Maverick Meerkat Ubuntu Version 10.10 & "tasksel"

Tasksel is a Debian/Ubuntu tool that installs multiple related packages as a co-ordinated "task" onto your system.

This function is similar to that of meta-packages, and, in fact, most of the tasks available from tasksel are also available as meta-packages from the Ubuntu package managers (such as Synaptic Package Manager or KPackageKit).

Installation

Because the package managers now have most of the tasks as meta-packages, tasksel is not installed by default on editions of Ubuntu (such as Desktop editions) that have package managers. (Tasksel is still installed by default on server editions).

If tasksel is not installed, install it from the command-line:

#> sudo apt-get install tasksel

You might find a problem similar to this if you run tasksel it has been reported as a bug but as yet has not been corrected

#sudo tasksel
tasksel: aptitude failed (100)

This after you have selected your required packages and tried to install them. To get get around this problem rather than to correct it you can try the following to install required packages.

#sudo tasksel --help
Unknown option: help
Usage:
tasksel install
tasksel remove
tasksel [options]
-t, --test test mode; don't really do anything
--new-install automatically install some tasks
--list-tasks list tasks that would be displayed and exit
--task-packages list available packages in a task
--task-desc returns the description of a task

#sudo tasksel -t

Select your required pacages as though you wish to install and the follow may be displayed:-

/usr/lib/tasksel/info/ubuntustudio-desktop.preinst

debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -q -y install ubuntustudio-audio-plugins^ ubuntustudio-desktop^

Apparently the "^" known as a caret is interfering with the install process called by "tasksel" Copy the debconf-apt-progress line and paste this to an open console screen then edit the debconf... line bit to remove the ^ at each and the one or more packages required thus (don't forget to add sudo):

#> sudo debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -q -y install ubuntustudio-audio-plugins

The packages in this command will be different for you so I'd suggest copying and pasting the output after your tasksel -t then delete the ^ from it.