Okay, I've gone down the rabbit hole with this one. It's possible this is 2 separate issues.
I tested 3 scenarios: Scenario 1 - Performed a clean Ubuntu Server install (interactive), and installed ubuntu-desktop-minimal post-deployment. After rebooting, the 50appstream config is present, and I installed snap-store and gnome-software. Neither snap-store nor gnome-software showed any .deb packages. Only snaps. I tried re-installing appstream and forcing a refresh of the cache, but still no .deb packages shown. Nothing I have tried in this install has been able to fix the issue. Scenario 2 - I performed a clean install using our automated install image (/var/log/installer contents attached) WITHOUT our appstream config reinstall script that I shared previously. After deployment, ubuntu-desktop-minimal is already installed, and 50appstream config is MISSING (see attachment). Both snap-store and gnome-software only show snaps. No .deb packages. Next, I ran the appstream re-install script I shared previously and rebooted the machine. After the reboot, gnome-software correctly shows .deb packages. However, snap-store is still only showing snaps!!! Scenario 3 - I performed a clean install using our automated install image (/var/log/installer contents attached), this time including our appstream config reinstall script. After the deployment, 50appstream config is PRESENT. Both snap-store and gnome-software work correctly and show both snaps and .deb packages. The varying behaviour between all 3 has completely blown my mind. I really don't know what is the cause of the issue, and potentially this is even 2 separate issues, since in Scenario 1, neither snap-store nor gnome-software work correctly. ** Attachment added: "installer logs for Scenario 1" https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/appstream/+bug/1983112/+attachment/5607134/+files/scenario_1_installer.zip -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to appstream in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1983112 Title: Appstream does not install config file Status in appstream package in Ubuntu: New Bug description: After performing an Ubuntu automated server install, and installing the ubuntu-desktop-minimal package (which includes appstream as a dependency) then the snap-store, the snap-store will fail to display search results for .deb packages in the Ubuntu apt repositories. This is due to a missing config file (/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50appstream) which is supposed to be installed as part of the appstream package. The issue can be fixed by re-installing appstream with the following command-line: apt-get -y install --reinstall -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confmiss" appstream ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04 Package: appstream 0.15.2-2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.15.0-41.44-generic 5.15.39 Uname: Linux 5.15.0-41-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.1 Architecture: amd64 CasperMD5CheckMismatches: ./boot/grub/grub.cfg CasperMD5CheckResult: fail CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME Date: Fri Jul 29 15:25:44 2022 InstallationDate: Installed on 2022-07-27 (1 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 22.04 LTS "Jammy Jellyfish" - Release amd64 (20220421) ProcEnviron: TERM=xterm-256color PATH=(custom, no user) XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set> LANG=en_GB.UTF-8 SHELL=/bin/bash SourcePackage: appstream UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/appstream/+bug/1983112/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp