add-apt-repository is not available by default on server

Bug #439566 reported by Philip Muškovac
60
This bug affects 11 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
ubuntu-meta (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Wishlist
Unassigned

Bug Description

add-apt-repository is not available on Server.

Users being given instructions to add a PPA must first be given instructions on adding add-apt-repository before they can run it. This is painful because <= 12.04 it was available in python-software-properties, and in >= 12.10 it has moved to software-properties-common. This makes the instructions complicated, experience of using a PPA tedious and increases friction.

Workaround: install software-properties-common manually.

add-apt-repository is seeded on desktop via software-properties-gtk, so this affects only Server.

Solution: seed software-properties-common on server. This will add 54.7 kB to the CD, and 543 kB to the install.

Revision history for this message
Philip Muškovac (yofel) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Loïc Minier (lool) wrote :

I agree, I just wanted to add a PPA to a server install to test a bug fix and had to manually install python-software-properties to get add-apt-repository.

Changed in ubuntu-meta (Ubuntu):
assignee: nobody → Ubuntu Server Team (ubuntu-server)
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
status: New → Triaged
Mathias Gug (mathiaz)
Changed in ubuntu-meta (Ubuntu):
assignee: Ubuntu Server Team (ubuntu-server) → Canonical Server Team (canonical-server)
Mathias Gug (mathiaz)
Changed in ubuntu-meta (Ubuntu):
assignee: Canonical Server Team (canonical-server) → Chuck Short (zulcss)
Revision history for this message
Carl Karsten (carlfk) wrote :

I have mixed feelings: I personally would like it added so I don't have to, but I would also like the server footprint to be as small as possible. Given this is a simple apt-get away, I don't think it really needs to be included.

Revision history for this message
Robie Basak (racb) wrote :

The apt-get away has now moved to a different package (software-properties-common), so this is the time to make a decision on adding it. Otherwise, server admins everywhere will be confused when working on a new Quantal installation.

Revision history for this message
Robie Basak (racb) wrote :

Since add-apt-repository has now moved to software-properties-common, what we need to change to resolve this has changed, and so I'm renaming the subject accordingly.

summary: - add python-software-properties to ubuntu-standard
+ add software-properties-common to ubuntu-standard
Revision history for this message
jgjoy (freyjoy) wrote : Re: add software-properties-common to ubuntu-standard

"[...]server admins everywhere will be confused when working on a new Quantal installation." Having just experienced this, I would have to agree. Since dpkg -S also failed me, I had to find references to this bug to learn the new location of add-apt-repository.

Revision history for this message
Robie Basak (racb) wrote :

Adding software-properties-common to the server seed would add 54.7 kB to the CD, and 543 kB to the install:

# apt-get install --no-install-recommends software-properties-common
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  python3-software-properties unattended-upgrades
Suggested packages:
  bsd-mailx mail-transport-agent
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  python3-software-properties software-properties-common unattended-upgrades
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 54.7 kB of archives.
After this operation, 543 kB of additional disk space will be used.

I was initially alarmed by unattended-upgrades, but then realised that it doesn't enable by default (you must dpkg-reconfigure -plow). So behaviour will not change.

summary: - add software-properties-common to ubuntu-standard
+ add-apt-repository is not available by default on server
Revision history for this message
Robie Basak (racb) wrote :
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton) wrote :

The attachment "patch" of this bug report has been identified as being a patch. The ubuntu-reviewers team has been subscribed to the bug report so that they can review the patch. In the event that this is in fact not a patch you can resolve this situation by removing the tag 'patch' from the bug report and editing the attachment so that it is not flagged as a patch. Additionally, if you are member of the ubuntu-reviewers team please also unsubscribe the team from this bug report.

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tags: added: patch
Revision history for this message
Dave Walker (davewalker) wrote :

This has landed in the current Ubuntu development, and will be available from the next daily build or milestone.

Thanks.

Changed in ubuntu-meta (Ubuntu):
status: Triaged → Fix Released
assignee: Chuck Short (zulcss) → nobody
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