when I want to clear a config value, aptitude complains about syntax: # aptitude -o Acquire::http::Proxy= install -o requires an argument of the form key=value, got Acquire::http::Proxy= this can be worked around with quoting empty quotes, e.g.: # aptitude -o 'Acquire::http::Proxy=""' install but aptitude should install empty value after '='
Hi, (beware, not an aptitude dev – "just" an apt dev) This doesn't have the effect you think it has for two reasons: a) To disable a proxy setting use the value DIRECT as e.g. the manpage apt-transport-http tell you as empty values are the same as unset values causing the default value (which might be non-empty) to be used. b) Your workaround is not setting an empty value. It is setting the option to value "" (yes, two double-quotes). You can verify this with apt-config dump if you want, but I am hereby refusing to take responsibility for any damage this might cause to your sanity if you embark on the journey of wanting to understand why. It is much safer to accept that it is this way for (unspecified, mostly backward-compat) reasons. That said, it might make sense to be able to set an empty value from the cmdline, yes, but apt doesn't have a way for it either and because of a) that might be for the best. I think we have a bugreport about that on the apt side of things and I am not sure what to do there, so I will happily leave this one here for the fine aptitude folks. /me goes back to suckle on his thumb after having stared too long into the abyss that is apt's configuration syntax. A happy upcoming easter (if it applies to you), a good continued self-isolation (same ^) & Best regards David Kalnischkies
David Kalnischkies <david@kalnischkies.de> wrote: It seems, that tools from apt package now (ver. 2.2.3) _do_ allow to unset an apt.conf(5) option by using `-o`: $ apt-cache policy Package files: 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status release a=now 500 https://deb.debian.org/debian rc-buggy/main amd64 Packages release o=Debian,a=experimental,n=experimental,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64 origin deb.debian.org 990 https://deb.debian.org/debian sid/main amd64 Packages release o=Debian,a=unstable,n=sid,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64 origin deb.debian.org Pinned packages: $ apt-cache -o APT::Default-Release='' policy Package files: 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status release a=now 500 https://deb.debian.org/debian rc-buggy/main amd64 Packages release o=Debian,a=experimental,n=experimental,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64 origin deb.debian.org 500 https://deb.debian.org/debian sid/main amd64 Packages release o=Debian,a=unstable,n=sid,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64 origin deb.debian.org Pinned packages: While aptitude(8) still complains about syntax: $ aptitude -o APT::Default-Release='' show -o requires an argument of the form key=value, got APT::Default-Release= Should not it be brought into the line?