How to use Package/Container Usage in ProGet/Otter

geraldizo_0690

Dear Supporters,

we are trying to get Package/Container Usage work.

Our Testenvironment in containers:

ProGet 2025.24(Build 5)
MSSQL
Otter 2025.3 (Build 1)

The problem is, as soon as a server has been assigned into a role, for executing checkconfiguration with activated "Configuration drift:", the package/container scanner inside of ProGet will get the following error while scanning. And there is no information about package usage have been transfered from otter to proget.

Have any clue, why is this happening?

Scan using Otter at http://otter/ failed: Invalid name.

System.ArgumentException: Invalid name.
   at Inedo.UPack.UniversalPackageId.Parse(String s)
   at Inedo.ProGet.Extensions.PackageContainerScanners.OtterScanner.OtterPackageData..ctor(String server, FeedType type, JObject obj) in C:\Users\builds\AppData\Local\Temp\InedoAgent\BuildMaster\192.168.44.60\Temp\_E648765\Src\src\ProGet\Extensions\PackageContainerScanners\OtterScanner.cs:line 147
   at Inedo.ProGet.Extensions.PackageContainerScanners.OtterScanner.<>c__DisplayClass12_0.<ReadPackages>b__0(JObject p) in C:\Users\builds\AppData\Local\Temp\InedoAgent\BuildMaster\192.168.44.60\Temp\_E648765\Src\src\ProGet\Extensions\PackageContainerScanners\OtterScanner.cs:line 128
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.ConcatIterator`1.MoveNext()
   at Inedo.ProGet.Service.PackageContainerScannerRunner.GetPackageRecords(Context db, IEnumerable`1 packages)+MoveNext() in C:\Users\builds\AppData\Local\Temp\InedoAgent\BuildMaster\192.168.44.60\Temp\_E648765\Src\src\ProGet\Service\TaskRunners\PackageContainerScannerRunner.cs:line 71
   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1..ctor(IEnumerable`1 collection)
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.ToList[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source)
   at Inedo.ProGet.Service.PackageContainerScannerRunner.ScanAsync(TaskRunnerSubtask`1 subtask, PackageContainerScanner scanner) in C:\Users\builds\AppData\Local\Temp\InedoAgent\BuildMaster\192.168.44.60\Temp\_E648765\Src\src\ProGet\Service\TaskRunners\PackageContainerScannerRunner.cs:line 46

::PackageContainerScannerRunner Error on 04/01/2026 10:12:11::

Thank you.
Best regards

geraldizo_0690

Additional Information:

proget[1916719]: Scan using Otter at http://otter/ failed: Unexpected character encountered while parsing value: <. Path '', line 0, position 0.

apxltd

Hi @geraldizo_0690 ,

Thanks for trying out the feature! Unfortunately I think this feature broke around ProGet 2023 and no one seemed to notice it; we were actually planning on removing it in ProGet 2026.

We build the feature ages ago, but no one ever asked for it. It just "felt" like a "nice idea" at the time, but we never really thought out a proper use case. So was never documented very well and it would seem no one used it

Anyway... I'd be open to reviving it if we could actually figure out a use case. What are you trying to do? Would love to get an idea to see if we can solve a real-world problem here

Thanks,
Alex

geraldizo_0690

Hi, thanks for the info.

We find this feature very interesting because packages can be tracked using Proget and Otter.
This allows users to check whether the packages they use have already been updated with the latest security updates.

But it’s not a big deal if the feature is no longer supported soon.

It appears to be just a JSON interface that is used between Proget and Otter.

Btw. Offtopic

Can you take a look here again, I find it better to continue this thread instead of opening a new thread with the same topic:
https://forums.inedo.com/topic/5635/support-for-notautomatic-butautomaticupgrades-headers-in-debian-feed-release-files?_=1775537208917

Thank you very much

apxltd

Hi @geraldizo_0690 ,

Thanks! That's pretty much where we left it, an "interesting feature" with no real demand. I'm glad you "get it" though and see some value here :)

This allows users to check whether the packages they use have already been updated with the latest security updates.

So to clarify, your envisioned usecase is system/Debian packages? What would you do on the Otter side? Orchestrate updates of those packages?

Cheers,
Alex

PS -- other issue is the list to address, easy fix just haven't gotten to it yet w/ PG2026 stuff