Bug#1007122: apt: in dependencies, apt should not install a package that is already provided via "Provides:"
On 2022-03-12 01:03:33 +0100, David Kalnischkies wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 11, 2022 at 04:30:25PM +0100, Vincent Lefevre wrote:
> > With "apt install ...", apt wants to install a package as a
> > dependency, but this package is already provided by an installed
> > package, via "Provides:".
> >
> > Example:
> >
> > cventin:~> apt install -s elpa-transient
> > [...]
> > The following additional packages will be installed:
> > emacs
>
> elpa-transient Recommends emacs (>= 1:25.1)
> emacs-gtk Provides emacs
>
> An unversioned provides like the one from emacs-gtk does not satisfy
> a versioned dependency.
>
> So, APT is working as intended here, you will have to talk to the
> maintainers of these packages to figure out which options there are
> to reach your desired outcome.
OK, I suppose that emacs-gtk (etc.) should provide emacs with
the same version (they are part of the same source). I'm going
to report a bug against src:emacs.
> > but on my machine, emacs-gtk is already installed, and it has
> >
> > Provides: editor, emacs, emacsen, info-browser, mail-reader, news-reader
> >
> > Note: emacs is a metapackage for emacs-gtk or variants, so that
> > it is completely useless if emacs-gtk is installed directly.
>
> With your logic, If you have vim installed, it is completely useless
> to install emacs because both provide 'editor'.
I would agree if elpa-transient recommended "editor", but here it
recommends "emacs": the goal is to ensure that one of the emacs
variants is installed, the default one being emacs-gtk.
--
Vincent Lefèvre <vincent@vinc17.net> - Web: <https://www.vinc17.net/>
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Work: CR INRIA - computer arithmetic / AriC project (LIP, ENS-Lyon)
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