Bug#1110750: marked as done (apt: after stable release, apt-get throws error and points to confusing manpage)

To: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>
Subject: Bug#1110750: marked as done (apt: after stable release, apt-get throws error and points to confusing manpage)
From: "Debian Bug Tracking System" <owner@bugs.debian.org>
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:29:02 +0000
Message-id: <[🔎] handler.1110750.D1110750.17595088492690777.ackdone@bugs.debian.org>
Reply-to: 1110750@bugs.debian.org
References: <20251003175355.GA265092@debian.org> <aaf5bf9c6a8e33aea7b4cf26fa409c7fd82e21e3.camel@gmail.com>

Your message dated Fri, 3 Oct 2025 18:27:23 +0200
with message-id <20251003175355.GA265092@debian.org>
and subject line Re: Bug#1110750: apt: after stable release, apt-get throws error and points to confusing manpage
has caused the Debian Bug report #1110750,
regarding apt: after stable release, apt-get throws error and points to confusing manpage
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.)


-- 
1110750: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1110750
Debian Bug Tracking System
Contact owner@bugs.debian.org with problems

--- Begin Message ---

To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>

Subject: apt: after stable release, apt-get throws error and points to confusing manpage

From: "John M." <jwmwalrus@gmail.com>

Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2025 14:47:09 -0500

Message-id: <aaf5bf9c6a8e33aea7b4cf26fa409c7fd82e21e3.camel@gmail.com>

Package: apt
Version: 3.0.3
Severity: normal

Dear Maintainer,

I've been using Debian Testing for the past 15 years or so, and every time a stable version is released, I get an error when I do `apt-get update`.

The error points to the apt-secure(8), which mentions a lot of stuff, but doesn't offer the simpler solution:

apt-get --allow-releaseinfo-change update

Since a release happens every two years, the use of the flag is so infrequent that I forget it exists. So I go to the manpage, read it from top to bottom, and then I google the actual solution.

It would be better if the simpler fix were included in that manpage.

And also, (on a possibly unrelated note), lately the reportbug utility seems to ignore APT's priorities, and actually suggests installing packages from "experimental" before reporting any bug, stating that they are simply "outdated".

--
John M.

-- Package-specific info:

