[Bug 1624681] Re: "Important" control field is a bit confusing

Joshua Powers josh.powers at canonical.com
Mon Sep 19 16:53:48 UTC 2016


Marking init-system-helpers as invalid, keeping open for apt

** Changed in: init-system-helpers (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Invalid

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1624681

Title:
  "Important" control field is a bit confusing

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged
Status in init-system-helpers package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid
Status in apt package in Debian:
  Unknown

Bug description:
  I'm using Ubuntu 16.10 dev and noticing that the package init seems to
  be the only one with the "Important" control field which seems to be a
  bit curious:

  - On removing a package with apt that has the "Important" field set to "yes" it seems to show the same warning like removing a package that has the "Essential" field set to "yes". Even the same term "essential" is used instead of "important" (maybe this should be changed?).
  - "man deb-control" does not know this field and removing a package with dpkg that has the "Important" field set to "yes" does not throw an error while removing a package that has the "Essential" field set to "yes" does.
  - I'm wondering what the difference between the "Essential" and "Important" field for apt is. I can't find any information about it and can't also find the manpage that documents the custom control fields that apt but not dpkg knows (does such a manpage exist?).
  - I'm also wondering why init uses this control field instead of the "Essential" control field as this would additionally prevent removing it by accident with dpkg.

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