[Bug 1854588] [NEW] gdebi-gtk calls pkexec inappropriately

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

You have been subscribed to a public bug by Robie Basak (racb):

Steps to reproduce:

1. Have Ubuntu with gdebi-gtk installed
2. Open Firefox
3. Visit some site with deb-package download link or use direct link like https://github.com/jgm/pandoc/releases/download/2.9.2.1/pandoc-2.9.2.1-1-amd64.deb
4. Proceed with file downloading
5. In Firefox select Library → Downloads, click on downloaded deb-file

Expected results:
* gdebi-gtk is opened, the package installs normally after users clicks Install button

Actual results:
* gdebi-gtk is opened, the package is not installed because of vanishing of gdebi-gtk window just after clicking Install button


----

Before anyone says this bug already exists... it doesn't (at least as
far as I can see).  It's just that a lot of similar bugs do/did exist
where people have also experienced the same symptoms (of gdebi-gtk
vanishing upon clicking 'Install').

So yes this is the same symptoms, but it must be a different cause as
the circumstances are different and doesn't have the same resolution.

The meat of it...

Basically on a fresh install of Ubuntu MATE 18.04.3 amd64... with Firefox (or with Chrome if you installed that) go to any site that offers a .deb package and either...
a) choose to open it directly from the browser (rather than saving it to 'Downloads' folder)
b) or... save the file (e.g. to the 'Downloads' folder), BUT!.. open that file from within the browser itself.

You should find that gdebi-gtk appears but vanishes the moment you click
'Install' without a prompt for a password, an explanation or the package
actually getting installed.

This bug has existed since the beginning of Ubuntu 18.04 however it's
been largely confused with other similar bugs.  I've had it on half a
dozen machines and confirmed it exists with IRC users on #ubuntu-mate of
freenode.

However with *this* bug (compared to others) gdebi-gtk works perfectly
fine if you run it from the terminal or just double click the .deb
package from your file manager.

It's the kind of bug which if you're a hardened desktop Linux user,
you'd just work around it...

But if you're a novice and you can't get a simple thing like Teamviewer
installed (which is a .deb, and a thing I might ask someone to do over
the phone to try to help them) you likely get fed up and re-install
Windows :S

Any input on this would be brilliant as I can't seem to get any
logs/output.

~lantizia

** Affects: gdebi
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Confirmed

** Affects: gdebi (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Confirmed


** Tags: bionic focal hirsute impish jammy rls-jj-incoming
-- 
gdebi-gtk calls pkexec inappropriately
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1854588
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