Bug#673908: apt: Recommended May Take Precedence over Installed

To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>
Subject: Bug#673908: apt: Recommended May Take Precedence over Installed
From: Chris Hiestand <chiestand@salk.edu>
Date: Mon, 21 May 2012 17:39:42 -0700
Message-id: <[🔎] 20120522003942.24833.49267.reportbug@sagan.snl.salk.edu>
Reply-to: Chris Hiestand <chiestand@salk.edu>, 673908@bugs.debian.org
Package: apt
Version: 0.9.3
Severity: normal

Dear Maintainers,

It seems that the "install-recommended" option will treat recommended exactly
like "depends". However in some cases this is not the desired behavior. For
example, you would not want a recommended package's installation to force
the uninstall of an already-installed package.

I have installed a metapackage called snl-workstation which conflicts with
nvidia-kernel-common. When I install or upgrade the package libcuda1, it
recommends nvidia-kernel-295.49 which ultimately depends on
nvidia-kernel-common.

`apt-get install snl-workstation libcuda1` has the correct outcome:
snl-workstation is installed and libcuda1's incompatible recommends are
ignored.

However `apt-get install snl-workstation; apt-get install libcuda1` will remove
snl-workstation in order to install nvidia-kernel-common because libcuda1's
recommends are treated as depends.

I think this is a bug. A recommend should never be installed if it conflicts
with a currently installed package.

A workaround is `apt-get install --no-install-recommends libcuda1`, but
this is not ideal. I still want recommends installed, just not conflicting
recommends.

Thanks,
Chris


-- Package-specific info:

-- apt-config dump --

APT "";
APT::Architecture "amd64";
APT::Build-Essential "";
APT::Build-Essential:: "build-essential";
APT::Install-Recommends "1";
APT::Install-Suggests "0";
APT::Authentication "";
APT::Authentication::TrustCDROM "true";
APT::NeverAutoRemove "";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^firmware-linux.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-firmware$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-image.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-restricted-modules.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-ubuntu-modules-.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach-image.*";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections "";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "restricted/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "universe/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "multiverse/metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "restricted/oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "universe/oldlibs";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "multiverse/oldlibs";
APT::Periodic "";
APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
APT::Periodic::Download-Upgradeable-Packages "0";
APT::Periodic::AutocleanInterval "0";
APT::Update "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke:: "touch /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-success-stamp 2>/dev/null || true";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "[ ! -f /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket ] || /usr/bin/dbus-send --system --dest=org.debian.apt --type=signal /org/debian/apt org.debian.apt.CacheChanged || true";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "/usr/bin/test -e /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.PackageKit.service && /usr/bin/test -S /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket && /usr/bin/gdbus call --system --dest org.freedesktop.PackageKit --object-path /org/freedesktop/PackageKit --timeout 1 --method org.freedesktop.PackageKit.StateHasChanged cache-update > /dev/null; /bin/echo > /dev/null";
APT::Archives "";
APT::Archives::MaxAge "30";
APT::Archives::MinAge "2";
APT::Archives::MaxSize "500";
APT::Architectures "";
APT::Architectures:: "amd64";
APT::Architectures:: "i386";
APT::Compressor "";
APT::Compressor::. "";
APT::Compressor::.::Name ".";
APT::Compressor::.::Extension "";
APT::Compressor::.::Binary "";
APT::Compressor::.::Cost "1";
APT::Compressor::gzip "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Name "gzip";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Extension ".gz";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Binary "gzip";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Cost "2";
APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg:: "-9n";
APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::bzip2 "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Name "bzip2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Extension ".bz2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Binary "bzip2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Cost "3";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg:: "-9";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::xz "";
APT::Compressor::xz::Name "xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Extension ".xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Binary "xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Cost "4";
APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg:: "-6";
APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::lzma "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Name "lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Extension ".lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Binary "xz";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Cost "5";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "--format=lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "-9";
APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg:: "--format=lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::::Name "";
APT::Compressor::::Extension ".";
APT::Compressor::::Binary "";
APT::Compressor::::Cost "100";
APT::Compressor::::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::::CompressArg:: "-9";
APT::Compressor::::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::::UncompressArg:: "-d";
Dir "/";
Dir::State "var/lib/apt/";
Dir::State::lists "lists/";
Dir::State::cdroms "cdroms.list";
Dir::State::mirrors "mirrors/";
Dir::State::extended_states "extended_states";
Dir::State::status "/var/lib/dpkg/status";
Dir::Cache "var/cache/apt/";
Dir::Cache::archives "archives/";
Dir::Cache::srcpkgcache "srcpkgcache.bin";
Dir::Cache::pkgcache "pkgcache.bin";
Dir::Etc "etc/apt/";
Dir::Etc::sourcelist "sources.list";
Dir::Etc::sourceparts "sources.list.d";
Dir::Etc::vendorlist "vendors.list";
Dir::Etc::vendorparts "vendors.list.d";
Dir::Etc::main "apt.conf";
Dir::Etc::netrc "auth.conf";
Dir::Etc::parts "apt.conf.d";
Dir::Etc::preferences "preferences";
Dir::Etc::preferencesparts "preferences.d";
Dir::Etc::trusted "trusted.gpg";
Dir::Etc::trustedparts "trusted.gpg.d";
Dir::Bin "";
Dir::Bin::methods "/usr/lib/apt/methods";
Dir::Bin::solvers "";
Dir::Bin::solvers:: "/usr/lib/apt/solvers";
Dir::Bin::dpkg "/usr/bin/dpkg";
Dir::Bin::bzip2 "/bin/bzip2";
Dir::Bin::xz "/usr/bin/xz";
Dir::Media "";
Dir::Media::MountPath "/media/apt";
Dir::Log "var/log/apt";
Dir::Log::Terminal "term.log";
Dir::Log::History "history.log";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently "";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "~$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.disabled$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.bak$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.dpkg-[a-z]+$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.save$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.orig$";
Acquire "";
Acquire::cdrom "";
Acquire::cdrom::mount "/media/cdrom/";
Acquire::Languages "";
Acquire::Languages:: "en";
Acquire::Languages:: "none";
DPkg "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/bin/apt-listchanges --apt || test $? -ne 10";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";
DPkg::Tools "";
DPkg::Tools::Options "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges::Version "2";
DPkg::Post-Invoke "";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "/usr/bin/test -e /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.PackageKit.service && /usr/bin/test -S /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket && /usr/bin/gdbus call --system --dest org.freedesktop.PackageKit --object-path /org/freedesktop/PackageKit --timeout 1 --method org.freedesktop.PackageKit.StateHasChanged cache-update > /dev/null; /bin/echo > /dev/null";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "if [ -x /usr/bin/debsums ]; then /usr/bin/debsums --generate=nocheck -sp /var/cache/apt/archives; fi";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "test -f /var/run/med-config.usermenu && if [ -x /usr/sbin/blend-update-usermenus ] ; then /usr/sbin/blend-update-usermenus med ; fi ; rm -f /var/run/med-config.usermenu";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "test -f /var/run/science-config.usermenu && if [ -x /usr/sbin/blend-update-usermenus ] ; then /usr/sbin/blend-update-usermenus science ; fi ; rm -f /var/run/science-config.usermenu";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "if [ -d /var/lib/update-notifier ]; then touch /var/lib/update-notifier/dpkg-run-stamp; fi; if [ -e /var/lib/update-notifier/updates-available ]; then echo > /var/lib/update-notifier/updates-available; fi ";
Unattended-Upgrade "";
Unattended-Upgrade::Origins-Pattern "";
Unattended-Upgrade::Origins-Pattern:: "origin=Debian,archive=stable,label=Debian-Security";
CommandLine "";
CommandLine::AsString "apt-config dump";

