Debian Bug report logs - #173120
apt-cache's 'size' should say what units

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Message #5 received at submit@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: "Dan Jacobson" <jidanni@dman.ddts.net>

To: "Debian Bug Tracking System" <submit@bugs.debian.org>

Subject: apt-cache's 'size' should say what units

Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 06:18:56 +0800

Package: apt
Version: 0.5.4
Severity: wishlist
File: /usr/bin/apt-cache

Yes RTFM, but still, you might want to mention if you are talking
bytes, kb, blocks or what, right there in the output. instead of
current no units style e.g.,

$ apt-cache show avifile-player
Installed-Size: 392
Size: 109226
...

-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
Architecture: i386
Kernel: Linux debian 2.4.18-k7 #1 Sun Apr 14 13:19:11 EST 2002 i686
Locale: LANG=zh_TW.Big5, LC_CTYPE=zh_TW.Big5

Versions of packages apt depends on:
ii  libc6                        2.2.5-15    GNU C Library: Shared libraries an
ii  libstdc++2.10-glibc2.2       1:2.95.4-12 The GNU stdc++ library

-- no debconf information

Message #10 received at 173120@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Matt Zimmerman <mdz@debian.org>

To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni@dman.ddts.net>, 173120@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#173120: apt-cache's 'size' should say what units

Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 10:40:17 -0500

On Sun, Dec 15, 2002 at 06:18:56AM +0800, Dan Jacobson wrote:

> Yes RTFM, but still, you might want to mention if you are talking
> bytes, kb, blocks or what, right there in the output. instead of
> current no units style e.g.,
> 
> $ apt-cache show avifile-player
> Installed-Size: 392
> Size: 109226

Installed-Size is part of the binary package control file format, and its
meaning is specified by the policy manual.  Size is part of the Packages
file format, and its size is in bytes.  apt-cache is simply reproducing this
information verbatim, and it does not attempt to convert it into a more
human-readable form (it just happens that the machine-readable format is
also human-readable).

A more 'friendly' frontend to apt might display these values differently,
but apt-cache is most useful with its current behaviour, I think.


-- 
 - mdz

Message #15 received at 173120@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni@dman.ddts.net>

To: Matt Zimmerman <mdz@debian.org>

Cc: 173120@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#173120: apt-cache's 'size' should say what units

Date: 17 Dec 2002 08:02:36 +0800

>>>>> "M" == Matt Zimmerman <mdz@debian.org> writes:

M> On Sun, Dec 15, 2002 at 06:18:56AM +0800, Dan Jacobson wrote:
>> Yes RTFM, but still, you might want to mention if you are talking
>> bytes, kb, blocks or what, right there in the output. instead of
>> current no units style e.g.,
>> 
>> $ apt-cache show avifile-player
>> Installed-Size: 392
>> Size: 109226

M> Installed-Size is part of the binary package control file format, and its
M> meaning is specified by the policy manual.  Size is part of the Packages
M> file format, and its size is in bytes.  apt-cache is simply reproducing this

ohmygod, you mean to say the two might even differ in units?  All the
more reason to be explicit in the output.  BTW, and if one day the
policy manual changes, there is no alert in the output.
BTW, I am taking the standpoint of the 'average user' who might not in
daily contact with the policy manual.

M> information verbatim, and it does not attempt to convert it into a more
M> human-readable form (it just happens that the machine-readable format is
M> also human-readable).

M> A more 'friendly' frontend to apt might display these values differently,
M> but apt-cache is most useful with its current behaviour, I think.

hmmm, some commands have options to turn on 'human readable', some
have options for 'machine readable'... ok never mind that, instead:
I notice that the word 'size' appears nowhere on the apt-cache man page...

Message #24 received at 173120-done@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: David Kalnischkies <david@kalnischkies.de>

To: 173120-done@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#173120: apt-cache's 'size' should say what units

Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2015 20:35:20 +0200

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Version: 1.0

On Mon, Dec 16, 2002 at 10:40:17AM -0500, Matt Zimmerman wrote:
> A more 'friendly' frontend to apt might display these values differently,
> but apt-cache is most useful with its current behaviour, I think.

$ apt show apt | grep Size
Installed-Size: 3.397 kB
Download-Size: 1.090 kB

So, while we can't change apt-cache for compatibility reasons as Matt
already said years ago, we have by now 'apt' which is intended to be
a more human friendly interface (or to be more percise an interface not
used by scripts, so we can actually change things "at will") which
supports this by now.

Therefore closing as done.


Best regards

David Kalnischkies

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