[Bug 1076832] Re: "Additional drivers" tab doesn't work when Software Sources was launched by synaptic

[Matthew Paul Thomas]

I've addressed a small part of this in the design specification for the "Software & Updates" settings: it should use the standard aptdaemon status text and error handling. So if Synaptic has locked apt or dpkg, the status text should be "Waiting for other tasks to complete…", and if it's still locked after 30 seconds, an alert explaining that "System Settings can’t install or remove software until synaptic exits.". (I don't know whether this alert is actually implemented in aptdaemon yet.)
<https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SoftwareAndUpdatesSettings?action=diff&rev2=21&rev1=19>

I'm not concerned with the design of Synaptic, but Robert's suggestion
makes sense to me.

** Changed in: software-properties (Ubuntu)
       Status: In Progress => Triaged

** Changed in: software-properties (Ubuntu)
     Assignee: Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt) => (unassigned)

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1076832

Title:
  "Additional drivers" tab doesn't work when Software Sources was
  launched by synaptic

Status in “software-properties” package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged
Status in “synaptic” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  software-properties-gtk 0.92.9, Ubuntu 12.10

  1. Install synaptic and run it
  2. Click Settings->repositories
  3. Click "Additional software" tab
  4. Attempt to change to a different driver.

  Expected result: The driver gets installed.

  Actual result: Operation never completes.

  Analysis: This happens because Software Sources is waiting on Synaptic
  to exit before performing apt commands. But Synaptic is itself waiting
  on Software Sources to exit, and you can't close Synaptic before this
  happens because it's UI is disabled.

  There is no message telling the user that this is what has happened,
  so just as with the automatic U1 installer, the user does not know
  they need to close other package managers before the process will
  complete. So they are just left waiting forever. Of course in this
  case it is impossible for the user to unlock the package db without
  closing everything down and starting over.

  <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SoftwareAndUpdatesSettings#drivers>: "If you
  choose 'Apply Changes' ... The 'proprietary drivers in use' text
  should change to the status text for the operations (for example,
  'Waiting for other tasks to complete…'...)"

  <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SoftwarePackageOperations#general>: "If apt
  (/var/lib/apt/lists/lock) or dpkg (/var/lib/dpkg/lock) is locked by
  something other than aptdaemon (STATUS_WAITING_LOCK) for more than 30
  seconds, an alert should appear once, '{requesting application} can’t
  install or remove software until {locking program} exits.', with
  'Cancel' and 'Keep Waiting' buttons."

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