Greetings!
I'm trying to get dpkg to just completely extract a multi-part *.deb archive set into a single folder called "output". Simple?
Hmmmm....
dpkg --noforce --unpack *.deb /output/
Console after ops:
However, "--noforce" is taken directly from the helpfile Options listing as furnished in --help for the applet...
Which brings up a more general question: What, in any event, might be the best commandline to manage this operation? Am I even in the right ballpark here?
Thanks a bunch!
From my dpkg --help :
Hello RudiC!
I did. That's why I came over here for a bit of help 
Any ideas as to why this seems to not tick over as it looks like it should?
Thanks --
Look at the syntax...
Edit:
Didn't understand the reference 
I just pointed out that the error msg that you encountered may be due to using --noforce while dpkg --help says it wants --no-force .
Thank you for pointing out my error!
Sometimes one just can't see the forest for the trees
I'll try things in a bit and get back to the thread with how it works out...
---------- Post updated at 01:43 PM ---------- Previous update was at 01:34 PM ----------
Back again.
Here's the result:
Is "--no-force" even necessary to get things done here???
Even --no-force is not a valid option. It's got to be --no-force-<thing> , check dpkg --force-help for details.
Referring to Debian Administrator's Handbook, Example 5.3, --unpack alone should be sufficient.
5.4.�Manipulating Packages with dpkg
More:
OK. Between BusyBox's incomplete support of dpkg and Ubuntu's version of "the same thing", I finally got the following to "work":
dpkg --unpack *.deb /output/
However, dpkg INSTALLED the whole thing on Ubuntu; despite the fact that just "--unpack" was called; and, ostensibly, directed to the preexisting folder /output/.
Closer; but still not there . . .
What might I be missing now --
---------- Post updated at 03:13 PM ---------- Previous update was at 02:38 PM ----------
'Nother error on my part:
It seems as though there is no built-in way of redirecting dpkg to a set folder for an unpack operation. dpkg-deb has that feature available; but will not accept wildcards (?)
For example, this doesn't quite work as one might expect:
dpkg-deb -x *.deb /output/
This returns:
(ugh)