apt-get download does not use /var/cache/apt/archives

[Removed by request]

I'm using Ubuntu 16.04 dev with apt 1.2.3 and I'm noticing that using "apt-get download" does not always use the cache like this example shows:

root@ubuntu:~/tmp# apt-get install adwaita-icon-theme-full --reinstall
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 8089 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 adwaita-icon-theme-full all 3.18.0-2ubuntu3 [8089 kB]
60% [1 adwaita-icon-theme-full 6033 kB/8089 kB 75%] 422 kB/s 4s^C
root@ubuntu:~/tmp# apt-get download adwaita-icon-theme-full
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 adwaita-icon-theme-full all 3.18.0-2ubuntu3 [8089 kB]
12% [1 adwaita-icon-theme-full 1231 kB/8089 kB 15%]^C

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Do you mean the cache on disk (/var/cache/apt/archives)? If so did you check that the package actually is there on your disk? I tried to reinstall vim-tiny which was in my cache and saw the following:

 $ sudo apt-get install --reinstall vim-tiny
[sudo] password for bdmurray:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-4.4.0-2 linux-headers-4.4.0-2-generic linux-image-4.4.0-2-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-2-generic linux-tools-4.4.0-2 linux-tools-4.4.0-2-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/428 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Sorry, your system lacks support for the snapshot feature
(Reading database ... 910537 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../vim-tiny_2%3a7.4.963-1ubuntu4_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking vim-tiny (2:7.4.963-1ubuntu4) over (2:7.4.963-1ubuntu4) ...
Setting up vim-tiny (2:7.4.963-1ubuntu4) ...

[Removed by request (removed3425744)]

> Do you mean the cache on disk (/var/cache/apt/archives)?

On my example it was /var/cache/apt/archives/partial.

> If so did you check that the package actually is there on your disk?

Yes, it does partly exist after executing and aborting the first command.

> I tried to reinstall vim-tiny which was in my cache and saw the following:

This bug is about that "apt-get download" does not use the (partly) cache of a previously "apt-get install". "apt-get install" alone does indeed work for me like in your example.

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

apt-get download never used the cached packages at all. And now with apt(8) deleting the debs after a successful install, there won't be any in most cases anyway.

It might make sense to do so, though.

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

This bug is by no means medium. It's a purely low-priority wishlist bug.

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

It does not seem to be worth adding that feature, the code is already complex enough as-is.