Has DEB Hell Reared its Ugly Head Again!!!!

[NoWorries]

I have been holding off upgrading for two days as many important packages would be removed. The attached image illustrates what I got this morning. I decided to install the updates but Google Earth no longer works and cannot be installed. When I try an autoremove I get a long list of 32B packages that should be removed. Has anyone else had this problem?

[SteveRiley]

I'm going to guess that apt-get's solver encountered something it couldn't figure out. I would have tried a few other things first:

1. apt-get upgrade, which only upgrades packages in place; then followed by apt-get dist-upgrade. This can sometimes avoid confusing cross-dependency resolution.

2. aptitude update && aptitude full-upgrade and observe the differences before committing. Aptitude's solver employs a slightly different algorithm that handles weird cross-dependency issues differently. Sometimes it's better, sometimes not.


However...you've already done the upgrade, and now stuff's broke. Go ahead and run autoremove. Then try reinstalling Google Earth. If it fails, please copy-pasta the output here so we can take a look.

[NoWorries]

I'm going to guess that apt-get's solver encountered something it couldn't figure out. I would have tried a few other things first:

1. apt-get upgrade, which only upgrades packages in place; then followed by apt-get dist-upgrade. This can sometimes avoid confusing cross-dependency resolution.

2. aptitude update && aptitude full-upgrade and observe the differences before committing. Aptitude's solver employs a slightly different algorithm that handles weird cross-dependency issues differently. Sometimes it's better, sometimes not.

Hi Steve,
I always use apt-get upgrade and apt-get dist-upgrade so that I do not get caught with muon doing something that I do not approve off. I did try aptitude and got a similar result

aurora@basil:~$ sudo aptitude dist-upgrade
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libgphoto2-6{a} libgphoto2-6:i386{a} libgphoto2-port10{ab} libgphoto2-port10:i386{ab} 
The following packages will be upgraded:
  apparmor-easyprof-ubuntu apt apt-transport-https apt-utils freespacenotifier ghostscript ghostscript-cups ghostscript-x gvfs gvfs:i386 gvfs-common 
  gvfs-daemons gvfs-libs gvfs-libs:i386 kamera kde-style-oxygen kde-window-manager kde-window-manager-common kde-workspace kde-workspace-bin 
  kde-workspace-data kde-workspace-kgreet-plugins kinfocenter klipper kmenuedit ksysguard ksysguardd language-pack-en language-pack-kde-en 
  libapt-inst1.5 libapt-pkg4.12 libboost-date-time1.53.0 libboost-program-options1.53.0 libboost-system1.53.0 libboost-thread1.53.0 libdbusmenu-glib4 
  libdbusmenu-gtk3-4 libdbusmenu-gtk4 libglibmm-2.4-1c2a libgphoto2-2 libgphoto2-2:i386 libgphoto2-l10n libgs9 libgs9-common libkdecorations4abi1 
  libkephal4abi1 libkscreensaver5 libksgrd4 libksignalplotter4 libkwineffects1abi4 libkwinglesutils1 libkwinglutils1abi2 libkworkspace4abi2 
  libplasma-geolocation-interface4 libplasmaclock4abi4 libplasmagenericshell4 libplymouth2 libprocesscore4abi1 libprocessui4a libsane libsane:i386 
  libsane-common libtaskmanager4abi4 libusb-1.0-0 libusb-1.0-0:i386 libvlc5 libvlccore5 libweather-ion6 manpages manpages-dev 
  plasma-dataengines-workspace plasma-desktop plasma-netbook plasma-scriptengine-python plasma-scriptengine-ruby plasma-scriptengine-webkit 
  plasma-scriptengines plasma-widgets-workspace plymouth plymouth-label plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text sane-utils systemsettings vlc vlc-data vlc-nox 
  vlc-plugin-notify vlc-plugin-pulse 
88 packages upgraded, 4 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 44.9 MB of archives. After unpacking 2,611 kB will be used.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 libgphoto2-port0 : Conflicts: libgphoto2port which is a virtual package.
                    Conflicts: libgphoto2port:i386 which is a virtual package.
 libgphoto2-port0:i386 : Conflicts: libgphoto2port which is a virtual package.
                         Conflicts: libgphoto2port:i386 which is a virtual package.
 libgphoto2-port10 : Conflicts: libgphoto2port which is a virtual package.
                     Conflicts: libgphoto2port:i386 which is a virtual package.
 libgphoto2-port10:i386 : Conflicts: libgphoto2port which is a virtual package.
                          Conflicts: libgphoto2port:i386 which is a virtual package.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

     Remove the following packages:
1)     google-earth-stable         
2)     ia32-libs                   
3)     ia32-libs-multiarch:i386    
4)     libgphoto2-port0            
5)     libgphoto2-port0:i386

