main.log doesn't always report right version of python-apt

[Brian Murray]

This may actually be a bug with python-apt or apt but I noticed this when verifying bug 1286161.

"Strangely looking at main.log it shows the wrong version of apt being used but installed packages in the apt-clone file shows the correct version. Testing what the release upgrader uses exhibits the same behaviour."

Setting up apt (0.9.9.1~ubuntu3.1) ...
gpg: key 437D05B5: "Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: key FBB75451: "Ubuntu CD Image Automatic Signing Key <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: key C0B21F32: "Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key (2012) <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: key EFE21092: "Ubuntu CD Image Automatic Signing Key (2012) <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: Total number processed: 4
gpg: unchanged: 4
(saucy-amd64)root@impulse:/home/bdmurray# python -c 'import apt; print apt.apt_pkg.VERSION'
0.9.9.1~ubuntu1

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

This is actually because apt.apt_pkg.VERSION isn't always updated. Instead of using that we should query the cache to figure out what version of apt is installed.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

This may be worth SRU'ing to Vivid since Trusty users may still be upgrading to that release.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package ubuntu-release-upgrader - 1:16.04.4

---------------
ubuntu-release-upgrader (1:16.04.4) xenial; urgency=medium

  * DistUpgrade/DistUpgradeMain.py: check the apt cache to see what version of
    apt is installed rather than using the apt VERSION string. (LP: #1306065)
  * test/test_sources_list.py: resolve test failures.
  * DistUpgrade/DistUpgradeCache.py: log packages which will be downgraded.
  * DistUpgrade/DistUpgradeNonInteractive.py: Ensure output when using
    is not garbled as single bytestream escaped characters. Thanks to
    Christopher Lee for the patch. (LP: #1538880)

 -- Brian Murray <email address hidden> Thu, 28 Jan 2016 15:39:09 -0800