"AddPackageGroup base" results in missing package linux-firmware

[digitalsignalperson]

I am writing a config that starts with

AddPackageGroup base
AddPackageGroup base-devel

When running aconfmgr save it says

: Saving configuration...
:: Examining packages...
::: Found 1 missing packages. Un-registering.
:::: Done.
::: Done.

and I find RemovePackage linux-firmware in 99-unsorted.sh under Missing packages. Yet this should not be the case, since linux-firmware is both installed on my system (confirmed pacman -Qi linux-firmware) and in the package group base (is listed in pacman -Sqg base)

If I comment out AddPackageGroup base then run aconfmgr save, 99-unsorted.sh contains the following:

# Thu Jan  3 22:08:16 PST 2019 - Unknown packages

AddPackage bash # The GNU Bourne Again shell
AddPackage bzip2 # A high-quality data compression program
AddPackage coreutils # The basic file, shell and text manipulation utilities of the GNU operating system
AddPackage cryptsetup # Userspace setup tool for transparent encryption of block devices using dm-crypt
AddPackage device-mapper # Device mapper userspace library and tools
AddPackage dhcpcd # RFC2131 compliant DHCP client daemon
AddPackage diffutils # Utility programs used for creating patch files
AddPackage e2fsprogs # Ext2/3/4 filesystem utilities
AddPackage filesystem # Base Arch Linux files
AddPackage gcc-libs # Runtime libraries shipped by GCC
AddPackage glibc # GNU C Library
AddPackage inetutils # A collection of common network programs
AddPackage iproute2 # IP Routing Utilities
AddPackage iputils # Network monitoring tools, including ping
AddPackage jfsutils # JFS filesystem utilities
AddPackage less # A terminal based program for viewing text files
AddPackage licenses # Standard licenses distribution package
AddPackage linux # The Linux kernel and modules
AddPackage logrotate # Rotates system logs automatically
AddPackage lvm2 # Logical Volume Manager 2 utilities
AddPackage man-db # A utility for reading man pages
AddPackage man-pages # Linux man pages
AddPackage mdadm # A tool for managing/monitoring Linux md device arrays, also known as Software RAID
AddPackage nano # Pico editor clone with enhancements
AddPackage netctl # Profile based systemd network management
AddPackage perl # A highly capable, feature-rich programming language
AddPackage procps-ng # Utilities for monitoring your system and its processes
AddPackage psmisc # Miscellaneous procfs tools
AddPackage reiserfsprogs # Reiserfs utilities
AddPackage s-nail # Mail processing system with a command syntax reminiscent of ed
AddPackage shadow # Password and account management tool suite with support for shadow files and PAM
AddPackage sysfsutils # System Utilities Based on Sysfs
AddPackage systemd-sysvcompat # sysvinit compat for systemd
AddPackage tar # Utility used to store, backup, and transport files
AddPackage usbutils # USB Device Utilities
AddPackage vi # The original ex/vi text editor
AddPackage xfsprogs # XFS filesystem utilities

and there is no problem (linux-firmware is a required package of linux)

[CyberShadow]

AddPackageGroup adds all the group's packages to the configuration as packages that are explicitly installed. I'm guessing that linux-firmware is not marked as explicitly installed on your system, only that it is installed as a dependency.

If you want to get rid of the RemovePackage linux-firmware line in your configuration, you can run pacman -D --asexplicit linux-firmware to mark the package as explicitly installed. Running aconfmgr apply will also do this.

[digitalsignalperson]

Yes, linux-firmware is marked Installed as a dependency for another package. Hmm, I wonder why that is, since it is explicitly listed in the base group, which is installed the as the first thing in my pacman.log

Either way, thanks for the tip. Seems like something on my end and not an aconfmgr issue.