Everyday Usage

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Output of brew config

HOMEBREW_VERSION: 4.3.22
ORIGIN: https://github.com/Homebrew/brew
HEAD: 08e5122036ff335241cc353b8044c13856288a60
Last commit: 5 hours ago
Core tap JSON: 16 Sep 21:36 UTC
Core cask tap JSON: 16 Sep 21:36 UTC
HOMEBREW_PREFIX: /opt/homebrew
HOMEBREW_CASK_OPTS: []
HOMEBREW_DISPLAY: /private/tmp/com.apple.launchd.XFxqLgc8jn/org.xquartz:0
HOMEBREW_MAKE_JOBS: 12
Homebrew Ruby: 3.3.4 => /opt/homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/portable-ruby/3.3.4_1/bin/ruby
CPU: dodeca-core 64-bit arm_lobos
Clang: 15.0.0 build 1500
Git: 2.39.3 => /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/git
Curl: 8.7.1 => /usr/bin/curl
macOS: 14.6.1-arm64
CLT: 15.3.0.0.1.1708646388
Xcode: 15.4
Rosetta 2: false

Output of brew doctor

Your system is ready to brew.

Description of issue

I have a bunch of packages that I needed at some point but don't need anymore. I am usually inspecting what I have installed via brew leaves --installed-on-request. I don't need one of the packages, but a few others have it as a dependency, so if I try to uninstall it I get an error Refusing to uninstall ... because it is required by .... How can I make a package not 'installed on request'?

[carlocab]

brew tab may be useful for you.

❯ brew help tab
Usage: brew tab [options] installed_formula|installed_cask [...]

Edit tab information for installed formulae or casks.

This can be useful when you want to control whether an installed formula should
be removed by brew autoremove. To prevent removal, mark the formula as
installed on request; to allow removal, mark the formula as not installed on
request.

      --installed-on-request       Mark installed_formula or installed_cask
                                   as installed on request.
      --no-installed-on-request    Mark installed_formula or installed_cask
                                   as not installed on request.
      --formula, --formulae        Only mark formulae.
      --cask, --casks              Only mark casks.
  -d, --debug                      Display any debugging information.
  -q, --quiet                      Make some output more quiet.
  -v, --verbose                    Make some output more verbose.
  -h, --help                       Show this message.