Bash alias for apt-cache

Question

apt-cache search "google chrome" | awk '{print $1}' | perl -pe '$_ = "\033[1;29m$_\033[0m" if($. % 2)'

So is there any option of making a bash alias out of it? It works but I don't have a clue of how to pass an argument to replace "google chrome" in this case. Or is there any simpler way of doing it?

Also: Is there any way for showing an Architecture (apt-cache show) for each line? I was using gentoo previously and am always choosing hard way, I suppose...

Answer 1

Write it as a function using "$@" for your parameters:

search() {
  apt-cache search "$@" | awk '{print $1}' | perl -pe '$_ = "\033[1;29m$_\033[0m" if($. % 2)'
}

With this in your .bashrc , you can search google chrome .

Answer 2

#!/bin/bash
apt-cache search $@ | awk '{print $1}' |
while read line; do apt-cache madison $line; done |
sed 's/^ *//' |
perl -pe '$_ = "\e[34m$_\e[39m" if($.%2==1)' ;
echo -e "\e[49m"

That's what I've made. And it actually works :x

Answer 3

Here's another way:

apt-cache search "$1" | 
 awk '{ print (NR%2) ? "\033[1;29m-> " $1 "\033[0m" : "-> " $1 ; 
        system ("apt-cache show " $1 "| egrep  \"^Package|^Version|^Architecture\"") 
      }'

I've also tried to accommodate your second request too ( apt-cache show for each line) in the code above. Modify it if needed.