Software & Updates doesn't handle sources files properly when an entry has options

[Paddy Landau]

— SYNOPSIS —

Software & Updates (software-properties-gtk) has a tab "Other Software" that lists all entries in /etc/apt/sources.list and in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*.list

Some entries have an option in square brackets, e.g.:

deb [arch=amd64] ...

But, Software & Updates doesn't handle these options properly.

1. It removes the option if you edit the entry.
2. If the option contains "signed-by", Software & Updates doesn't even list the entry, and thus allows you to add a duplicate entry (normally prevented).

— EXAMPLES —

Example of point 1:

Consider Google Chrome:
deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main #Chrome

If you edit this entry in Software & Updates, it removes [arch=amd64].

The same applies to [trusted=yes].

Example of point 2:

Consider SpiderOakONE, which needs "signed-by".
deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/spideroakone.gpg] https://apt.spideroak.com/ubuntu/ release restricted #SpiderOakONE

This also happens with combinations:
deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/spideroakone.gpg] https://apt.spideroak.com/ubuntu/ release restricted #SpiderOakONE

Software & Updates doesn't even display this entry. Thus, you can manually re-add this deb, albeit without the signed-by option.

— MORE DETAIL —

Confusingly, you can add the option [arch=amd64] or [trusted=yes] (or both) when you add an entry in Software & Updates, but if you then edit the entry, Software & Updates removes the option.

— EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR —

Software & Updates should:

• Display all entries
• Preserve all options when editing an entry
• Allow you to add suitable options when adding an entry
• Allow you to edit options when editing an entry

— VERSIONS —

Ubuntu version:
Tested on Ubuntu 20.04.4 and Ubuntu 22.04.1

software-properties-gtk version:
0.99.9.8 (on Ubuntu 20.04)
0.99.22.3 (on Ubuntu 22.04)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04
Package: software-properties-gtk 0.99.22.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.15.0-46.49-generic 5.15.39
Uname: Linux 5.15.0-46-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Aug 15 09:19:51 2022
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/software-properties-gtk
InstallationDate: Installed on 2022-05-05 (101 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS "Jammy Jellyfish" - Release amd64 (20220419)
InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python3.10
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 PATH=(custom, user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.10, Python 3.10.4, python3-minimal, 3.10.4-0ubuntu2
PythonDetails: N/A
SourcePackage: software-properties
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Julian Alarcon (julian-alarcon)]

Related but not the same: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-properties/+bug/1862764

[James C. (jfw01)]

Same implementation (limitations in /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/sourceslist.py and failure of its users to understand it) as
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-properties/+bug/1864280
which already has an importance.