[Bug 1641303] [NEW] Wish: apt shouldn't show kept-back packages within the list of upgradable

[Oleksandr Pikozh]

Public bug reported:

Should apt consider kept-back packages as upgradable? Current state is:
1. Within 'apt dist-upgrade' it doesn't.
2. Within 'apt list --upgradable' and 'apt update' it does.

For example:

$ sudo apt update
> [...]
> Fetched 94,5 kB in 1s (66,0 kB/s)
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree       
> Reading state information... Done
> 1 package can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see it.
 
$ apt list --upgradable
> Listing... Done
> nvidia-304/xenial-updates,xenial-security 304.132-0ubuntu0.16.04.2 amd64 [upgradable from: 304.131-0ubuntu3]
> N: There is 1 additional version. Please use the '-a' switch to see it

$ sudo apt dist-upgrade 
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree       
> Reading state information... Done
> Calculating upgrade... Done
> The following packages have been kept back:
>   nvidia-304
> 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.

1) $ lsb_release -rd
Description:    Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
Release:        16.04

2) $ apt-cache policy apt
apt:
  Installed: 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
  Candidate: 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1 500
        500 http://ua.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1.2.10ubuntu1 500
        500 http://ua.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages

3) I expected output of 'apt update' and 'apt list --upgradable' to be
consistent with output of 'apt dist-upgrade': i.e. if the former say
there're upgradable packages, the latter should upgrade them.

4) 'apt update' and 'apt list --upgradable' consider kept-back packages
as upgradable; luckily, 'apt dist-upgrade' doesn't.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: apt 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-47.68-generic 4.4.24
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-47-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: KDE
Date: Sat Nov 12 12:38:20 2016
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-11-10 (367 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Alpha amd64 (20151110)
SourcePackage: apt
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: apt (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug xenial

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to apt in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1641303

Title:
  Wish: apt shouldn't show kept-back packages within the list of
  upgradable

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Should apt consider kept-back packages as upgradable? Current state is:
  1. Within 'apt dist-upgrade' it doesn't.
  2. Within 'apt list --upgradable' and 'apt update' it does.

  For example:

  $ sudo apt update
  > [...]
  > Fetched 94,5 kB in 1s (66,0 kB/s)
  > Reading package lists... Done
  > Building dependency tree       
  > Reading state information... Done
  > 1 package can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see it.
   
  $ apt list --upgradable
  > Listing... Done
  > nvidia-304/xenial-updates,xenial-security 304.132-0ubuntu0.16.04.2 amd64 [upgradable from: 304.131-0ubuntu3]
  > N: There is 1 additional version. Please use the '-a' switch to see it

  $ sudo apt dist-upgrade 
  > Reading package lists... Done
  > Building dependency tree       
  > Reading state information... Done
  > Calculating upgrade... Done
  > The following packages have been kept back:
  >   nvidia-304
  > 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.

  1) $ lsb_release -rd
  Description:    Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
  Release:        16.04

  2) $ apt-cache policy apt
  apt:
    Installed: 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
    Candidate: 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
    Version table:
   *** 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1 500
          500 http://ua.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages
          100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
       1.2.10ubuntu1 500
          500 http://ua.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages

  3) I expected output of 'apt update' and 'apt list --upgradable' to be
  consistent with output of 'apt dist-upgrade': i.e. if the former say
  there're upgradable packages, the latter should upgrade them.

  4) 'apt update' and 'apt list --upgradable' consider kept-back
  packages as upgradable; luckily, 'apt dist-upgrade' doesn't.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: apt 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-47.68-generic 4.4.24
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-47-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
  ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: KDE
  Date: Sat Nov 12 12:38:20 2016
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-11-10 (367 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Alpha amd64 (20151110)
  SourcePackage: apt
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1641303/+subscriptions