Bug#809926: /usr/bin/apt-get: --install-recommends appears to be a no-op

To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>
Subject: Bug#809926: /usr/bin/apt-get: --install-recommends appears to be a no-op
From: Faheem Mitha <faheem@faheem.info>
Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2016 03:28:54 +0530
Message-id: <[🔎] 20160104215854.20875.30201.reportbug@orwell.homelinux.org>
Reply-to: Faheem Mitha <faheem@faheem.info>, 809926@bugs.debian.org
Package: apt
Version: 1.0.9.8.1
Severity: normal
File: /usr/bin/apt-get

Dear Maintainer,

Consider:

apt-get install gnumeric

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  guile-1.8 guile-1.8-libs libappconfig-perl lilypond-doc lilypond-doc-html lilypond-doc-pdf pfb2t1c2pfb ps2eps pxlib1 texmacs-common
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  gnumeric-doc
Suggested packages:
  gnumeric-plugins-extra
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  gnumeric gnumeric-doc
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 11.3 MB/13.6 MB of archives.
After this operation, 21.6 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

But let's install without the recommended gnumeric-doc.

apt-get install --no-install-recommends gnumeric

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  guile-1.8 guile-1.8-libs libappconfig-perl lilypond-doc lilypond-doc-html lilypond-doc-pdf pfb2t1c2pfb ps2eps pxlib1 texmacs-common
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
Suggested packages:
  gnumeric-plugins-extra
Recommended packages:
  gnumeric-doc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  gnumeric
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/2,315 kB of archives.
After this operation, 7,803 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package gnumeric.
(Reading database ... 515181 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../gnumeric_1.12.18-2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking gnumeric (1.12.18-2) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.58) ...
Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1) ...
Setting up gnumeric (1.12.18-2) ...
Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-18+deb8u1) ...

But reinstalling doesn't bring in the recommended gnumeric-doc.

apt-get install --reinstall gnumeric

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  guile-1.8 guile-1.8-libs libappconfig-perl lilypond-doc lilypond-doc-html lilypond-doc-pdf pfb2t1c2pfb ps2eps pxlib1 texmacs-common
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/2,315 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 515475 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../gnumeric_1.12.18-2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking gnumeric (1.12.18-2) over (1.12.18-2) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.58) ...
Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1) ...
Setting up gnumeric (1.12.18-2) ...
Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-18+deb8u1) ...

Nor does using the --install-recommends flag, which isn't documented
in the man page.

apt-get install --install-recommends --reinstall gnumeric

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  guile-1.8 guile-1.8-libs libappconfig-perl lilypond-doc lilypond-doc-html lilypond-doc-pdf pfb2t1c2pfb ps2eps pxlib1 texmacs-common
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/2,315 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 515475 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../gnumeric_1.12.18-2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking gnumeric (1.12.18-2) over (1.12.18-2) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.58) ...
Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1) ...
Setting up gnumeric (1.12.18-2) ...
Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-18+deb8u1) ...

Surely this should add gnumeric-doc?

                    Regards, Faheem

-- 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$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-headers-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-headers-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-extra-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-extra-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-signed-image-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-signed-image-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-image-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-image-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-headers-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^kfreebsd-headers-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach-image-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^gnumach-image-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-modules-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-modules-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-kernel-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^.*-kernel-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-backports-modules-.*-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-backports-modules-.*-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-tools-3\.16\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-tools-3\.2\.0-4-amd64$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^postgresql-";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages "";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-headers";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-image-extra";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-signed-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "kfreebsd-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "kfreebsd-headers";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "gnumach-image";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-modules";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-kernel";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-backports-modules-.*";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-tools";
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::Update "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "test -x /usr/bin/apt-show-versions || exit 0 ; apt-show-versions -i";
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 "";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke:: "[ ! -x /usr/bin/debtags ] || debtags update || true";
APT::Periodic "";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";
APT::Get "";
APT::Get::Build-Dep-Automatic "true";
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";
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::Bin::lzma "/usr/bin/xz";
Dir::Media "";
Dir::Media::MountPath "/media/cdrom";
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$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.distUpgrade$";
Acquire "";
Acquire::cdrom "";
Acquire::cdrom::mount "/media/cdrom";
Acquire::Languages "";
Acquire::Languages:: "en";
Acquire::Languages:: "none";
DPkg "";
DPkg::Pre-Invoke "";
DPkg::Pre-Invoke:: "if [ -x /usr/bin/etckeeper ]; then etckeeper pre-install; fi";
DPkg::Post-Invoke "";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "if [ -x /usr/bin/etckeeper ]; then etckeeper post-install; fi";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "[ ! -e /usr/bin/how-can-i-help ] || /usr/bin/how-can-i-help";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/bin/apt-listchanges --apt || test $? -ne 10";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";
DPkg::Tools "";
DPkg::Tools::Options "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges::Version "2";
RPM "";
RPM::Pre-Invoke "";
RPM::Pre-Invoke:: "if [ -x /usr/bin/etckeeper ]; then etckeeper pre-install; fi";
RPM::Post-Invoke "";
RPM::Post-Invoke:: "if [ -x /usr/bin/etckeeper ]; then etckeeper post-install; fi";
Unattended-Upgrade "";
Unattended-Upgrade::Origins-Pattern "";
Unattended-Upgrade::Origins-Pattern:: "origin=Debian,codename=${distro_codename},label=Debian-Security";
Unattended-Upgrade::Origins-Pattern:: "l=smuxi-daily";
CommandLine "";
CommandLine::AsString "apt-config dump";

