[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Bug#1068769: marked as done (When removing a package with an entry in /etc/xdg/autostart/ ask the user whether the autostart file should be removed or remove it by default)

Your message dated Thu, 11 Apr 2024 10:19:54 +0200
with message-id <5epqm4n4dczxmrc7vjgkehrajln6ltds2cofr5534naxqaivyf@nb62yac5nhr5>
and subject line Re: Bug#1068769: When removing a package with an entry in /etc/xdg/autostart/ ask the user whether the autostart file should be removed or remove it by default
has caused the Debian Bug report #1068769,
regarding When removing a package with an entry in /etc/xdg/autostart/ ask the user whether the autostart file should be removed or remove it by default
to be marked as done.

This means that you claim that the problem has been dealt with.
If this is not the case it is now your responsibility to reopen the
Bug report if necessary, and/or fix the problem forthwith.

(NB: If you are a system administrator and have no idea what this
message is talking about, this may indicate a serious mail system
misconfiguration somewhere. Please contact owner@bugs.debian.org
immediately.)


-- 
1068769: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1068769
Debian Bug Tracking System
Contact owner@bugs.debian.org with problems
--- Begin Message --- 
Package: apt
Version: 2.6.1

See https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/774058/shouldnt-files-in-etc-xdg-autostart-be-removed-when-removing-a-package/774068

Please make apt-get remove autostart entries from the /etc/xdg/autostart/ folder also if the --purge option is not used. Alternatively, prompt the user whether that autostart entry should also be removed.

Many or most users do not know about the --purge option and those who do probably don't always know which of all of their packages have an autostart entry. There is no command like apt-get clean to remove all dysfunctional autostart entries.

Files that cause things to autostart are different from any /etc/ config file which just provides some configs if the application is running. Cleaning up autostart entries if a software is removed is good practice, improves security, and is generally what the user would like to do. If the package is installed again, a new autostart entry would or could be created anyway and keeping it after removing a package is more likely to cause problems than anything else in that case such as the app autostarting twice. It does not make sense to keep autostart entries when packages get removed.

--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message --- 
Hi,

On Wed, Apr 10, 2024 at 06:33:37PM +0000, mYnDstrEAm wrote:
> Please make apt-get remove autostart entries from the /etc/xdg/autostart/ folder also if the --purge option is not used.

While I understand the sentiment, I will have to close this request, as
we (as in apt team) can't make this happen for multiple reasons:

1. "apt-get" is unlikely to change behaviour without some very strong
   reasons. At best we could do this to "apt", but …

2. libapt-based tooling does not know if a package contains a file or
   not. dpkg deals with files on disk and apt & co 'just' drive it.

3. You can't "partial" purge a package – having a conf file removed is
   a choice that dpkg will honor, so a later (re)install will not have
   an autostart entry added (back). Conf file handling is complicated,
   but if the package gets it right your later remark on "starts twice"
   doesn't happen as removed in newer versions conf files would be
   removed on install of said newer version.

4. It is established practice that whatever /etc influences, it should
   be an effective no-op if the package they came with is not present
   currently.
   Examples would the be the /etc/init.d scripts of old, cron or even
   in terms of apt-related things: /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf
   Note that this is what the systemd-xdg-autostart-generator messages
   are about – they tell you that something is ignored.
   Or did this cause any harm? If so, that might be worth a bug
   report against whatever did not ignore them.

5. Stephen Kitts last remark in your linked question is likely the way
   to go if you really want that resolved: The files shouldn't be in
   /etc to begin with.


So: In src:apt we can do nothing about this. src:dpkg could in theory
via implementing some sort of partial purging, but that would be
borderline crazy (and conceptionally wrong). That leaves precious little
options for reassigning within Debian as that is nothing (re 5.) Debian
can [well it could, but it shouldn't] decide on its own – that needs to
happen upstream for all distros. So, as this is inactionable in Debian,
I will close this report as keeping it open serves no real purpose.


On the upside, I think you will quickly find allies in your quest if
there isn't some effort being made in that direction already (I haven't
checked) as I heard there is some effort in pushing for an empty /etc,
so I doubt they somehow skipped on this one…

(I don't use window manager(s) that make use of desktop and/or autostart
 files, so apologies if that sounds like I don't know what I am talking
 about… as I literally don't and so I can't give you any pointers as to
 where (upstream) you have to go to make that happen.)


Best regards

David Kalnischkies

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: PGP signature


--- End Message ---
Reply to: