gnome software leaves dependencies installed

[Kev Bowring]

[Impact]
Installing an application them removing it leaves dependencies behind.

[Test Case]
1. Ensure that GNOME Sudoku is not installed:
$ sudo apt remove gnome-sudoku libqqwing2v5
2. Check if you have any packages that need autoremoval:
$ sudo apt autoremove --no-act
3. Open GNOME Software.
4. Search for and install GNOME Sudoku (make sure to install the .deb, not the snap).
5. Uninstall GNOME Sudoku.
6. Check if you have any packages that need autoremoval:
$ sudo apt autoremove --no-act

Expected result:
The packages in step 6 are the same as in step 2 (which might be none).

Observed result:
The packages in step 6 includes libqqwing2v5, which is a dependency of gnome-sudoku and not useful without the game installed.

[Regression Potential]
This requires a fix to PackageKit which used to autoremove all packages (too aggressive), not just the ones related to the current transaction. A bug in the code could cause more packages to be removed than is suitable. GNOME Software previously didn't use this autoremove functionality, so by enabling it we could trigger a problem in either the existing code or the new fix.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

Does USC do an autoremove afterwards or does it explicitly remove dependencies?

[Kev Bowring (flocculant)]

to be honest - I have no idea what USC actually does.

Given that the dependencies aren't there to autoremove I would assume that it does do that.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

Michael Vogt confirmed that USC automatically removed unused dependencies. We should do the same.

See aptdaemon/worker/aptworker.py:711 _check_obsoleted_dependencies()

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Any progress regarding this issue?

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Still the same issue in 17.10

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Any news?

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

This issue is there since Ubuntu 16.04. There is not any user-friendly (for regular users) way to remove the dependencies. It is a problem since many applications depend on other applications, parts of other desktop environments etc. and removing the applications leave users with many unwanted applications/packages they are not able to remove. Please, fix this issue.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

For example uninstalling Steam is a problem because of this issue: https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/1564570/comments/18

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

I really hope that this bug will be finally fixed in Ubuntu 18.04.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Slightly related issue: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-software/+bug/1528028

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

I have created a separate bug report for the Steam issue: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/steam/+bug/1741047

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

https://github.com/hughsie/PackageKit/issues/201#issuecomment-347640675

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

The aptcc PackageKit backend developer told me that autoremove is already supported for more than 5 years, since this commit from 2012: https://github.com/hughsie/PackageKit/commit/94a5e71ded685720e49f17dc6ee21716b33ac177

But it still does not work when using pkcon or GNOME Software. Maybe it is not enabled by default?

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

More information from Julian Klode (https://github.com/hughsie/PackageKit/issues/201#issuecomment-364363222):

"Sure, it's an option given to backends, see pk_backend_remove_packages() - it's a parameter in the Dbus API's RemovePackages() method. In the client API, you can specify it as a boolean parameter for pk_client_remove_packages_async.

But it's not the kind of autoremove that would be correct for gnome-software - gnome-software needs to remove "new garbage", that is only packages that become unused as a result of the removal and not any other unrelated garbage that has accumulated over time."

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

It would be great if the correct autoremove method could be implemented in PackageKit or GNOME Software.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

As I wrote in the github PackageKit bug report: I offer 1 ETH (currently ~852 USD) to anyone who manages to implement (and gets upstreamed) a working autoremove support for packages that are uninstalled using GNOME Software on Ubuntu/Debian. ;-)

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

I don't have the ETH anymore, but I will send $600 via PayPal to the one who fixes this issue.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Still no progress regarging this issue?

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Upstream bug report: https://github.com/hughsie/PackageKit/issues/245

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

VLC is another package where uninstallation is problematic: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-software/+bug/1746728

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

It looks like the PackageKit change will be accepted upstream - this stops the autoremove functionality to only remove dependencies of packages being removed. This matches the old aptd behaviour.

GNOME Software will have to be distro patched however, as upstream considers this functionality not reliable - since we have limited backends on Ubuntu we can enable it however.

[Daniel Nicoletti (dantti)]

Cant Gnome software add a define as a build option like I do in Apper?

Em qua, 23 de mai de 2018 às 20:54, Robert Ancell <
<email address hidden>> escreveu:

> It looks like the PackageKit change will be accepted upstream - this
> stops the autoremove functionality to only remove dependencies of
> packages being removed. This matches the old aptd behaviour.
>
> GNOME Software will have to be distro patched however, as upstream
> considers this functionality not reliable - since we have limited
> backends on Ubuntu we can enable it however.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to
> packagekit in Ubuntu.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1552792
>
> Title:
> gnome software leaves dependencies installed
>
> Status in GNOME Software:
> Invalid
> Status in Release Notes for Ubuntu:
> Fix Released
> Status in gnome-software package in Ubuntu:
> Triaged
> Status in packagekit package in Ubuntu:
> Triaged
> Status in gnome-software source package in Bionic:
> Triaged
> Status in packagekit source package in Bionic:
> Triaged
> Status in gnome-software source package in Cosmic:
> Triaged
> Status in packagekit source package in Cosmic:
> Triaged
>
> Bug description:
> Using gnome software (or another PackageKit or aptdaemon based UI) to
> install an application - removal of that package leaves behind
> dependencies
>
> Installing an application with ubuntu software centre only leaves
> behind config files (seen in synaptic labelled for complete removal).
>
> After installing and then removing alarm clock with USC -
>
> sudo apt-get autoremove
> [sudo] password for wolf:
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree
> Reading state information... Done
> 0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 1 not to upgrade.
>
> After cleaning up and then reinstalling with gnome software, followed
> by the removal
>
> sudo apt-get autoremove
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree
> Reading state information... Done
> The following packages will be REMOVED
> libappindicator1 libindicator7
> 0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 2 to remove and 1 not to upgrade.
> After this operation, 184 kB disk space will be freed.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
> Package: gnome-software 3.19.92~git20160303.26a927d-0ubuntu1
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-10.25-generic 4.4.3
> Uname: Linux 4.4.0-10-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 2.20-0ubuntu3
> Architecture: amd64
> CurrentDesktop: XFCE
> Date: Thu Mar 3 16:23:45 2016
> InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-10-29 (126 days ago)
> InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Alpha amd64
> (20151029)
> SourcePackage: gnome-software
> UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/gnome-software/+bug/1552792/+subscriptions
>
--
Daniel Nicoletti