-- apt-config dump --

APT "";
APT::Architecture "amd64";
APT::Build-Essential "";
APT::Build-Essential:: "build-essential";
APT::Install-Recommends "true";
APT::Install-Suggests "0";
APT::Key "";
APT::Key::Assert-Pubkey-Algo ">=rsa2048,ed25519,ed448,nistp256,nistp384,nistp512,brainpoolP256r1,brainpoolP320r1,brainpoolP384r1,brainpoolP512r1,secp256k1";
APT::Key::Assert-Pubkey-Algo::Next ">=rsa2048,ed25519,ed448,nistp256,nistp384,nistp512";
APT::Key::Assert-Pubkey-Algo::Future ">=rsa3072,ed25519,ed448";
APT::Sandbox "";
APT::Sandbox::User "_apt";
APT::Authentication "";
APT::Authentication::TrustCDROM "true";
APT::NeverAutoRemove "";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^firmware-linux.*";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-firmware$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-[a-z0-9]*$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-[a-z0-9]*-[a-z0-9]*$";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^postgresql.*-16";
APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^postgresql.*-17";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages "";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-.*";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "kfreebsd-.*";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "gnumach-.*";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-modules";
APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-kernel";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections "";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "metapackages";
APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "tasks";
APT::Move-Autobit-Sections "";
APT::Move-Autobit-Sections:: "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:: "/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/test ! -e /run/ostree-booted && /usr/bin/gdbus call --system --dest org.freedesktop.PackageKit --object-path /org/freedesktop/PackageKit --timeout 4 --method org.freedesktop.PackageKit.StateHasChanged cache-update > /dev/null; /bin/echo > /dev/null";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "if /usr/bin/test -w /var/cache/swcatalog -a -e /usr/bin/appstreamcli; then appstreamcli refresh --source=os > /dev/null || true; fi";
APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success:: "if /usr/bin/test -w /var/lib/command-not-found/ -a -e /usr/lib/cnf-update-db; then /usr/lib/cnf-update-db > /dev/null; fi";
APT::Architectures "";
APT::Architectures:: "amd64";
APT::Architectures:: "i386";
APT::Compressor "";
APT::Compressor::. "";
APT::Compressor::.::Name ".";
APT::Compressor::.::Extension "";
APT::Compressor::.::Binary "";
APT::Compressor::.::Cost "0";
APT::Compressor::zstd "";
APT::Compressor::zstd::Name "zstd";
APT::Compressor::zstd::Extension ".zst";
APT::Compressor::zstd::Binary "zstd";
APT::Compressor::zstd::Cost "60";
APT::Compressor::zstd::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::zstd::CompressArg:: "-6";
APT::Compressor::zstd::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::zstd::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::lz4 "";
APT::Compressor::lz4::Name "lz4";
APT::Compressor::lz4::Extension ".lz4";
APT::Compressor::lz4::Binary "false";
APT::Compressor::lz4::Cost "50";
APT::Compressor::gzip "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Name "gzip";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Extension ".gz";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Binary "gzip";
APT::Compressor::gzip::Cost "100";
APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg:: "-6n";
APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::xz "";
APT::Compressor::xz::Name "xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Extension ".xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Binary "xz";
APT::Compressor::xz::Cost "200";
APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg:: "-6";
APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::bzip2 "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Name "bzip2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Extension ".bz2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Binary "bzip2";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::Cost "300";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg:: "-6";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg:: "-d";
APT::Compressor::lzma "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Name "lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Extension ".lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Binary "xz";
APT::Compressor::lzma::Cost "400";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg "";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "--format=lzma";
APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "-6";
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::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::main "apt.conf";
Dir::Etc::netrc "auth.conf";
Dir::Etc::netrcparts "auth.conf.d";
Dir::Etc::parts "apt.conf.d";
Dir::Etc::preferences "preferences";
Dir::Etc::preferencesparts "preferences.d";
Dir::Etc::trustedparts "trusted.gpg.d";
Dir::Etc::apt-listchanges-main "listchanges.conf";
Dir::Etc::apt-listchanges-parts "listchanges.conf.d";
Dir::Etc::apt-file-main "apt-file.conf";
Dir::Boot "boot";
Dir::Usr "usr";
Dir::Bin "";
Dir::Bin::methods "/usr/lib/apt/methods";
Dir::Bin::solvers "";
Dir::Bin::solvers:: "/usr/lib/apt/solvers";
Dir::Bin::planners "";
Dir::Bin::planners:: "/usr/lib/apt/planners";
Dir::Bin::dpkg "/usr/bin/dpkg";
Dir::Bin::gzip "/bin/gzip";
Dir::Bin::bzip2 "/bin/bzip2";
Dir::Bin::xz "/usr/bin/xz";
Dir::Bin::lz4 "/usr/bin/lz4";
Dir::Bin::zstd "/usr/bin/zstd";
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::Log::Planner "eipp.log.xz";
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]+$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.ucf-[a-z]+$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.save$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.orig$";
Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.distUpgrade$";
Acquire "";
Acquire::AllowInsecureRepositories "0";
Acquire::AllowWeakRepositories "0";
Acquire::AllowDowngradeToInsecureRepositories "0";
Acquire::cdrom "";
Acquire::cdrom::mount "/media/cdrom";
