apt-cache shows misleading dependency information

Confirmed with apt 0.7.9ubuntu17.

Yes, I confirm this in my apt 0.7.9ubuntu17.

Here we are~ My third patch ever, so please don't be shy about giving advice & criticism.

This patch makes apt-cache showpkg show each type of dep separately.

Thanks for your bugreport and your patch.

The patch looks ok, however I'm hesitant to change the output here as I don't know if and how it is used by scripts that call apt-cache showpkg and would break with a change in the output.

What is your use-case for calling showpkg instead of show?

Thanks,
 Michael

Derek?

The only use of showpkg over show is the reverse depends listing it seems.

Perhaps showpkg could be deprecated and then removed in the future rather than fixed now. If the reverse depends listing were to be added to show, there would be no reason for the two separate functions to exist. In both cases of fixing or deprecating, anyone who uses apt-cache as part of a script will need to update their scripts if we are to produce a 'fix' for this bug.

Note: Technically the showpkg tells the type of dependency with the first number in parentheses [Ex: libgcc1 (2 1:4.1.1)], but to human readers that stumble upon showpkg rather than show will be confused. I think the real issue is that users make the mistake of using showpkg when they should just be using show.

mvo? I do believe the buck stops with you, I will be satisfied with whatever decision you make.

the bug is still listed on the sponsoring list would be nice to get the change reviewed and uploaded or the sponsor team unsubscribed now

<mvo> seb128: the apt-cache one is probably for apt 0.8 (where some breakage of the output format is ok)

unsubscribing the sponsor team for now

Michael, are we going to see the fix in Karmic?

still present even in vivid (all the way at least from hardy!). What a shame.

Still present in trusty. I agree with removing the showpkg command if it's not necessary and has the potential to confuse users.