"apt-cache search" should find packages containing matching file name

[Johan Walles]

Do "apt-cache search dos2unix".

Current result:
No match.

Expected result:
Since "sysutils" contains "/usr/bin/dos2unix", I expected "apt-cache search
dos2unix" to find "sysutils".

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

This is not feasible for apt. The amount of data that would have to be
transfered for the "universe" repository would be too big. But there is the
"apt-file" package that can do exactly this.

[Dennis Kaarsemaker (dennis)]

The proposed enhancement is impossible, and an alternative solution is available.

[Johan Walles (walles)]

What's the alternative solution?

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

(In reply to comment #3)
> What's the alternative solution?

As Michael Vogt said in comment #1, 'But there is the "apt-file" package that
can do exactly this.' (It does so by way of a separate 'apt-file update' command
that takes more time.)

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

(In reply to comment #2)
> The proposed enhancement is impossible, and an alternative solution is available.

It certainly isn't impossible, but there is a tool available which provides this
functionality, and it does not make sense for us to integrate it into apt at the
present time.