NAME

       dpkg-ruby - Utility to read a dpkg style db file, dpkg-awk clone

SYNOPSIS

       dpkg-ruby  [(-f|--file)  filename]  [(-d|--debug)  ##]  [(-s|--sort) list] [(-n|--numeric)
       list] [(-rs|--rec_sep) ??] '<fieldname>:<regex>' ... -- <out_fieldname> ..

DESCRIPTION

       dpkg-ruby Parses a dpkg status file(or other similarly  formated  file)  and  outputs  the
       resulting  records.   It  can use regex on the field values to limit the returned records,
       and it can also be told which fields to output.   As  another  option,  it  can  sort  the
       matched fields.

OPTIONS

       -f filename
       --file filename
              The file to parse.  The default is /var/lib/dpkg/status.

       -d [#]
       --debug [#]
              Each time this is specified, it increased the debug level.

       -s field(s)
       --sort field(s)
              A space or comma separated list of fields to sort on.

       -n field(s)
       --numeric field(s)
              A  space or comma separated list of fields that should be interpreted as numeric in
              value.

       -rs ??
       --rec_sep ??
              Output this string at the end of each output paragraph.

       -h
       --help Display some help.

       fieldname
              The fields from the file, that are matched with the regex  given.   The  fieldnames
              are case insensitive.

       out_fieldname
              The  fields  from the file, that are outputted for each record.  If the first field
              listed is begins with ^, then the list that follows are fields NOT to be outputted.

BUGS

       Be warned that the author has only a shallow understanding of the dpkg  packaging  system,
       so there are probably tons of bugs in this program.

       This  program comes with no warranties.  If running this program causes fire and brimstone
       to rain down upon the earth, you will be on our own.

       This program accesses the dpkg database directly in places, querying for data that  cannot
       be gotten via dpkg.

AUTHOR

       Fumitoshi UKAI <ukai@debian.or.jp>.  This manual page are based on (or almost copy from :)
       dpkg-awk(1) manual written by Adam Heath <doogie@debian.org>