Bug#385909: pyversions: command not found

[Josselin Mouette]

reassign 385909 python 2.4.3-11
retitle 385909 preinst calls .rtupdate scripts while dependencies aren't installed
thanks

Le dimanche 03 septembre 2006 à 23:38 +0200, Julien Danjou a écrit :
> Package: python-gnome2
> Version: 2.12.4-4
> Severity: serious
> 
> While upgrading an old etch:
> 
> Suggested packages:
>   python-doc python-profiler
> The following NEW packages will be installed:
>   python-minimal
> The following packages will be upgraded:
>   python
> 1 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 212 not upgraded.
> 221 not fully installed or removed.
> Need to get 0B/152kB of archives.
> After unpacking 119kB of additional disk space will be used.
> (Reading database ... 142617 files and directories currently installed.)
> Preparing to replace python 2.3.5-5 (using .../python_2.4.3-11_all.deb)
> ...
> running python pre-rtupdate hooks for python2.4...
> /usr/share/python/runtime.d/python-gnome2.rtupdate: line 4: pyversions:
> command not found
> error running python pre-rtupdate hook python-gnome2
> running python failed-pre-rtupdate hook python-gnome2
> /usr/share/python/runtime.d/python-gnome2.rtupdate: line 4: pyversions:
> command not found
> dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/python_2.4.3-11_all.deb
> (--unpack):
>  subprocess pre-installation script returned error exit status 127
> dpkg: considering removing python in favour of python-minimal ...
> dpkg: no, cannot remove python (--auto-deconfigure will help):
>  uligo depends on python
>   python is to be removed.
> dpkg: regarding .../python-minimal_2.4.3-11_all.deb containing
> python-minimal:
>  python-minimal conflicts with python (<= 2.4-1)
>   python (version 2.3.5-5) is installed.
> dpkg: error processing
> /var/cache/apt/archives/python-minimal_2.4.3-11_all.deb (--unpack):
>  conflicting packages - not installing python-minimal
> Errors were encountered while processing:
>  /var/cache/apt/archives/python_2.4.3-11_all.deb
>  /var/cache/apt/archives/python-minimal_2.4.3-11_all.deb
> E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

As explained on debian-python, this is a problem with python's preinst
script, which calls the .rtupdate stuff. At that moment, nothing is
guaranteed to be installed, except for required packages. Most scripts
are calling pyversions, which is a symbolic link to pyversions.py,
present in python-minimal.

The clean solution is to remove this stuff from the preinst script and
to find another solution for the packages currently using it.

Another possibility would be to add python-minimal as a Pre-Depends: for
python and to state in the policy that .rtupdate scripts must ensure
everything they need is installed and working.
-- 
 .''`.           Josselin Mouette        /\./\
: :' :           josselin.mouette at ens-lyon.org
`. `'                        joss at debian.org
   `-  Debian GNU/Linux -- The power of freedom