I then responded to this action with "n" and got the following response

Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] n
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

      Remove the following packages:                       
1)      colord                                             
2)      google-earth-stable                                
3)      hplip                                              
4)      ia32-libs                                          
5)      ia32-libs-multiarch:i386                           
6)      kamera                                             
7)      libgphoto2-2                                       
8)      libgphoto2-2:i386                                  
9)      libksane0                                          
10)     libsane                                            
11)     libsane:i386                                       
12)     printer-driver-postscript-hp                       
13)     sane-utils                                         
14)     skanlite                                           

      Keep the following packages at their current version:
15)     libgphoto2-6 [Not Installed]                       
16)     libgphoto2-6:i386 [Not Installed]                  
17)     libgphoto2-port10 [Not Installed]                  
18)     libgphoto2-port10:i386 [Not Installed]             

      Leave the following dependencies unresolved:         
19)     cups recommends colord                             
20)     cups-daemon recommends colord                      
21)     cups-filters recommends colord                     
22)     foomatic-filters recommends colord                 
23)     ghostscript-cups recommends colord                 
24)     libcolord1 recommends colord                       
25)     libsane-hpaio recommends sane-utils                
26)     libsane-hpaio recommends hplip (= 3.13.4-1build1)  
27)     gwenview recommends kamera                         
28)     kubuntu-desktop recommends hplip                   
29)     kubuntu-desktop recommends kamera                  
30)     kubuntu-desktop recommends skanlite                


Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] q
Abandoning all efforts to resolve these dependencies.
Abort.

I did this on my Laptop which I had not accepted the full-upgrade. I was wondering if my problems were caused by having pre-release updates selected. For the above, I de-selected that option before using apt-get and aptitude.

However...you've already done the upgrade, and now stuff's broke. Go ahead and run autoremove. Then try reinstalling Google Earth. If it fails, please copy-pasta the output here so we can take a look.

On my other "sacrifical" desktop I tried to install Google Earth after doing the autoremove and the response I got is shown in the attached image

[SteveRiley]

Would you please:

1. completely purge Google Earth, all i386 packages, and all the multiarch stuff (ia32-libs, ia32-libs-multiarch, multiarch-support)
2. run through apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade until everything's hunky dory, then apt-get --purge autoremove
3. reinstall Google Earth and let it pull in dependencies as required

[NoWorries]

I decided to try what you suggested on my sacrifical desktop. It had no ia32-lib... packages only, multiarch and multiarch-support. This desktop is currently removing 1,498 packages associated with the purge of multiarch-support. It has basically removed the whole system. So I am definitely still in DEB Hell.

In a few hours I will be leaving on an overseas trip for 6 weeks, so I will see how things are when I get online again.

[SteveRiley]

Hm... removing multiarch support stuff shouldn't wipe your whole system...that's weird. But it's too late now!

I suspect you're still having problems on your main system. Can you update us on its latest package state?

[NoWorries]

Hm... removing multiarch support stuff shouldn't wipe your whole system...that's weird. But it's too late now!

I suspect you're still having problems on your main system. Can you update us on its latest package state?

I have just arrived in the UK after about 1 1/2 days of travel from OZ.

I am no sure what you want, but I have supplied what I get from the system that I have connected to my laptop