-- /etc/apt/preferences --

Explanation: see http://www.argon.org/~roderick/apt-pinning.html
Explanation: and read `man apt_preferences`
Explanation: also useful: http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/ch02.en.html (Debian Package Management)
Explanation: Top 2 Entries Track Debian Stable
Package: *
Pin: release o=SNL
Pin-Priority: 902

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian,n=wheezy
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian,n=wheezy-updates
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release n=wheezy-backports
Pin-Priority: 500

Package: *
Pin: release n=wheezy-proposed-updates
Pin-Priority: 350

Explanation: Automatically upgrade to "experimental" version of mozilla iceweasel
Package: iceweasel
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: xulrunner-*
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: libmozjs*
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian,a=testing
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian,a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 300

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian
Pin-Priority: -1

-- (/etc/apt/sources.list present, but not submitted) --


-- System Information:
Debian Release: wheezy/sid
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (900, 'testing'), (350, 'testing-proposed-updates')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 3.2.0-2-amd64 (SMP w/12 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages apt depends on:
ii  debian-archive-keyring  2012.1
ii  gnupg                   1.4.12-4
ii  libapt-pkg4.12          0.9.3
ii  libc6                   2.13-32
ii  libgcc1                 1:4.7.0-8
ii  libstdc++6              4.7.0-8

apt recommends no packages.

Versions of packages apt suggests:
ii  apt-doc     0.9.3
ii  aptitude    0.6.7-1
ii  dpkg-dev    1.16.3
ii  python-apt  0.8.4
ii  synaptic    0.75.10
ii  xz-utils    5.1.1alpha+20110809-3

-- no debconf information
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