Bug 464766 - If an error message shown to the user contains the text " dpkg --configure -a", add a "Fix it" button that runs that command
Summary: If an error message shown to the user contains the text " dpkg --configure -a...
Status: REPORTED
Alias: None
Product: Discover
Classification: Applications
Component: PackageKit (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: master
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2023-01-24 20:37 UTC by Nate Graham
Modified: 2024-09-08 20:52 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

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Description Nate Graham 2023-01-24 20:37:59 UTC
On apt-using distros, we get a *lot* of bug reports from users about this condition. See:

https://bugs.kde.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=NEEDSINFO&bug_status=VERIFIED&bug_status=CLOSED&classification=Applications&classification=I%20don%27t%20know&f0=OP&f1=OP&f2=product&f3=component&f4=alias&f5=short_desc&f7=content&f8=CP&f9=CP&j1=OR&list_id=2258386&o2=substring&o3=substring&o4=substring&o5=substring&o7=matches&product=Discover&product=kde&product=muon&query_format=advanced&resolution=FIXED&resolution=INVALID&resolution=WONTFIX&resolution=LATER&resolution=REMIND&resolution=DUPLICATE&resolution=WORKSFORME&resolution=MOVED&resolution=UPSTREAM&resolution=DOWNSTREAM&resolution=WAITINGFORINFO&resolution=BACKTRACE&resolution=UNMAINTAINED&v2=dpkg%20--configure%20-a&v3=dpkg%20--configure%20-a&v4=dpkg%20--configure%20-a&v5=dpkg%20--configure%20-a&v7=%22dpkg%20--configure%20-a%22

The bug is ultimately not Discover's fault:
- It's Apt or dpkg's fault for allowing this situation in the first place
- It's also the fault of the PackageKit plugin for passing this error on verbatim to PackageKit which is used by GUI tools, rather than reformatting it to be more comprehensible to users unfamiliar with the command line
- It's the fault of PackageKit for not having any API to offer interactivity or choices to the user

However this situation has persisted for years, and there's no reason to imagine that it will change anytime soon. If we want to save our users from this, it's probably up to us. I recommend adding code that checks for whether error messages contain the text "dpkg --configure -a". If an error message is a match, add a button that says "Fix it" that runs that command and reloads the view.

If we don't do this, I think we're going to continue getting un-actionable bug reports that waste our time and make Discover look broken for users on apt-using distros forever. :/