---
name: "dpkg-scanpackages"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dpkg"
version: "1.23.11-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dpkg-scanpackages"
---

# dpkg-scanpackages(1)

create Packages index files

## 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)](/apt/8.md), [**dselect**(1)](/dselect/1.md), 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 media discs. 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)](/apt/8.md) you will probably need to compress the file with [**xz**(1)](/xz/1.md) (generating a Packages.xz file), [**bzip2**(1)](/bzip2/1.md) (generating a Packages.bz2 file) or [**gzip**(1)](/gzip/1.md) (generating a Packages.gz file). [**apt**(8)](/apt/8.md) 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)](/deb-override/5.md).

*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** *type*

  Scan for \*.*type* packages, instead of \*.deb.

- **-e**, **--extra-override** *file*

  Scan *file* to find supplementary overrides. The file can be compressed (since dpkg 1.15.5). See [**deb-extra-override**(5)](/deb-extra-override/5.md) for more information on its format.

- **-a**, **--arch** *arch*

  Use a pattern consisting of *\*\_all.deb* and *\*\_arch.deb*, or *\*\_arch.deb* if **--no-implicit-arch** has been specified, instead of scanning for all debs.

- **--no-implicit-arch**

  Do not implicitly add architecture **all** binary packages when specifying **--arch**.

  Supported since dpkg 1.23.6.

- **-h**, **--hash** *hash-list*

  Only generate file hashes for the comma-specified list specified. The default is to generate all currently supported hashes. Supported values: **md5**, **sha1**, **sha256**.

  Supported since dpkg 1.17.14.

- **-m**, **--multiversion**

  Include all found packages in the output.

- **-M**, **--medium** *id-string*

  Add an **X-Medium** field containing the value *id-string*.

  This field is required if you want to generate **Packages.cd** files for use by the **media** access method of **dselect**.

  Supported since dpkg 1.15.5.

- **-?**, **--help**

  Show the usage message and exit.

- **--version**

  Show the version and exit.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **DPKG\_COLORS**

  Sets the color mode. The currently accepted values are: **auto** (default), **always** and **never**.

  Supported since dpkg 1.18.5.

- **DPKG\_NLS**

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

  Supported since dpkg 1.19.0.

## 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)](/dpkg/1.md), [**dselect**(1)](/dselect/1.md), [**deb-override**(5)](/deb-override/5.md), [**deb-extra-override**(5)](/deb-extra-override/5.md), [**dpkg-scansources**(1)](/dpkg-scansources/1.md).