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

[Philip Muškovac]

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.

[Loïc Minier (lool)]

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.

[Carl Karsten (carlfk)]

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.

[Robie Basak (racb)]

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.

[Robie Basak (racb)]

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.

[jgjoy (freyjoy)]

"[...]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.

[Robie Basak (racb)]

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.

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[Dave Walker (davewalker)]

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

Thanks.