Package: debconf Version: 1.5.0 Severity: normal
I noticed this while doing a dist-upgrade. The package tex-common asked for a group to own font files, and I mistyped it. tex-common then failed in its post-install script, and blocked further upgrading. Now, this would be easy to fix if I could use dpkg-reconfigure tex-common to correct the misspelled group name. But dpkg-reconfigure won't touch such a package because it is "broken". This is a problem, because the problem cannot be fixed. dpkg-reconfigure should simply run and ask the questions in such a case, so I can do a apt-get -f install (or similiar) later. Reconfiguring the not fully installed package proved impossible. I tired removing it the excessive way, with dpkg --force-depends --remove tex-common, but the broken config remained. I was not asked any questions on package reinstall, so it broke the same way! I had hoped to get the config questions again, so I could correct the wrong group name. And keep any other setting, of course. I had to use dpkg --force-depends --purge tex-common, then I could reinstall the package. This is bad, as a purge destroys each and every setting completely. Fortunately, tex-common only have a couple of settings, but imagine this scenario happening with the xserver, the ldap server, or some other really complex software. The solution seems simple to me - please let dpkg-reconfigure work on packages that are broken due to a failed post-install. It will then be possible to fix bad settings, without clearing all other settings for the same package. And without resorting to hairy options like --force-depends. -- System Information: Debian Release: testing/unstable APT prefers testing APT policy: (900, 'testing'), (800, 'unstable'), (800, 'stable'), (700, 'experimental') Architecture: i386 (i686) Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash Kernel: Linux 2.6.17-rc3-mm1 Locale: LANG=nb_NO.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=nb_NO.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8) Versions of packages debconf depends on: ii debconf-i18n 1.5.0 full internationalization support ii perl-base 5.8.8-4 The Pathologically Eclectic Rubbis Versions of packages debconf recommends: ii apt-utils 0.6.43.3 APT utility programs -- debconf-show failed -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
