[Bug 414181] Re: "Install Updates" button does nothing when Update Manager opened by itself

[Craig Hansen]

Alberto, to me, I thought this was a simple issue that could possibly
have been fixed in the user interface. I thought that this was code that
was created particularly for ubuntu, and therefore the excuses espoused
in the top critical bug in the hundredpapercuts project didn't apply. I
thought that having a significant usability issue in the update-manager
would qualify as a "paper cut", but according to post #28, since it's
simply a "bug" it apparently didn't qualify. I thought that this was a
simple bug that could/should have been fixed in 2009, but now that it's
2013, I'm wondering if there's anyone at the wheel, let alone asleep at
it.

In my little brain, it seems like the "check" button does roughly a
"sudo apt-get update" and the "install" button should do a "sudo apt-get
dist-upgrade". But something is wrong with the install button code.
Since sudo has the property that the password only gets asked for every
15 minutes or so, it could be that pressing the "check" button makes
install work simply because it's doing the "sudo". It also could be that
the "apt-get update" part somehow greases the skids and makes the
"install" button work, but I personally think it's more likely a
privilege escalation issue. It doesn't make sense to me that without the
"apt-get update" that the "install" should do nothing even when there
are updates displayed in the window. That the "check" button may or may
not bring up additional updates seems irrelevant.

If you take Alberto's example, and instead of trying "sudo apt-get
update" you try "sudo apt-get dist-install" I think you'll find that the
dist-install proceeds as expected. You might also try "sudo uptime" to
see if it also fixes the install button. You might also try pressing the
"check" button and waiting an hour to see if the "install" button now
fails.

...and if we're talking about usability here, the fact that there's an
"check" button at all is kind of stupid - the app should be checking
periodically for additional updates just so the list of updates isn't
out of date - after all, that's the purpose of the window anyway - to
alert the user of updates to the system. ...but that would be an
"enhancement" request that will be addressed at even lower
priority...not to mention that it might break the workaround for this
bug that we've been using for four years.  ;-)

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/414181

Title:
  "Install Updates" button does nothing when Update Manager opened by
  itself

Status in One Hundred Paper Cuts:
  Confirmed
Status in Software Updater:
  Invalid
Status in “update-manager” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Occurs in: Ubuntu 9.04, Ubuntu 10.04, Ubuntu 10.10, Ubuntu 12.04
  Does not occur in: Ubuntu 12.10

  Update manager loads periodically and informs of new updates available.  Clicking "Install Updates" button does nothing.
  The expected behavior (for this user) is that it ask for administrative password and then install the updates.
  However, if the "Check" button is clicked, then Admin Pass is requested, check is performed, and "Install Updates' button becomes active.

  Once learned this is only an annoyance.  If this is the correct
  behavior, the install updates button should be greyed or a notice
  given to recheck before installing.

  WORKAROUND:
  click "check updates" before clicking on "install"

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