Acquire::IndexTargets "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/binary-$(ARCHITECTURE)/Packages";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::flatMetaKey "Packages";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::ShortDescription "Packages";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) $(ARCHITECTURE) Packages";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Packages";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::Optional "0";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/i18n/Translation-$(LANGUAGE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::flatMetaKey "$(LANGUAGE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::ShortDescription "Translation-$(LANGUAGE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Translation-$(LANGUAGE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Translation-$(LANGUAGE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11 "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/dep11/Components-$(NATIVE_ARCHITECTURE).yml";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11::ShortDescription "Components-$(NATIVE_ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) $(NATIVE_ARCHITECTURE) Components";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11::KeepCompressedAs "gz";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-small "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-small::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/dep11/icons-48x48.tar";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-small::ShortDescription "icons-48x48";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-small::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Icons (48x48)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-small::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-small::KeepCompressedAs "gz";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-small::DefaultEnabled "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/dep11/icons-64x64.tar";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons::ShortDescription "icons-64x64";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Icons (64x64)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons::KeepCompressedAs "gz";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons::DefaultEnabled "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-hidpi "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-hidpi::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/dep11/icons-64x64@2.tar";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-hidpi::ShortDescription "icons-64x64@2";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-hidpi::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Icons (64x64@2)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-hidpi::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-hidpi::KeepCompressedAs "gz";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-hidpi::DefaultEnabled "false";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/dep11/icons-128x128.tar";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large::ShortDescription "icons-128x128";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Icons (128x128)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large::KeepCompressedAs "gz";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large::DefaultEnabled "false";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large-hidpi "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large-hidpi::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/dep11/icons-128x128@2.tar";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large-hidpi::ShortDescription "icons-128x128@2";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large-hidpi::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Icons (128x128@2)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large-hidpi::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large-hidpi::KeepCompressedAs "gz";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::DEP-11-icons-large-hidpi::DefaultEnabled "false";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::ShortDescription "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) $(ARCHITECTURE) Contents (deb)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::flatMetaKey "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Contents (deb)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::PDiffs "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/Contents-udeb-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::ShortDescription "Contents-udeb-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) $(ARCHITECTURE) Contents (udeb)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::flatMetaKey "Contents-udeb-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Contents (udeb)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::PDiffs "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-udeb::DefaultEnabled "false";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy::MetaKey "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy::ShortDescription "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy::Description "$(RELEASE) $(ARCHITECTURE) Contents (deb)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy::PDiffs "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy::Fallback-Of "Contents-deb";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Contents-deb-legacy::Identifier "Contents-deb";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::CNF "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::CNF::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/cnf/Commands-$(NATIVE_ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::CNF::ShortDescription "Commands-$(NATIVE_ARCHITECTURE)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::CNF::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) $(NATIVE_ARCHITECTURE) c-n-f Metadata";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::CNF::DefaultEnabled "no";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/source/Sources";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::flatMetaKey "Sources";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::ShortDescription "Sources";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Sources";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Sources";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::Optional "0";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc "";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/Contents-source";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::ShortDescription "Contents-source";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) source Contents (dsc)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::flatMetaKey "Contents-source";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Contents (dsc)";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::PDiffs "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::KeepCompressed "true";
Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Contents-dsc::DefaultEnabled "false";
Acquire::Changelogs "";
Acquire::Changelogs::URI "";
Acquire::Changelogs::URI::Origin "";
Acquire::Changelogs::URI::Origin::Debian "https://metadata.ftp-master.debian.org/changelogs/@CHANGEPATH@_changelog";
Acquire::Changelogs::URI::Origin::Ubuntu "https://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/@CHANGEPATH@/changelog";
Acquire::Changelogs::AlwaysOnline "";
Acquire::Changelogs::AlwaysOnline::Origin "";
Acquire::Changelogs::AlwaysOnline::Origin::Ubuntu "1";
Acquire::Snapshots "";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI "";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Origin "";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Origin::Debian "https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/debian/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Origin::Ubuntu "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Override "";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Override::Label "";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Override::Label::Debian-Security "https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/debian-security/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host "";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::archive.ubuntu.com "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::deb.debian.org "https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::.archive.ubuntu.com "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::security.ubuntu.com "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::ppa.launchpadcontent.net "https://snapshot.ppa.launchpadcontent.net/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::ppa.launchpad.net "https://snapshot.ppa.launchpadcontent.net/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";
Acquire::Languages "";
Acquire::Languages:: "en";
Acquire::Languages:: "none";
Acquire::CompressionTypes "";
Acquire::CompressionTypes::xz "xz";
Acquire::CompressionTypes::bz2 "bzip2";
Acquire::CompressionTypes::lzma "lzma";
Acquire::CompressionTypes::gz "gzip";
Acquire::CompressionTypes::lz4 "lz4";
Acquire::CompressionTypes::zst "zstd";
DPkg "";
DPkg::Path "/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs "";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/bin/apt-listbugs apt";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/bin/apt-listchanges --apt || test $? -lt 10";
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";
DPkg::Tools "";
DPkg::Tools::Options "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listbugs "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listbugs::Version "3";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listbugs::InfoFD "20";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges "";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges::Version "2";
DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listchanges::InfoFD "20";
DPkg::Post-Invoke "";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "/usr/bin/test -e /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.PackageKit.service && /usr/bin/test -S /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket && /usr/bin/test ! -e /run/ostree-booted && /usr/bin/gdbus call --system --dest org.freedesktop.PackageKit --object-path /org/freedesktop/PackageKit --timeout 4 --method org.freedesktop.PackageKit.StateHasChanged cache-update > /dev/null; /bin/echo > /dev/null";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "if [ -e /etc/default/snapper ]; then . /etc/default/snapper; fi; if [ -x /usr/bin/snapper ] && [ ! x$DISABLE_APT_SNAPSHOT = 'xyes' ] && [ -e /var/tmp/snapper-apt ]; then snapper create -d apt -c number -t post --pre-number=`cat /var/tmp/snapper-apt` || true ; snapper cleanup number || true ; fi";
DPkg::Post-Invoke:: "if [ -x /usr/sbin/localepurge ] && [ $(ps w -p $PPID | grep -E -c '(remove|purge)') != 1 ]; then /usr/sbin/localepurge; else exit 0; fi";
DPkg::Pre-Invoke "";
DPkg::Pre-Invoke:: "if [ -e /etc/default/snapper ]; then . /etc/default/snapper; fi; if [ -x /usr/bin/snapper ] && [ ! x$DISABLE_APT_SNAPSHOT = 'xyes' ] && [ -e /etc/snapper/configs/root ]; then rm -f /var/tmp/snapper-apt || true ; snapper create -d apt -c number -t pre -p > /var/tmp/snapper-apt || true ; snapper cleanup number || true ; fi";
AptListbugs "";
AptListbugs::Severities "critical,grave,serious";
apt-file "";
apt-file::Index-Names "deb";
apt-file::Parser "";
apt-file::Parser::Check-For-Description-Header "false";
Binary "apt-config";
Binary::apt-cdrom "";
Binary::apt-cdrom::APT "";
Binary::apt-cdrom::APT::Internal "";
Binary::apt-cdrom::APT::Internal::OpProgress "";
Binary::apt-cdrom::APT::Internal::OpProgress::EraseLines "0";
Binary::apt "";
Binary::apt::APT "";
Binary::apt::APT::Color "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Output-Version "30";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache "";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Show "";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Show::Version "2";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::AllVersions "0";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::ShowVirtuals "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Search "";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Search::Version "2";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::ShowDependencyType "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Cache::ShowVersion "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Get "";
Binary::apt::APT::Get::Upgrade-Allow-New "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Get::Update "";
Binary::apt::APT::Get::Update::InteractiveReleaseInfoChanges "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Cmd "";
Binary::apt::APT::Cmd::Show-Update-Stats "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Cmd::Pattern-Only "1";
Binary::apt::APT::Keep-Downloaded-Packages "0";
Binary::apt::DPkg "";
Binary::apt::DPkg::Progress-Fancy "1";
Binary::apt::DPkg::Lock "";
Binary::apt::DPkg::Lock::Timeout "-1";
Binary::apt::Pager "1";
CommandLine "";
CommandLine::AsString "apt-config dump";

