apt preferences files do nothing re: apt-cache policy

[Avery Freeman]

apt-cache policy does not reflect priority set in /etc/apt/preferences.d/*

avery@ChubbyChipmunk:/etc/apt/preferences.d$ apt-cache policy

Package files:
 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     release a=now
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/y-ppa-manager/ubuntu focal/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.04,o=LP-PPA-webupd8team-y-ppa-manager,a=focal,n=focal,l=Y PPA Manager,c=main,b=amd64
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/system76/pop/ubuntu groovy/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=LP-PPA-system76-pop,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Pop!_OS PPA,c=main,b=amd64
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/debian jessie/main amd64 Packages
     release v=1,o=packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack,a=jessie,n=jessie,l=slack,c=main,b=amd64
     origin packagecloud.io
 500 http://apt.pop-os.org/proprietary groovy/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=system76,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=System76,c=main,b=amd64
     origin apt.pop-os.org
 500 https://download.mono-project.com/repo/ubuntu stable-focal/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.04,o=XamarinFocal,a=stable-focal,n=focal,l=Xamarin-Stable-Focal,c=main,b=amd64
     origin download.mono-project.com
 500 https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/18.04/prod bionic/main amd64 Packages
     release o=microsoft-ubuntu-bionic-prod bionic,a=bionic,n=bionic,l=microsoft-ubuntu-bionic-prod bionic,c=main,b=amd64
     origin packages.microsoft.com
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/linuxuprising/shutter/ubuntu groovy/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=LP-PPA-linuxuprising-shutter,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Shutter screenshot tool and dependencies,c=main,b=amd64
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable/main amd64 Packages
     release v=1.0,o=Google LLC,a=stable,n=stable,l=Google,c=main,b=amd64
     origin dl.google.com
 500 https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/kubic:/libcontainers:/stable/xUbuntu_20.04 Packages
     release o=obs://build.opensuse.org/devel:kubic:libcontainers:stable/xUbuntu_20.04,n=xUbuntu_20.04,l=devel:kubic:libcontainers:stable,c=
     origin download.opensuse.org
 500 http://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/18.04/mssql-server-2019 bionic/main amd64 Packages
     release o=mssql-server-2019-bionic bionic,a=bionic,n=bionic,l=mssql-server-2019-bionic bionic,c=main,b=amd64
     origin packages.microsoft.com
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/main i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=main,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=main,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/multiverse i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/multiverse amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/restricted i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/restricted amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/universe i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=universe,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-proposed/universe amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-proposed,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=universe,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-security/universe i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-security,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=universe,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-security/universe amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-security,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=universe,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-security/main i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-security,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=main,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy-security/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy-security,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=main,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu groovy/partner amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Canonical,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Partner archive,c=partner,b=amd64
     origin archive.canonical.com
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/multiverse i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/multiverse amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/universe i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=universe,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/universe amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=universe,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/restricted i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/restricted amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/main i386 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=main,b=i386
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
 500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/main amd64 Packages
     release v=20.10,o=Ubuntu,a=groovy,n=groovy,l=Ubuntu,c=main,b=amd64
     origin mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu
Pinned packages:

$ apt-cache policy apt

apt:
  Installed: 2.1.10
  Candidate: 2.1.10
  Version table:
 *** 2.1.10 500
        500 http://mirrors.vcea.wsu.edu/ubuntu groovy/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/statu

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

Without including a preference file in the bug report, it's hard to say what should happen.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for apt (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Avery Freeman (averyfreeman)]

Someone on askubuntu.com recommended I start the preference file with a CR (start preference description on the 2nd line in the file), include a trailing CR (empty line at end of file) and be very particular to not include any extra space characters after any of the attributes. This appears to have worked.

I have not seen this documented anywhere, or what it relates to, but it might be something that could be clarified with an update in documentation.

Thanks for your consideration.