avoid interaction installing xfce

[david]

At 02:33 PM 12/6/2020, Peter Flynn wrote:
>On 06/12/2020 16:20, david wrote:
>>Folks
>>I am trying to install xfce4-session in a 
>>several Ubuntu 20.04 LTS servers, some 
>>physical, some virtual.  These are fresh 
>>installs.  The install is driven from a Perl 
>>script, containing the following (as root):
>>$ENV{DEBIAN_FRONTEND} = 'noninteractive';
>>system( "apt -y -qq install xfce4-session" );
>>Apparently this install requires intervention 
>>from the user, under the title of "Package 
>>Configuration" and thus assumes there's a 
>>console.  In this case, there is no one 
>>present.  I really don't want to go to each of 
>>them and interact with the installation 
>>sequence by hand..  Is there some way to avoid 
>>the interactive process in the install?   Any clues?
>
>Would it work with a simple confirmation, eg
>
>system( "yes|apt -y -qq install xfce4-session" );
>
>Or if you know that a string response is needed
>
>system( "echo whatever|apt -y -qq install xfce4-session" );
>
>Peter

When run with a real console, it wants you to 
select one of the options then press "OK".  It 
uses what I think is called ASCII graphics, and 
you move around with tab/arrows/enter.  I fear 
that's a lot to put in your "yes" phrase, but 
you've given me an idea I might be able to use.  Thanks

David