
In that particular case I installed Ubuntu 14.04 twice in the same week so using the same packages to update was probably the right thing to do to save time and data plan.
We are using it today to batch install software on Ubuntu, and you must take note that it’s a powerful tool and can potentially harm your system. So take care. You are going to need admin permission to access Synaptic.
Also don’t install anything you don’t trust! Be careful because now the program has admin permission to change your system!
You are an Ubuntu admin and you have 10+ computers. And you need to install the same software on all 10 computers. So instead of Connecting them all to the Internet and downloading the same software. Connect one of them and download the required software. Then install it on the rest.
You just installed Ubuntu on a machine and begun to download software. But the Internet is really slow! (Third world problems) so you take the programs on a USB from another computer and get to work!
You have a limited data plan and you are trying to save!
No matter what was the situation. It’s a handy trick and you will comeback to this tutorial over and over to read it!
First of all. Let’s prepare the software.
You can either use the software center cache. Or any random .deb packages you have. (Or both)
If you want to copy the software center cache then go to the directory:
“Computer/var/cache/apt/archives” where “computer” is your system partition.
This is a system folder so you can’t cut or delete any of these packages. And if you copy the .lock file or the partial it will result in copy error.
Remember where you put the packages and the folder name as we are going to need that later.
Open Synaptic and enter your password. If you don’t have Synaptic you have to install it. Say from the Ubuntu Software Center.
You can confirm that by reloading package information. If it downloads package information without problem. Then you are good to go!
Click file Add downloaded packages.
once there click open.
Click Apply and Synaptic will tell you how much packages will be installed. The size of install and how much it will download.
Pretty handy isn’t it?