software center does not show a install button where it should show. Also "file -> install" is greyed out.

[DavidN]

Binary package hint: software-center

The new Ubuntu Software Center does not show a install button where it should show. Also "file -> install" and "file -> remove" is greyed out.

On the site of the selected program where the description is shown normally, there stands: "Not available in the current data-set".
I am using the german-language version and tried to translate the text. Original text is: "Im aktuellen Datensatz nicht verfügbar"
This error is shown on all sites i tried.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Fri Oct 30 17:19:25 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/yelp
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
Package: yelp 2.28.0-0ubuntu2
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
SourcePackage: yelp
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic i686

[DavidN (neukam)]

changing the server from the german one to the main-server package-source helped.

[WeatherGod (ben-v-root)]

I have noticed that if you run the software updater first, then the software center works properly. I think the problem lies with the software center not calling out for the package lists, and relying on other programs to do it first. Changing the package source server probably triggered an update to the package lists in your case.

[Dan Kegel (dank)]

this is extremely frustrating. It kind of sucks to have to google for five minutes
to figure out why there are no install buttons in appcenter.

[Dan Kegel (dank)]

Wonder if this is related to one of the problems highlighted in
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/iandouglas/100004124/bad-karma-for-linux-koalas/
which says
-- snip --
The problem is software center. I typed in “fonts” and saw “Microsoft core Fonts”, clicked that and all it says is “not available in the current data”. AND NOTHING ELSE.. .no “click here to get the data necessary”, NOTHING!… not one hint on what to do now. Software center obviously know about the package but gives ZERO help in getting it. This is a monumental FAILURE!!! Did not ANYONE actually TEST this thing with their NON-computer friends and notice this TOTAL FAILURE!!!!’
-- snip --

[WeatherGod (ben-v-root)]

Yes, I believe it is. I didn't notice the issue at first because I tend to use synaptics. Once the software sources database is initialized with a program like synaptic, the Software Center works just fine. I suspect that people didn't notice it because the failure only occurs if Software Center is used before using Synaptics or doing an update. Given that the testing period involves a lot of updates, the SOP after installing an image was to do an update...

[mrbill (mrbill7)]

Just another new user finding this defect... suggest here a feature request to make "ubuntu software center" the place to get updates too or is that too simple? Any way to launch synaptic and/or update manager from software center instead of hiding them under system/administration?