Bug#904678: dpkg-reconfigure apt-file ought to give me sources contents

[Niels Thykier <niels@thykier.net>]

On Fri, 27 Jul 2018 06:37:00 +0000 Niels Thykier <niels@thykier.net> wrote:
> Ian Jackson:
> > Niels Thykier writes ("Re: Bug#904678: dpkg-reconfigure apt-file ought to give me sources contents"):
> >> [...]


Hi Ian,

I just updated apt-file/3.2 with the list-indices.

> >> But we can certainly improve the situation despite of that.  As I
> >> understand you, the primary key issue is finding the index names.  What
> >> do you think of a "list-indices" command a la:
> > 
> > That helps, but I think documentation improvements are also needed.
> > 
> 
> Certainly.  Concrete pointers/ideas are welcome.  :)
> 

I am still hoping for some pointers on where / what you would to see the
documentation improved.  You are almost certainly right but I am the
wrong person to spot where it is and what is missing (it has all become
"obvious" to me after having worked with this).

> >> """
> >> $ apt-file list-indices
> >> +-----------------+-----------------------------+
> >> | Index Name (-I) | DefaultEnabled (Apt config) |
> >> +-----------------+-----------------------------+
> >> | deb             | <unset>                     |
> >> | udeb            | false                       |
> >> | deb-legacy      | <unset>                     |
> >> | dsc             | false                       |
> >> +-----------------+-----------------------------+
> >> """
> > 
> > This is a good idea.
> > 
> 
> [...]
> 

This is now implemented.  I also added a column that tells you if a
given index has data.

> > I still want enabling this feature to be easier.  How about a
> > providing a command which edits /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50apt-file.conf to
> > enable the sources contents ?  And, presumably, also runs apt update.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Ian.
> > 
> 
> IMO, the APT config format is too flexible to be trivial to edit in
> general with more corner cases than I expect I will get right.  But I
> suppose we could make apt-file generate a 60apt-file-auto.conf using a
> subset of the format (apt-config dump) and with comments to encourage
> people to stick with that format.
> 
> The separate file also has the advantage of avoiding "gratuitous
> conffile prompts" for people that just enabled the indices but are
> otherwise happy with the defaults.
> 
> Thanks,
> ~Niels
> 

No progress here.  I was getting stuck, so I preferred getting an
incremental improvement out rather than staying stuck.

Thanks,
~Niels