Install and maintain Cygwin¶

This guide was tested under Windows 10. It should be work with other supported Windows Versions too.

Install Cygwin (without admin rights)¶

This documentation is based on Oliver Doepner's IT blog. Thank you for your work Oliver.

1. Download setup-x86_64.exe.
2. Open command line window (WIN+R and type cmd).
3. Go to the download directory, e. g.:

   cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
   

4. Run setup-x86_64.exe with the --no-admin option:

   setup-x86_64.exe --no-admin
   

5. During installation select the wget package.
6. After installation open a Cygwin Terminal via Windows desktop shortcut.
7. If you are behind an internet proxy (for example on a company environment) create /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh for internet access:

   #!/usr/bin/env bash
   
   export http_proxy=http://your.proxy.server:proxy_port
   export https_proxy=http://your.proxy.server:proxy_port
   export ftp_proxy=http://your.proxy.server:proxy_port
   export no_proxy=localhost,.example.com
   

8. Now you need a file called /usr/local/bin/cyg-get. Downlaod it via

   wget -O /usr/local/bin/cyg-get https://gitlab.com/cogline.v3/cygwin/raw/master/cyg-get?inline=false
   

   Alternatively, you can also create the file yourself.

   #!/usr/bin/env bash
   
   # import proxy definition
   [[ -r /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh ]] && . /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh
   
   readonly SUCCESS=0
   readonly ERROR=1
   readonly E_WRONG_ARGS=2
   
   get_current_version()
   {
     cd /usr/local/bin
   
     [[ -e setup-x86_64.exe ]] && rm setup-x86_64.exe
     wget -q http://cygwin.com/setup-x86_64.exe
     chmod u+x setup-x86_64.exe
   }
   
   main()
   {
     local all_parameters="$@"
     local params="--no-admin"
     local packages=
   
     while :; do
       case "$1" in
         install)
           params="${params} -q -P"
           shift
           # list of comma separated packages
           packages=$(echo $@|sed -e 's/\s\+/,/g')
           params="${params} ${packages}"
           ;;
         remove)
           params="${params} -q -x"
           shift
           packages=$(echo $@|sed -e 's/\s\+/,/g')
           params="${params} ${packages}"
           ;;
         update)
           params="${params} -q -g"
           get_current_version
           ;;
         # Unknonw option
         -?*)
           echo "unknown option: $1"
           exit $E_WRONG_ARGS
           ;;
         # Default case: If no more options then break out of the loop.
         *)
           get_current_version
           break
       esac
       shift
     done
   
     run /usr/local/bin/setup-x86_64.exe ${params}
     exit $SUCCESS
   }
   
   main "$@"
   

9. Make the script executable:

   chmod ugo+x /usr/local/bin/cyg-get
   

10. On the Windows desktop create a copy of the Cygwin terminal shortcut, rename it Cygwin Setup.
11. Edit the shortcut target, replace:

    mintty.exe -i /Cygwin-Terminal.ico -
    

    with

    mintty.exe -i /Cygwin-Terminal.ico /bin/bash -l -c 'cyg-get'
    

12. Now test it and execute the desktop shortcut or run cyg-get from the Cygwin command prompt.

Cygwin Package Management¶

With the created script /usr/local/bin/cyg-get you can do package management on command line like in a linux environment. Alternatively, you could also use the pure command-line tool apt-cyg.

Install packages¶

cyg-get install package_1 package_2 ... package_n

Remove packages¶

cyg-get remove package_1 package_2 ... package_n

Update all packages¶

cyg-get update