Aptdaemon

Aptdaemon is a tool that allows normal users to perform package management tasks, e.g. refreshing the cache, upgrading the system, installing or removing software packages.

Aptdaemon was inspired by PackageKit which doesn't allow a tight integration into Debian/Ubuntu by policy: Running transaction are not allowed to be paused. This makes the use of debconf or resolving config file conflicts impossible.

Features:

• Programming language independent D-Bus interface, which allows to write clients in several languages
• Transaction based design which allows to queue actions
• The daemon runs only if required (D-Bus activation)
• Fine grained privilege management using PolicyKit, e.g. allowing all desktop user to query for updates without entering a password
• Support for media changes during installation from DVD/CDROM
• Support for debconf (Debian's package configuration system)
• Support for attaching a terminal to the underlying dpkg call
• Command line client aptdcon
• Python GTK widgets to monitor and control a running transaction

What is new in this release:

• The UpdateCachePartially method allows to specify an alternative sources.list snippet to only update the repositories specified in the corresponding configuration file.
• Aptdaemon did not restrict the path to the sources.list.d directory and allowed to inject packages from malicious sources specified in a custom sources.list and even to read every file on the system.

What is new in version 0.32:

• PolicyKit1:
• Add a new privilege org.debian.apt.set-proxy which allows to set an http proxy server for a transaction. Currently every active user is allowed to set a proxy for his or her transactions.
• entry points:
• Add modify_cache_before and modify_cache_after entry point which make it possible for plugins to modify the to be installed or removed packages of a transaction. See README.Plugins for further details.
• client Python module:
• Allow to convert all methods into Deferreds by using the deferable_function decorator, see below for more details.
• Add a downloads attribute to AptTransaction. It contains a dictionary of all processed downloads. The key is the uri of the download. The value is a tuple of status enum, short de...

Requirements:

• Python