I made a PR on github to address the exception handling which I think is the best course here. Adding a dependency on alsa-utils will result in adding further unwanted desktop packages on systems where they don't really belong (anything with Ubuntu Server installed).
Just removing the traceback to clean the output and providing a helpful error message is sufficient, IMO. ** Changed in: ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu) Status: Confirmed => In Progress ** Changed in: ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu) Assignee: (unassigned) => Jeff Lane (bladernr) ** Changed in: ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu) Status: In Progress => Fix Committed -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to ubuntu-drivers-common in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1935070 Title: Traceback during 'ubuntu-drivers list' Status in Ubuntu Drivers Common: Unknown Status in ubuntu-drivers-common package in Ubuntu: Fix Committed Bug description: ubuntu@doubletusk:~$ sudo ubuntu-drivers list ERROR:root:could not open aplay -l Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/share/ubuntu-drivers-common/detect/sl-modem.py", line 35, in detect aplay = subprocess.Popen( File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 858, in __init__ self._execute_child(args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds, File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 1704, in _execute_child raise child_exception_type(errno_num, err_msg, err_filename) FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'aplay' nvidia-driver-418-server, (kernel modules provided by nvidia-dkms-418-server) nvidia-driver-470, (kernel modules provided by nvidia-dkms-470) nvidia-driver-460-server, (kernel modules provided by nvidia-dkms-460-server) nvidia-driver-465, (kernel modules provided by nvidia-dkms-465) nvidia-driver-450-server, (kernel modules provided by nvidia-dkms-450-server) nvidia-driver-460, (kernel modules provided by nvidia-dkms-460) ubuntu@doubletusk:~$ apt-cache policy ubuntu-drivers-common ubuntu-drivers-common: Installed: 1:0.9.0~0.20.04.1 Candidate: 1:0.9.0~0.20.04.1 Version table: *** 1:0.9.0~0.20.04.1 500 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-proposed/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 1:0.8.6.5~0.20.04.1 500 500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 Packages 1:0.8.1 500 500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 Packages ubuntu@doubletusk:~$ lsb_release -a No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS Release: 20.04 Codename: focal To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-drivers-common/+bug/1935070/+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