Bug#816781: [Aptitude-devel] Bug#816781: aptitude: Can not cancel pending upgrade actions

[Cesare Leonardi]

On 30/05/2017 22:42, Axel Beckert wrote:

So maybe we should be a little bit more verbose with the short
description in the menu or maybe even split "Cancel pending actions"
into two separate menu entries:

* Cancel pending actions of this session
* Cancel all pending actions

or similar.


It will be wonderful to have two entries, because "Cancel all
pending actions" is quite self explanatory, will match the previous
behaviour


I couldn't remember that we changed that, but this change was indeed a
bugfix in 0.7.6 from February 2016:

  * [curses] "Cancel pending actions" now reloads the cache (roughly
equivalent to restarting the program), rather than marking all packages
as "keep" plus ruining all auto-installed flags and holds
(Closes: #537735, #576319)


Hi Axel, maybe I misunderstood the part where you talked about splitting 
"Cancel pending actions": when you said "Cancel all pending actions", 
you meant also from previous sessions, wasn't it? In this case, from a 
user point of view, it would almost match the previous behaviour, at 
least for the fact that there wasn't a concept of session for that command.

That's what I wanted to say.

However, if it weren't so late in the release cycle, I believe that the 
best solution would be the one exposed by Drew Parsons, because I fear 
that who will upgrade from 8 to 9 might find this change surprising.

I hope I'm wrong.

Post-Stretch: how about replacing "Cancel pending actions" with "Keep 
all" or "Keep all pending", that does exactly what "Keep" does but for 
all packages waiting for install/upgrade/remove/purge? And it would do 
the same of the corresponding command line option.


Cesare.

Bug#816781: [Aptitude-devel] Bug#816781: aptitude: Can not cancel pending upgrade actions

[Axel Beckert]

Hi Cesare,

Cesare Leonardi wrote:
> On 29/05/2017 11:31, Axel Beckert wrote:
> >Before you press the corresponding menu entry, but after already
> >having selected it, aptitude will show the following long description
> >in the status line:
> >
> >  Cancel all pending actions from this session
>
> >So this menu entry only cancels actions which weren't scheduled in
> >previous sessions on purpose.
> 
> Thank you Axel for the detailed and clear explanation.
> I admit i've never noted the string in the status bar...
> 
> >So maybe we should be a little bit more verbose with the short
> >description in the menu or maybe even split "Cancel pending actions"
> >into two separate menu entries:
> >
> >* Cancel pending actions of this session
> >* Cancel all pending actions
> >
> >or similar.
> 
> It will be wonderful to have two entries, because "Cancel all
> pending actions" is quite self explanatory, will match the previous
> behaviour

I couldn't remember that we changed that, but this change was indeed a
bugfix in 0.7.6 from February 2016:

  * [curses] "Cancel pending actions" now reloads the cache (roughly
equivalent to restarting the program), rather than marking all packages
as "keep" plus ruining all auto-installed flags and holds
(Closes: #537735, #576319)

> and users should not be surprised upgrading from Debian 8 to 9.
> 
> But isn't it too late for Stretch?

For a change of behaviour: Yes, it's too late.

> Anyway, I think that making a note at least in NEWS.Debian could be helpful.

That mmight be possible, but I can't promise it.

Regards, Axel
-- 
 ,''`.  |  Axel Beckert , http://people.debian.org/~abe/
: :' :  |  Debian Developer, ftp.ch.debian.org Admin
`. `'   |  4096R: 2517 B724 C5F6 CA99 5329  6E61 2FF9 CD59 6126 16B5
  `-|  1024D: F067 EA27 26B9 C3FC 1486  202E C09E 1D89 9593 0EDE

Bug#816781: [Aptitude-devel] Bug#816781: aptitude: Can not cancel pending upgrade actions

[Cesare Leonardi]

On 29/05/2017 11:31, Axel Beckert wrote:

Before you press the corresponding menu entry, but after already
having selected it, aptitude will show the following long description
in the status line:

  Cancel all pending actions from this session

So this menu entry only cancels actions which weren't scheduled in
previous sessions on purpose.


Thank you Axel for the detailed and clear explanation.
I admit i've never noted the string in the status bar...


So maybe we should be a little bit more verbose with the short
description in the menu or maybe even split "Cancel pending actions"
into two separate menu entries:

* Cancel pending actions of this session
* Cancel all pending actions

or similar.


It will be wonderful to have two entries, because "Cancel all pending 
actions" is quite self explanatory, will match the previous behaviour 
and users should not be surprised upgrading from Debian 8 to 9.


But isn't it too late for Stretch?

Anyway, I think that making a note at least in NEWS.Debian could be helpful.

Cesare.

Bug#816781: [Aptitude-devel] Bug#816781: aptitude: Can not cancel pending upgrade actions

[Axel Beckert]

Hi,

Cesare Leonardi wrote:
> Steps to reproduce (always reproducible for me):
> - Open the TUI;
> - Press [u] to search for updates;
> - Review the upgradable package list and press [U] to mark them as
>   upgradable;
> - Decide to postpone the real upgrade and exit from aptitude;

This is relevant here.

> - Re-enter the TUI but for some reason you want aptitude forget all
>   pending actions by pressing the corresponding menu entry;
> - Observe that aptitude make some work but doesn't actually forget
>   nothing.

That's expected.

> Note that the same command works as expected if it's given during the
> same session, without exit.

Exactly.

Before you press the corresponding menu entry, but after already
having selected it, aptitude will show the following long description
in the status line:

  Cancel all pending actions from this session

So this menu entry only cancels actions which weren't scheduled in
previous sessions on purpose.

So maybe we should be a little bit more verbose with the short
description in the menu or maybe even split "Cancel pending actions"
into two separate menu entries:

* Cancel pending actions of this session
* Cancel all pending actions

or similar.

For now, what should do what you want is calling "aptitude keep-all"
on the commandline.

Regards, Axel
-- 
 ,''`.  |  Axel Beckert , http://people.debian.org/~abe/
: :' :  |  Debian Developer, ftp.ch.debian.org Admin
`. `'   |  4096R: 2517 B724 C5F6 CA99 5329  6E61 2FF9 CD59 6126 16B5
  `-|  1024D: F067 EA27 26B9 C3FC 1486  202E C09E 1D89 9593 0EDE