[Bug 1763186] Re: apt-get install --reinstall --install-recommends ... doesn't install Recommends

[Julian Andres Klode]

And that's the correct behavior. You have chosen not to install
recommends for this package, so reinstalling the package should not pull
them in now, aka forget your choice. Eventually there might be a new
command to do stuff like this, but we have not come up with a name yet.

** Bug watch added: Debian Bug tracker #894976
   https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=894976

** Also affects: apt (Debian) via
   https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=894976
   Importance: Unknown
       Status: Unknown

** Changed in: apt (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Triaged

** Changed in: apt (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Undecided => Wishlist

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1763186

Title:
  apt-get install --reinstall --install-recommends ... doesn't install
  Recommends

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged
Status in apt package in Debian:
  Unknown

Bug description:
  apt-cache policy apt
  apt:
    Installed: 1.6~beta1
    Candidate: 1.6~beta1
    Version table:
   *** 1.6~beta1 500
          500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
          100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

  
  Whilst trying to use virt-manager it reported requiring additional packages to run the SpiceClientGTK, which are Recommends of virt-manager.

  System is configured with:

  /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/05-no-install-recommends:APT::Install-Recommends
  "false";

  I did:

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

  but the Recommends are not installed. It seems that "--install-
  recommends" is silently ignored.

  apt-get remove virt-manager && apt-get install --install-recommends
  virt-manager

  works.

  There's one of two bugs here, either:

  1. should not ignore --install-recommends
  2. should report it is ignoring --install-recommends

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