

  Use your preferred man-viewer (for KDE/GNOME/XFCE users).

- debmany -z -k

  Uses "zenity" to select files and to enter the package name.

- TMPDIR=~/tmp debmany -m 'konqueror man:%s' sc

  Use ~/tmp as temporary folder and Konqueror as viewer.

- alias debmany='debmany -l de -L 5M -k'; debmany -m man -l "zh\*" foo

  Set an alias with your preferred options and override them if needed.

- vi /usr/local/bin/ask # after saving: chmod 755 ask

  \#!/bin/dash\
   read -p "program to use: " pgm\
   eval $pgm "$1"\

  debmany -o ask\
   Every time you select other files from a package you will be asked which program to use.

## AUTHOR

Written by Michael Arlt.

## LICENSE

This is free software.  You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of the GNU General Public License \<https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\>. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.