KDE Developer - http://dantti.wordpress.com

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

Sure, sounds like a good idea.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-software/merge_requests/49

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

https://github.com/hughsie/PackageKit/pull/253

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

By the way, any chance these fixes will be backported to the current 18.04 LTS release?

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

The bug is marked for bionic (18.04 LTS) but we'd want it to be well tested in Cosmic first.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package packagekit - 1.1.10-1ubuntu4

---------------
packagekit (1.1.10-1ubuntu4) cosmic; urgency=medium

  * debian/patches/aptcc-Fix-invalid-version-dereference-in-AptInf-prov.patch:
    Fix dereferencing of invalid version in providesCodec() (LP: #1790671)

 -- Julian Andres Klode <email address hidden> Tue, 04 Sep 2018 18:18:05 +0200

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-software - 3.29.92-0ubuntu2

---------------
gnome-software (3.29.92-0ubuntu2) cosmic; urgency=medium

  * debian/rules:
    - Build with PackageKit autoremove support (LP: #1552792)
  * debian/control:
    - Depend on the version of PackageKit which correctly does autoremove

 -- Robert Ancell <email address hidden> Tue, 04 Sep 2018 11:04:47 +1200

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Hello Kev, or anyone else affected,

Accepted packagekit into bionic-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/packagekit/1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.4 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested and change the tag from verification-needed-bionic to verification-done-bionic. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-bionic. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Hello Kev, or anyone else affected,

Accepted gnome-software into bionic-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-software/3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.7 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested and change the tag from verification-needed-bionic to verification-done-bionic. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-bionic. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

[Ken VanDine (ken-vandine)]

I've verified this fixes the issue with the following versions:

packagekit=1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.4
gnome-software=3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.7

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package packagekit - 1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.4

---------------
packagekit (1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.4) bionic; urgency=medium

  * debian/patches/0001-aptcc-Only-autoremove-packages-that-relate-to-the-cu.patch:
  * debian/patches/0002-aptcc-Use-installed-version-to-determine-garbage.patch:
    - Correct autoremove behaviour to only autoremove packages that relate to
      the current transaction (LP: #1552792)

 -- Robert Ancell <email address hidden> Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:24:04 +1300

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

The verification of the Stable Release Update for packagekit has completed successfully and the package has now been released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regressions.

[Chris Halse Rogers (raof)]

Hello Kev, or anyone else affected,

Accepted gnome-software into bionic-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-software/3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.8 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested and change the tag from verification-needed-bionic to verification-done-bionic. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-bionic. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

Confirmed still fixed in gnome-software 3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.8

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-software - 3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.8

---------------
gnome-software (3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.8) bionic; urgency=medium

  * Re-released to generate correct .changes file

gnome-software (3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.7) bionic; urgency=medium

  * debian/rules:
  * debian/patches/0001-packagekit-Add-configure-option-to-use-autoremove-fe.patch:
    - Build with PackageKit autoremove support (LP: #1552792)
  * debian/control:
  * debian/patches/0023-snap-Don-t-treat-auth-cancellation-as-an-error.patch:
    - Stop cancelling snapd authorization triggers error notification
      (LP: #1785240)

gnome-software (3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.6) bionic; urgency=medium

  * debian/patches/0023-Revert-Revert-flatpak-Use-list-of-related-apps-for-i.patch:
  * debian/patches/0024-flatpak-Check-if-a-related-app-is-installed-even-whe.patch:
  * debian/patches/0025-flatpak-Include-related-refs-to-the-app-s-runtime-on.patch:
    - Disable the Flatpak changes - SRU testing showed they broke downgrades

gnome-software (3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.5) bionic; urgency=medium

  * debian/patches/0023-Revert-Revert-flatpak-Use-list-of-related-apps-for-i.patch:
  * debian/patches/0024-flatpak-Check-if-a-related-app-is-installed-even-whe.patch:
  * debian/patches/0025-flatpak-Include-related-refs-to-the-app-s-runtime-on.patch:
    - Pull related flatpak refs (LP: #1754864)
  * debian/patches/0003-Sort-snaps-before-other-apps.patch:
    - Fix snap search result ordering (LP: #1798228)
  * debian/patches/0001-Set-reboot-notifications-as-urgent-to-avoid-them-tim.patch:
    - Stop reboot notification from timing out (LP: #1719797)
  * debian/patches/0001-lib-Allow-opening-CAB-files-that-resolve-more-than-o.patch:
    - Support composite CAB files (LP: #1798470)

 -- Robert Ancell <email address hidden> Wed, 21 Nov 2018 12:29:27 +1300