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.

Michael Arlt                                           1.3                                            DEBMANY(1)