`pkg_info -m` incorrect

[beavers]

`pkg_info -m` is currently showing dependencies that were not manually installed. This seems to happen every so often, and the only way I can think to fix it is to remove the main package that pulled in the dependencies, then `pkg_delete -a`, then reinstall the main package. Although quite often, a dependency listed by `pkg_info -m` belongs to a number of main packages, each discovered in turn as I go through this process.

Is there a simpler way of accomplishing this? Manually editing the pkg db somehow?

[jggimi]

You can switch any installed package from "manually installed" to "automatically installed" with the -aa flag of pkg_add(1).


From the man page:

   Manual installation
     pkg_add differentiates between packages specified on the command line,
     and packages installed automatically because of inter-dependencies: the
     first kind will be tagged as `installed manually'.  The -a option is used
     internally by the ports(7) infrastructure and dpb(1) to handle
     dependencies.

     It is also possible to tweak the `installed manually' status of a package
     after the fact.  Running pkg_add on an already installed package will tag
     it as `installed manually', even if it was already there as a dependency
     of something else, and doubling the -a option will remove the `installed
     manually' tag from installed packages.

[jggimi]

I've been thinking about the initial problem.

Originally Posted by beavers

`pkg_info -m` is currently showing dependencies that were not manually installed. This seems to happen every so often...

The only way I can think of to cause this to happen is to build dependencies locally via the ports tree.

[IdOp]

A minor note: the thread title refers to pkg_add instead off pkg_info. Fixing this could help future searchers.

[beavers]

Perfect, thanks! As always, a closer reading of the man page would have fixed my issue.

Originally Posted by jggimi

I've been thinking about the initial problem.The only way I can think of to cause this to happen is to build dependencies locally via the ports tree.

As a rule I stick to packages entirely, so nothing is being built on these particular machines. I don't even keep a copy of the ports tree.

It seems to correlate with major bumps to package versions.

Originally Posted by IdOp

A minor note: the thread title refers to pkg_add instead off pkg_info. Fixing this could help future searchers.

Good catch, thanks.

[jggimi]

Originally Posted by beavers

It seems to correlate with major bumps to package versions.

It doesn't happen to me. You might consider running pkg_check(8) to check and correct any package inconsistencies.

[beavers]

Yeah, I must be doing something to cause it, I just can't imagine what.

pkg_check cleaned up a few permissions in /var/db/pkg. Will keep an eye on things and report back if I find any clues.

[jggimi]

Originally Posted by beavers

Yeah, I must be doing something to cause it, I just can't imagine what.

pkg_add -r instead of -u, perhaps?

[beavers]

Nah, I always use `pkg_add -ui`.

[brudan]

I wrote a little shell script that tells me why a particular package was installed (manual vs. automatic) and which other packages depend on it, if any. Here it is in case it is of use to anyone:

#!/bin/sh

cd /var/db/pkg

grep -q '@option manual-installation' ${1}-*/+CONTENTS 2>/dev/null
result=$?
case $result in
	0)	echo "Manually installed." ;;
	1)	echo "Automatically installed." ;;
	2)	echo "Not installed."; exit ;;
esac

if grep -q -r "@depend .*:${1}-" *; then
	echo "The following packages depend on it:"
	grep -r "@depend .*:${1}-" * | awk -F'/' '{print $1}' | uniq
else
	echo "No packages depend on it."
fi

To use it, save the script somewhere in your PATH, name it why and make it executable. Here is an example run:

bruno@thinkpad:~$ why ffmpeg
Manually installed.
The following packages depend on it:
mplayer-20190330p0
mpv-0.29.1

I choose ffmpeg as an example on purpuse: It shows the unusual situation where a manually-installed package also happens to be a dependency of other packages.