[Bug 988531] Re: update-notifier can run flashplugin-installer right after the package has been updated

[Brian Murray]

For reference from /var/log/apt/term.log:

Setting up update-notifier-common (0.119ubuntu8.1) ...^M
flashplugin-installer: downloading http://archive.canonical.com/pool/partner/a/adobe-flashplugin/adobe-flashplugin_11.2.202.233.orig.tar.gz^M
Installing from local file /tmp/tmpcZmnVS.gz^M
Flash Plugin installed.^M
Setting up update-notifier (0.119ubuntu8.1) ...^M
....
Setting up flashplugin-installer (11.2.202.233ubuntu2) ...^M
Setting up flashplugin-downloader:i386 (11.2.202.233ubuntu2) ...^M
...
Log ended: 2012-04-20  07:03:47

Then a cronjob email I received:

Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:27:06 -0700 (PDT)                                                                                                                  
From: Anacron <root at flash.watchtower.local>                                                                                                                  
To: root at flash.watchtower.local                                                                                                                              
Subject: Anacron job 'cron.daily' on flash                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                             
/etc/cron.daily/update-notifier-common:                                                                                                                      
flashplugin-installer: downloading http://archive.canonical.com/pool/partner/a/adobe-flashplugin/adobe-flashplugin_11.2.202.233.orig.tar.gz                  
Installing from local file /tmp/tmpgbBI__.gz                                                                                                                 
Flash Plugin installed.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/988531

Title:
  update-notifier can run flashplugin-installer right after the package
  has been updated

Status in “update-notifier” package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged

Bug description:
  In the event that both update-notifier-common and package that uses it
  like flashplugin-installer are upgraded during the same run update-
  notifier-common will also download and install the flashplugin which
  is redundant and unnecessary.

  Here's what Steve says about it:

  09:57 <slangasek> yeah, I think I understand it now; it's specific to the two 
                    packages being upgraded in the same run and u-n-c getting 
                    configured first
  09:58 <slangasek> oh, except I can't understand why u-n-c processes 
                    flashplugin-installer at all on line 12194
  10:04 <slangasek> ah yes
  10:04 <slangasek> because we do a timestamp check
  10:05 <slangasek> so because the hook is newer than the stamp, we process 
                    unconditionally; then flashplugin-installer removes the stamp 
                    file, but update-notifier-common was not configured at the 
                    time flashplugin-installer was unpacked, so there's no 
                    trigger; and the cron job re-downloads unnecessarily
  10:06 <slangasek> but in spite of the extra cron download, flashplugin-installer             
                    is configured as of the end of the apt run
  10:06 <slangasek> s/configured/usable/

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