---
name: "dscextract"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "devscripts"
version: "2.25.15+deb13u1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dscextract"
---

# dscextract(1)

extract a single file from a Debian source package

## NAME

dscextract - extract a single file from a Debian source package

## SYNOPSIS

**dscextract** \[*options*\] *dscfile* *file*

## DESCRIPTION

**dscextract** reads a single file from a Debian source package.  The idea is to only look into *.diff.gz* files (source format 1.0) or *.debian.tar.gz/bz2* files (source format 3.0) where possible, hence avoiding to unpack large tarballs.  It is most useful for files in the *debian/* subdirectory.

*file* is relative to the first level directory contained in the package, i.e. with the first component stripped.

## OPTIONS

- **-f**

  "Fast" mode. For source format 1.0, avoid to fall back scanning the *.orig.tar.gz* file if *file* was not found in the *.diff.gz*.  (For 3.0 packages, it is assumed that *debian/\** are exactly the contents of *debian.tar.gz/bz2*.)

## EXIT STATUS

- 0

  *file* was extracted.

- 1

  *file* was not found in the source package.

- 2

  An error occurred, like *dscfile* was not found.

## EXAMPLE

dscextract dds\_2.1.1+ddd105-2.dsc debian/watch \|\| test $? = 1

## AUTHOR

**dscextract** was written by Christoph Berg \<myon@debian.org\>.