-- /etc/apt/preferences --

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 50

# Package: *
# Pin: release n=jessie
# Pin-Priority: 50

Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 50

Package: *
Pin: origin backports.debian.org
Pin-Priority: 50

Package: *
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 1

Package: *
Pin: release a=snapshot.debian.net
Pin-Priority: 1

Package: *
Pin: origin www.deb-multimedia.org
Pin-Priority: 1

Package: *
Pin: origin deb.grml.org
Pin-Priority: 1

-- /etc/apt/sources.list --


#tor+http://debian.mirrors.ovh.net/debian/
#tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/

# ## wheezy sources

# deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ wheezy main non-free contrib
# deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ wheezy main non-free contrib

# deb tor+http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free
# deb-src tor+http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free

# # wheezy-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
# deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ wheezy-updates main contrib non-free
# deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ wheezy-updates main contrib non-free

# deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ wheezy-backports main contrib non-free
# deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ wheezy-backports main contrib non-free

## jessie sources

deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie main non-free contrib
deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie main non-free contrib

deb tor+http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src tor+http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main contrib non-free

# jessie-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free

deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-backports main contrib non-free
deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-backports main contrib non-free

#deb tor+http://cran.rstudio.com/R/CRAN/bin/linux/debian jessie-cran3/
deb tor+http://cran.rstudio.com/bin/linux/debian jessie-cran3/
#deb-src tor+http://cran.rstudio.com/R/CRAN/bin/linux/debian jessie-cran3/

# unstable source

deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib
deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib

# experimental sources

deb tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ experimental main non-free contrib
deb-src tor+http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ experimental main non-free contrib

#smuxi
deb tor+http://ppa.launchpad.net/meebey/smuxi-daily/ubuntu precise main
deb-src tor+http://ppa.launchpad.net/meebey/smuxi-daily/ubuntu precise main

#deb tor+http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main

deb tor+http://llvm.org/apt/jessie/ llvm-toolchain-jessie-3.7 main
deb-src tor+http://llvm.org/apt/jessie/ llvm-toolchain-jessie-3.7 main

deb tor+http://www.deb-multimedia.org jessie main non-free
deb-src tor+http://www.deb-multimedia.org jessie main non-free

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 8.2
  APT prefers stable-updates
  APT policy: (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'stable'), (50, 'unstable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 3.16.0-4-amd64 (SMP w/6 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)

Versions of packages apt depends on:
ii  debian-archive-keyring  2014.3
ii  gnupg                   1.4.18-7
ii  libapt-pkg4.12          1.0.9.8.1
ii  libc6                   2.19-18+deb8u1
ii  libgcc1                 1:4.9.2-10
ii  libstdc++6              4.9.2-10

apt recommends no packages.

Versions of packages apt suggests:
pn  apt-doc     <none>
ii  aptitude    0.6.11-1+b1
ii  dpkg-dev    1.17.26
ii  python-apt  0.9.3.12
ii  synaptic    0.81.2
ii  wajig       2.17

-- no debconf information
Reply to:
Follow-Ups:
- Bug#809926: /usr/bin/apt-get: --install-recommends appears to be a no-op
  - From: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>
- Processed: Re: Bug#809926: /usr/bin/apt-get: --install-recommends appears to be a no-op
  - From: owner@bugs.debian.org (Debian Bug Tracking System)
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