-- (no /etc/apt/preferences present) --

-- /etc/apt/preferences.d/sane-preferences --

Package: *
Pin: origin www.deb-multimedia.org
Pin-Priority: 199

Package: *
Pin: origin "ppa.launchpad.net"
Pin-Priority: 100

Package: *
Pin: release a=stable
Pin-Priority: 199

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 500

Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 200

Package: *
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 101

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 13.0
APT prefers stable-updates
APT policy: (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'stable-security'), (500, 'testing'), (200, 'unstable'), (199, 'stable'), (101, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 6.12.38+deb13-amd64 (SMP w/16 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
Kernel taint flags: TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE, TAINT_OOT_MODULE, TAINT_UNSIGNED_MODULE
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE not set
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled

Versions of packages apt depends on:
ii adduser                 3.152
ii base-passwd             3.6.7
ii debian-archive-keyring 2025.1
ii libapt-pkg7.0           3.0.3
ii libc6                   2.41-11
ii libgcc-s1               14.2.0-19
ii libseccomp2             2.6.0-2
ii libssl3t64              3.5.1-1
ii libstdc++6              14.2.0-19
ii libsystemd0             257.7-1
ii sqv                     1.3.0-3

Versions of packages apt recommends:
ii ca-certificates 20250419

Versions of packages apt suggests:
ii apt-doc         3.0.3
ii dpkg-dev        1.22.21
ii gnupg           2.4.7-21
ii powermgmt-base 1.38
ii synaptic        0.91.7

-- no debconf information

--- End Message ---

--- Begin Message ---

To: 1110750-close@bugs.debian.org
Subject: Re: Bug#1110750: apt: after stable release, apt-get throws error and points to confusing manpage
From: Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org>
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2025 18:27:23 +0200
Message-id: <20251003175355.GA265092@debian.org>
In-reply-to: <aaf5bf9c6a8e33aea7b4cf26fa409c7fd82e21e3.camel@gmail.com>
References: <aaf5bf9c6a8e33aea7b4cf26fa409c7fd82e21e3.camel@gmail.com>

On Sun, Aug 10, 2025 at 02:47:09PM -0500, John M. wrote:
> Package: apt
> Version: 3.0.3
> Severity: normal
> 
> Dear Maintainer,
> 
> I've been using Debian Testing for the past 15 years or so, and every
> time a stable version is released, I get an error when I do `apt-get
> update`.
> 
> The error points to the apt-secure(8), which mentions a lot of stuff,
> but doesn't offer the simpler solution:
> 
>    apt-get --allow-releaseinfo-change update 
>    
> Since a release happens every two years, the use of the flag is so
> infrequent that I forget it exists. So I go to the manpage, read it
> from top to bottom, and then I google the actual solution.
> 
> It would be better if the simpler fix were included in that manpage.

The apt-get command is provided for scripting needs and not recommended
for interactive use. You should be using the apt(8) tool instead which
prompts your for it interactively, rendering this a non-issue.

The --allow-releaseinfo-change option is wrong in almost all cases,
and you should be using a more specific option if you need to use
the legacy scripting tools.

The manual page the error message points to describes the reasoning
for this behavior, it is up to the user to consult the documentation
for their chosen frontend if necessary, whether this is apt-get,
aptitude, packagekit, or whatever.

*

If you do not like the apt(8) 3.0 user interface, you may change the
output back by setting Binary::apt::APT::Output-Version "29"; or any
other value below 30.

To help in the transition, you may want to set 

    alias apt-get=apt
    alias apt-cache=apt

-- 
debian developer - deb.li/jak | jak-linux.org - free software dev
ubuntu core developer                              i speak de, en

--- End Message ---

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