[Bug 1442775] Re: apt-get --ignore-missing doesn't ignore missing packages

[Jeff Lambert]

Yes this affects me as well. Still true as of apt 1.6.6 (Ubuntu 18.04)

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to apt in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1442775

Title:
  apt-get --ignore-missing doesn't ignore missing packages

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  The man page for apt-get states:

         -m, --ignore-missing, --fix-missing
             Ignore missing packages; if packages cannot be retrieved or fail the integrity check after retrieval (corrupted package files), hold back those packages and handle the
             result. Use of this option together with -f may produce an error in some situations. If a package is selected for installation (particularly if it is mentioned on the
             command line) and it could not be downloaded then it will be silently held back. Configuration Item: APT::Get::Fix-Missing.

  However, when removing or purging packages, it does /not/ actually
  ignore missing packages:

  build at ub14test:~/p4/zimbra/main/ThirdParty/openldap$ sudo apt-get purge -y --ignore-missing zimbra-openssl-lib
  Reading package lists... Done
  Building dependency tree
  Reading state information... Done
  E: Unable to locate package zimbra-openssl-lib
  build at ub14test:~/p4/zimbra/main/ThirdParty/openldap$ echo $?
  100

  This causes some pain when using apt-get in a Makefile and wanting to
  ensure custom packages have been removed.

  dpkg handles this correctly:

  build at ub14test:~/p4/zimbra/main/ThirdParty/openldap$ sudo dpkg --purge zimbra-openssl-lib
  dpkg: warning: ignoring request to remove zimbra-openssl-lib which isn't installed
  build at ub14test:~/p4/zimbra/main/ThirdParty/openldap$ echo $?
  0

  however you then lose dependency tracking.

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1442775/+subscriptions