---
name: "quinn-diff"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "quinn-diff"
version: "0.72-1"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/quinn-diff"
---

# quinn-diff(1)

Compare a Packages and Sources file

## NAME

quinn-diff - Compare a Packages and Sources file

## SYNOPSIS

**quinn-diff** \[ *options* \] \[ *...* \]

## DESCRIPTION

**quinn-diff** compares a Sources file and a Packages files to determine which programs need (re)compiled from source for any given architecture.

**quinn-diff** knows about architecture specific packages (e.g. lilo) and can easily exclude them via a Packages-arch-specific file.  The output is a list of source packages complete with accurate section and version information, suitable for use in build daemons or just in a script to auto-snarf the necessary source.

## OPTIONS

- **-a/--arch-specific-packages=***file*

  Specify the location of the Packages-arch-specific file.  The default is /etc/Packages-arch-specific.

- **-A/--architecture=***architecture*

  Specify the architecture of the Packages file.  If this option is not given, **quinn-diff** will try to determine the architecture from the contents of the Packages file.

- **-D/--debug=***octal value*

  Enable debug output; see -Dhelp or --debug=help for details on possible values.

- **-h/--help**

  Display usage help and then exit.

- **-i/--ignore-arch-all**

  If this option is enabled **quinn-diff** will ignore source packages which contain all in their architecture list, but not the current architecture.

- **-p/--packages=***file*

  Specify the location of the Packages file.  The default is Packges in the current directory.

- **-s/--sources=***file*

  Specify the location of the Sources file.  The default is Sources in the current directory.

- **-w/--warn-older**

  If this option is enabled **quinn-diff** will warn when a package is newer in the Packages file than it is in the Sources file.

- **-V/--version**

  Display the version number and then exit.

## DIAGNOSTICS

**quinn-diff** returns zero on normal operation, non-zero on error.

## BUGS

The most obvious known problem is that **quinn-diff** trusts the Binary: field from the Sources file which is not a good idea.  However this affects only a small number of packages and is non-trivial to fix.

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special thanks to NoCrew for providing unrewarding and generous donation of network services; without them I wouldn't have had an FTP site, a web site, CVS or AnonCVS.

## AUTHOR

quinn-diff was written by James Troup \<james@nocrew.org\>.