#916274 "apt install mypackage" should register mypackage as explicitly installed

Package:
apt
Source:
apt
Description:
commandline package manager
Submitter:
Harald Dunkel
Date:
2018-12-12 14:33:03 UTC
Severity:
normal
#916274#5
Date:
2018-12-12 12:47:52 UTC
From:
To:
I ran "apt install symlinks" on Stretch, even though it was
already installed due to a package dependency. When this package
dependency changed (the referring package was removed),
symlinks was removed automagically. :-(

This is not as expected. "apt install mypackage" should mark
mypackage as explicitly installed, even if the package is
already in.


Regards
Harri
#916274#10
Date:
2018-12-12 12:56:19 UTC
From:
To:
That's what it already does; unless it is an upgrade, then it
does not change the state (or, it only changes the autostate if there
is no other state change it can do).

FWIW, I disagree with this completely. install should not ever
change the auto flag of already installed packages just because
I mentioned them, I always end up marking half my system (well, ok,
more like 10%) manually installed by accident because I have to specify
additional packages to hint in an install request.
#916274#15
Date:
2018-12-12 14:28:40 UTC
From:
To:
Hi Julian,

Confirmed. I saw this too late.

Nevertheless, aptitude removed the symlinks package. Are there 2
flags in the database indicating whether a package was installed
automatically or explicitly?

Do you think this report should be reassigned to aptitude?

My suggestion here would be to make this configurable.


Regards
Harri