Need Help to Create a Script for Removing Unwanted Packages

[raptor_09]

I hope you're all having a great day! I'm reaching out to seek your assistance in creating a script for a specific task in Zorin OS. As someone who values efficiency and a clutter-free system, I want to make a script for my system that simplifies the process of removing unwanted packages from my Zorin OS installation.

here is the script:

#!/bin/bash

# Check if the script is run as root
if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
    echo "Please run this script as root (use sudo)"
    exit 1
fi

# Color codes
WHITE='\033[0;97m'
GREEN='\033[0;32m'
RED='\033[0;31m'
NC='\033[0m'  # No Color

# Get the total number of installed packages
total_installed_packages=$(dpkg -l | grep ^ii | wc -l)

# Create a line of underscores
line="------------------------------------"

echo -e "${WHITE}${line}"
echo -e "|                                |"
echo -e "|${GREEN} Installed packages: $total_installed_packages ${NC}|"
echo -e "|                                |"
echo -e "${line}"

# List of packages to uninstall
packages=(
     gimp
    brasero
    cheese
    gnome-characters
    gnome-mahjongg
    gnome-maps
    gnome-mines
    aisleriot
    evolution
    gnome-contacts
    libreoffice-base-core
    libreoffice-common
    libreoffice-core
    libreoffice-draw
    libreoffice-gnome
    libreoffice-gtk3
    libreoffice-help-common
    libreoffice-help-en-us
    libreoffice-impress
    libreoffice-style-colibre
    libreoffice-style-elementary
    libreoffice-style-yaru
    libreoffice-writer
    gnome-photos
    quadrapassel
    gnome-sudoku
    gnome-todo
    gnome-tour
    gnome-menus
    gnome-remote-desktop
    gnome-sound-recorder
    gnome-user-docs
    gnome-video-effects
    gnome-weather
    gnome-system-monitor
    gnome-remote-desktop
    simple-scan
    plymouth-label
    plymouth-theme-spinner
    plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text
    plymouth-theme-zorin-logo
    plymouth-theme-zorin-text
    plymouth
    printer-driver-all
    printer-driver-brlaser
    printer-driver-c2050
    printer-driver-c2esp
    printer-driver-cjet
    printer-driver-dymo
    printer-driver-escpr
    printer-driver-fujixerox
    printer-driver-gutenprint
    printer-driver-hpcups
    printer-driver-hpijs
    printer-driver-m2300w
    printer-driver-min12xxw
    printer-driver-pnm2ppa
    printer-driver-postscript-hp
    printer-driver-ptouch
    printer-driver-pxljr
    printer-driver-sag-gdi
    printer-driver-splix
    zorin-gnome-tour-autostart
    zorin-os-docs
    zorin-os-printer-test-page
    zorin-os-tour-video
    zorin-sound-theme
    zorin-windows-app-support-installation-shortcut
    

)

# Prompt to show packages that will be removed
echo -e "${RED}The following packages will be removed:${NC}"
for package in "${packages[@]}"; do
    echo -e "| ${RED}$package ${NC}|"
done
echo -e "${line}"
read -n 1 -s -r -p "Press any key to continue..."

# Uninstall packages
for package in "${packages[@]}"; do
    sudo apt remove "$package" -y
    echo -e "${line}"
    echo -e "| ${GREEN}\"$package\" is removed ${NC}|"
    echo -e "${line}"
    packages_removed=$((packages_removed + 1))
    packages_left=$((total_packages - packages_removed))
done

# Additional cleanup
sudo apt autoremove -y
sudo apt clean -y

echo -e "${line}"
echo -e "|                                |"
echo -e "|${GREEN} Installed packages: $total_installed_packages ${NC}|"
echo -e "|                                |"
echo -e "${line}"

echo -e "${NC}" # Reset color
echo "All packages uninstalled and unnecessary files cleaned."
read -p "Press Enter to exit."

Github link Check out the Zorin OS Uninstaller Script on GitHub

[337harvey]

I'm not sure what you need help with. You have it written well. This deals with apt packages and should work fine.

You may want to add an optional snapd and flatpak removal as well, as dpkg will not interact with snap or flatpak installed packages.

It appears it should work. Maybe some of those applications are snap packages, i do not recall.

Adding of statements checking if they exist either by version or the which bash command and checking the exit code (if it returns a path it returns a zero exit code).

In the second package for loop, you can combine the previous four loops text display as it removes the package, if the package exists:

for package in "${packages[@]}"; do
    if !( $package --version) | !(which $package); then
        echo -e "${RED}The following package will be removed:$package"
        sudo apt remove "$package" -y
        echo -e "${line}" echo -e "| ${GREEN}\"$package\" is removed ${NC}|" 
        echo -e "${line}"
 
       packages_removed=$((packages_removed + 1))
 
       packages_left=$((total_packages - packages_removed))
    else
        echo -e "${RED}$package is not installed. "
done

[Aravisian]

@raptor_09

    plymouth-label
    plymouth-theme-spinner
    plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text
    plymouth-theme-zorin-logo
    plymouth-theme-zorin-text
    plymouth

Removing this will utterly break your operating system. Plymouth is an Essential Package.

You can remove a Plymouth theme as long as one theme remains to fall back on.
But you cannot remove Plymouth nor can you remove all Plymouth themes.