Package: apt Version: 3.1.4 Severity: minor Dear Maintainer,
Let me start by saying I do not know where the problem exists, it may be "apt" or it may be in the pager "less". I noticed this on an upgrade from Bookworm to Trixie. I then upgraded this test system to "unstable" to confirm that the problem is still present. Whenever I did an "apt search xxx", the listing would show the escape code sequence rather than the expected colour change, and the listing was monochrome. On Bookworm, apt sends output directly to the terminal, while the version in Trixie uses the default pager. Top shows it runs "pager" (linked to "less" on my systems) but the command line shows no args even under /proc/nnn/cmdline. Other colorised features are still working as expected (bash PS1, ls-color, vim) The problem occurs with different terminal characteristics, both on a VM desktop running Xfce as well as headless VMs running server code. Tested on: "xterm" in xterm and uxterm "xterm-256color" in gnome terminal "putty-256color" in putty ssh terminal. All gave the same problem. I have identified the contributing factor, which is the presence of an environment variable named LESS - for many years (I have forgotten why) I maintained a default environment value of "LESS=-M". When I removed the LESS environment value, the problem went away. The mere existence of the LESS environment value causes the problem, even an empty string. The Less manual is not clear whether options passed using this env var cause everything on the command line to be deleted, but that would be illogical. However that seems to be the result. If I explicitly pipe the output to "less" or "pager" then there is no colorisation attempted, which is what I would expect. I have other env vars related to less: namely LESSCHARSET (probably redundant these days), LESSOPEN and LESSCLOSE. Removing those made no difference. The easy workaround is to remove the LESS env value in my shell rc. -- Package-specific info: -- apt-config dump -- APT ""; APT::Architecture "amd64"; APT::Build-Essential ""; APT::Build-Essential:: "build-essential"; APT::Install-Recommends "1"; APT::Install-Suggests "0"; APT::Key ""; APT::Key::Assert-Pubkey-Algo ">=rsa2048,ed25519,ed448,nistp256,nistp384,nistp512,brainpoolP256r1,brainpoolP320r1,brainpoolP384r1,brainpoolP512r1,secp256k1"; APT::Key::Assert-Pubkey-Algo::Next ">=rsa2048,ed25519,ed448,nistp256,nistp384,nistp512"; APT::Key::Assert-Pubkey-Algo::Future ">=rsa3072,ed25519,ed448"; APT::Sandbox ""; APT::Sandbox::User "_apt"; APT::NeverAutoRemove ""; APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^firmware-linux.*"; APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-firmware$"; APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-[a-z0-9]*$"; APT::NeverAutoRemove:: "^linux-image-[a-z0-9]*-[a-z0-9]*$"; APT::VersionedKernelPackages ""; APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "linux-.*"; APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "kfreebsd-.*"; APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: "gnumach-.*"; APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-modules"; APT::VersionedKernelPackages:: ".*-kernel"; APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections ""; APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "metapackages"; APT::Never-MarkAuto-Sections:: "tasks"; APT::Move-Autobit-Sections ""; APT::Move-Autobit-Sections:: "oldlibs"; APT::Architectures ""; APT::Architectures:: "amd64"; APT::Compressor ""; APT::Compressor::. ""; APT::Compressor::.::Name "."; APT::Compressor::.::Extension ""; APT::Compressor::.::Binary ""; APT::Compressor::.::Cost "0"; APT::Compressor::zstd ""; APT::Compressor::zstd::Name "zstd"; APT::Compressor::zstd::Extension ".zst"; APT::Compressor::zstd::Binary "zstd"; APT::Compressor::zstd::Cost "60"; APT::Compressor::zstd::CompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::zstd::CompressArg:: "-6"; APT::Compressor::zstd::UncompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::zstd::UncompressArg:: "-d"; APT::Compressor::lz4 ""; APT::Compressor::lz4::Name "lz4"; APT::Compressor::lz4::Extension ".lz4"; APT::Compressor::lz4::Binary "false"; APT::Compressor::lz4::Cost "50"; APT::Compressor::gzip ""; APT::Compressor::gzip::Name "gzip"; APT::Compressor::gzip::Extension ".gz"; APT::Compressor::gzip::Binary "gzip"; APT::Compressor::gzip::Cost "100"; APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::gzip::CompressArg:: "-6n"; APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::gzip::UncompressArg:: "-d"; APT::Compressor::xz ""; APT::Compressor::xz::Name "xz"; APT::Compressor::xz::Extension ".xz"; APT::Compressor::xz::Binary "xz"; APT::Compressor::xz::Cost "200"; APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::xz::CompressArg:: "-6"; APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::xz::UncompressArg:: "-d"; APT::Compressor::bzip2 ""; APT::Compressor::bzip2::Name "bzip2"; APT::Compressor::bzip2::Extension ".bz2"; APT::Compressor::bzip2::Binary "bzip2"; APT::Compressor::bzip2::Cost "300"; APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::bzip2::CompressArg:: "-6"; APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::bzip2::UncompressArg:: "-d"; APT::Compressor::lzma ""; APT::Compressor::lzma::Name "lzma"; APT::Compressor::lzma::Extension ".lzma"; APT::Compressor::lzma::Binary "xz"; APT::Compressor::lzma::Cost "400"; APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "--format=lzma"; APT::Compressor::lzma::CompressArg:: "-6"; APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg ""; APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg:: "--format=lzma"; APT::Compressor::lzma::UncompressArg:: "-d"; Dir "/"; Dir::State "var/lib/apt"; Dir::State::lists "lists/"; Dir::State::cdroms "cdroms.list"; Dir::State::extended_states "extended_states"; Dir::State::status "/var/lib/dpkg/status"; Dir::Cache "var/cache/apt"; Dir::Cache::archives "archives/"; Dir::Cache::srcpkgcache "srcpkgcache.bin"; Dir::Cache::pkgcache "pkgcache.bin"; Dir::Etc "etc/apt"; Dir::Etc::sourcelist "sources.list"; Dir::Etc::sourceparts "sources.list.d"; Dir::Etc::main "apt.conf"; Dir::Etc::netrc "auth.conf"; Dir::Etc::netrcparts "auth.conf.d"; Dir::Etc::parts "apt.conf.d"; Dir::Etc::preferences "preferences"; Dir::Etc::preferencesparts "preferences.d"; Dir::Etc::trustedparts "trusted.gpg.d"; Dir::Boot "boot"; Dir::Usr "usr"; Dir::Bin ""; Dir::Bin::methods "/usr/lib/apt/methods"; Dir::Bin::solvers ""; Dir::Bin::solvers:: "/usr/lib/apt/solvers"; Dir::Bin::planners ""; Dir::Bin::planners:: "/usr/lib/apt/planners"; Dir::Bin::dpkg "/usr/bin/dpkg"; Dir::Bin::gzip "/bin/gzip"; Dir::Bin::bzip2 "/bin/bzip2"; Dir::Bin::xz "/usr/bin/xz"; Dir::Bin::lz4 "/usr/bin/lz4"; Dir::Bin::zstd "/usr/bin/zstd"; Dir::Bin::lzma "/usr/bin/xz"; Dir::Media ""; Dir::Media::MountPath "/media/apt"; Dir::Log "var/log/apt"; Dir::Log::Terminal "term.log"; Dir::Log::History "history.log"; Dir::Log::Planner "eipp.log.xz"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently ""; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "~$"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.disabled$"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.bak$"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.dpkg-[a-z]+$"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.ucf-[a-z]+$"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.save$"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.orig$"; Dir::Ignore-Files-Silently:: "\.distUpgrade$"; Acquire ""; Acquire::AllowInsecureRepositories "0"; Acquire::AllowWeakRepositories "0"; Acquire::AllowDowngradeToInsecureRepositories "0"; Acquire::cdrom ""; Acquire::cdrom::mount "/media/cdrom/"; Acquire::IndexTargets ""; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb ""; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages ""; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/binary-$(ARCHITECTURE)/Packages"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::flatMetaKey "Packages"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::ShortDescription "Packages"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) $(ARCHITECTURE) Packages"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Packages"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Packages::Optional "0"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations ""; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/i18n/Translation-$(LANGUAGE)"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::flatMetaKey "$(LANGUAGE)"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::ShortDescription "Translation-$(LANGUAGE)"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Translation-$(LANGUAGE)"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb::Translations::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Translation-$(LANGUAGE)"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src ""; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources ""; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::MetaKey "$(COMPONENT)/source/Sources"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::flatMetaKey "Sources"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::ShortDescription "Sources"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::Description "$(RELEASE)/$(COMPONENT) Sources"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Sources"; Acquire::IndexTargets::deb-src::Sources::Optional "0"; Acquire::Changelogs ""; Acquire::Changelogs::URI ""; Acquire::Changelogs::URI::Origin ""; Acquire::Changelogs::URI::Origin::Debian "https://metadata.ftp-master.debian.org/changelogs/@CHANGEPATH@_changelog";; Acquire::Changelogs::URI::Origin::Ubuntu "https://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/@CHANGEPATH@/changelog";; Acquire::Changelogs::AlwaysOnline ""; Acquire::Changelogs::AlwaysOnline::Origin ""; Acquire::Changelogs::AlwaysOnline::Origin::Ubuntu "1"; Acquire::Snapshots ""; Acquire::Snapshots::URI ""; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Origin ""; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Origin::Debian "https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/debian/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Origin::Ubuntu "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Override ""; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Override::Label ""; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Override::Label::Debian-Security "https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/debian-security/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host ""; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::archive.ubuntu.com "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::deb.debian.org "https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::.archive.ubuntu.com "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::security.ubuntu.com "https://snapshot.ubuntu.com/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::ppa.launchpadcontent.net "https://snapshot.ppa.launchpadcontent.net/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Snapshots::URI::Host::ppa.launchpad.net "https://snapshot.ppa.launchpadcontent.net/@PATH@/@SNAPSHOTID@/";; Acquire::Languages ""; Acquire::Languages:: "en"; Acquire::Languages:: "none"; Acquire::CompressionTypes ""; Acquire::CompressionTypes::xz "xz"; Acquire::CompressionTypes::bz2 "bzip2"; Acquire::CompressionTypes::lzma "lzma"; Acquire::CompressionTypes::gz "gzip"; Acquire::CompressionTypes::lz4 "lz4"; Acquire::CompressionTypes::zst "zstd"; DPkg ""; DPkg::Path "/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"; DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs ""; DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/bin/apt-listbugs apt"; DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs:: "/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true"; DPkg::Tools ""; DPkg::Tools::Options ""; DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listbugs ""; DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listbugs::Version "3"; DPkg::Tools::Options::/usr/bin/apt-listbugs::InfoFD "20"; AptListbugs ""; AptListbugs::Severities "critical,grave,serious"; Binary "apt-config"; Binary::apt-cdrom ""; Binary::apt-cdrom::APT ""; Binary::apt-cdrom::APT::Internal ""; Binary::apt-cdrom::APT::Internal::OpProgress ""; Binary::apt-cdrom::APT::Internal::OpProgress::EraseLines "0"; Binary::apt ""; Binary::apt::APT ""; Binary::apt::APT::Color "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Output-Version "30"; Binary::apt::APT::Cache ""; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Show ""; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Show::Version "2"; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::AllVersions "0"; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::ShowVirtuals "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Search ""; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::Search::Version "2"; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::ShowDependencyType "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Cache::ShowVersion "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Get ""; Binary::apt::APT::Get::Upgrade-Allow-New "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Get::Update ""; Binary::apt::APT::Get::Update::InteractiveReleaseInfoChanges "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Cmd ""; Binary::apt::APT::Cmd::Show-Update-Stats "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Cmd::Pattern-Only "1"; Binary::apt::APT::Keep-Downloaded-Packages "0"; Binary::apt::DPkg ""; Binary::apt::DPkg::Progress-Fancy "1"; Binary::apt::DPkg::Lock ""; Binary::apt::DPkg::Lock::Timeout "-1"; Binary::apt::Pager "1"; CommandLine ""; CommandLine::AsString "apt-config dump"; -- (no /etc/apt/preferences present) -- -- (no /etc/apt/preferences.d/* present) -- -- (no /etc/apt/sources.list present) -- -- /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.sources -- Types: deb deb-src URIs: https://deb.debian.org/debian Suites: testing testing-updates Components: main non-free-firmware contrib non-free Enabled: yes Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg Types: deb deb-src URIs: https://security.debian.org/debian-security Suites: testing-security Components: main non-free-firmware contrib non-free Enabled: yes Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg -- (/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ookla_speedtest-cli.list present, but not submitted) -- -- (/etc/apt/sources.list.d/weewx.list present, but not submitted) -- -- System Information: Debian Release: forky/sid APT prefers testing APT policy: (500, 'testing') Architecture: amd64 (x86_64) Kernel: Linux 6.12.41+deb13-amd64 (SMP w/1 CPU thread; PREEMPT) Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=C.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE not set Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system) LSM: AppArmor: enabled Versions of packages apt depends on: ii adduser 3.152 ii base-passwd 3.6.7 ii debian-archive-keyring 2025.1 ii libapt-pkg7.0 3.1.4 ii libc6 2.41-12 ii libgcc-s1 15.2.0-1 ii libseccomp2 2.6.0-2 ii libssl3t64 3.5.2-1 ii libstdc++6 15.2.0-1 ii libsystemd0 258~rc2-2 ii sqv 1.3.0-3 Versions of packages apt recommends: ii ca-certificates 20250419 Versions of packages apt suggests: pn apt-doc <none> pn aptitude | synaptic | wajig <none> pn dpkg-dev <none> ii gnupg 2.4.8-2 pn powermgmt-base <none> -- no debconf information