:~$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  google-earth-stable ia32-libs ia32-libs-multiarch:i386 libgphoto2-port0 libgphoto2-port0:i386
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libcolamd2.7.1 libgphoto2-6 libgphoto2-6:i386 libgphoto2-port10 libgphoto2-port10:i386 lp-solve
The following packages will be upgraded:
  apparmor-easyprof-ubuntu apport apport-kde apt apt-transport-https apt-utils aptitude aptitude-common busybox-initramfs busybox-static firefox firefox-locale-en
  fonts-opensymbol freespacenotifier ghostscript ghostscript-cups ghostscript-x gnupg gpgv gvfs gvfs:i386 gvfs-common gvfs-daemons gvfs-libs gvfs-libs:i386 iso-codes kamera
  kde-style-oxygen kde-window-manager kde-window-manager-common kde-workspace kde-workspace-bin kde-workspace-data kde-workspace-kgreet-plugins kinfocenter klipper kmenuedit
  ksysguard ksysguardd kubuntu-desktop language-pack-en language-pack-kde-en libapt-inst1.5 libapt-pkg4.12 libboost-date-time1.53.0 libboost-program-options1.53.0
  libboost-system1.53.0 libboost-thread1.53.0 libc-bin libc-dev-bin libc6 libc6:i386 libc6-dbg libc6-dev libc6-i386 libcmis-0.3-3 libdbusmenu-glib4 libdbusmenu-gtk3-4
  libdbusmenu-gtk4 libdrm-intel1 libdrm-intel1:i386 libdrm-nouveau2 libdrm-nouveau2:i386 libdrm-radeon1 libdrm-radeon1:i386 libdrm2 libdrm2:i386 libgdbm3 libgdbm3:i386
  libglibmm-2.4-1c2a libgphoto2-2 libgphoto2-2:i386 libgphoto2-l10n libgs9 libgs9-common libgssdp-1.0-3 libgtk-3-0 libgtk-3-bin libgtk-3-common libgupnp-1.0-4
  libkdecorations4abi1 libkephal4abi1 libkscreensaver5 libksgrd4 libksignalplotter4 libkwineffects1abi4 libkwinglesutils1 libkwinglutils1abi2 libkworkspace4abi2
  libplasma-geolocation-interface4 libplasmaclock4abi4 libplasmagenericshell4 libplymouth2 libprocesscore4abi1 libprocessui4a libreoffice-base-core libreoffice-calc
  libreoffice-common libreoffice-core libreoffice-draw libreoffice-impress libreoffice-kde libreoffice-math libreoffice-pdfimport libreoffice-style-oxygen libreoffice-writer
  libsane libsane:i386 libsane-common libtaskmanager4abi4 libusb-1.0-0 libusb-1.0-0:i386 libvlc5 libvlccore5 libweather-ion6 manpages manpages-dev multiarch-support
  plasma-dataengines-workspace plasma-desktop plasma-netbook plasma-scriptengine-python plasma-scriptengine-ruby plasma-scriptengine-webkit plasma-scriptengines
  plasma-widgets-workspace plymouth plymouth-label plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text python3-apport python3-problem-report python3-uno sane-utils systemsettings uno-libs3 ure vlc
  vlc-data vlc-nox vlc-plugin-notify vlc-plugin-pulse
141 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 5 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 185 MB of archives.
After this operation, 95.3 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? n
Abort.

My package list is shown in the graphic. I am not sure if you are wanting that as well. I could also provide the list from dpkg -l command which is quite long.

[Guest]

For what it's worth, I ran into this trap today while I wasn't paying attention to the upgrade muon was offering me. I traced my problem back to a libgphoto2 package upgrade that came through the backports ppa and broke my install of xsane, wine, hplip, and a bunch of other stuff which has dependencies tracing back to libgphoto2-*. After tearing my hair out for a while, I disabled the backports ppa in sources, purged everything with libgphoto2 in it, and did the standard update, upgrade, sudo apt-get install -f, and dpkg --configure -a, then reinstalled the broken packages. this was a nasty one and came about because of a compatibility issue between the backports version and the mains version. Lesson learned....watch those updates from backports!
Hope this helps someone.

[SteveRiley]

I have just arrived in the UK after about 1 1/2 days of travel from OZ.

I sincerely hope you didn't have to spend all that time squished in the back of the (air)bus!

------------------

Aha, I think adamsojc might be on to something. https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libgphoto2 tells us that libgphoto2-2 is now a transitional package for libgphoto2-6. Furthermore, libgphoto2-port0 is no longer present, but instead we see libgphoto2-port10.

I'm not sure this has anything to do with backports -- is that repository even enabled for Saucy yet, which is what we're dealing with here in this post? Instead, these new packages are part of the base Saucy release as of today.

What's the output of:

apt-cache show libgphoto2-2

apt-cache show libgphoto2-6

apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-2

apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-6

apt-cache show libgphoto2-port0

apt-cache show libgphoto2-port10

apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-port0

apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-port10

apt-cache show google-earth-stable

apt-cache depends google-earth-stable

[NoWorries]

Hi Steve,
Well we were in Dubai for over 3 hours - 1 hour of this was Qantas double checking on a temperature warning which was no problem and they also added more fuel to shorten the trip to Heathrow. At least we got some sleep in both legs of the flight.

Now for the details that you want and I certainly hope that the problem can be tracked down. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one with this problem.

:~$ apt-cache show libgphoto2-2
Package: libgphoto2-2
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 54
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Original-Maintainer: Debian PhotoTools Maintainers <pkg-phototools-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org>
Architecture: amd64
Source: libgphoto2
Version: 2.5.2-0ubuntu2
Depends: libgphoto2-6
Filename: pool/main/libg/libgphoto2/libgphoto2-2_2.5.2-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
Size: 5616
MD5sum: 6d308c380f933445328dfe63df1f400a
SHA1: 775d7f58ce39e6705a5bb06f29eb05ef557abb73
SHA256: beea30e9b2be696c2465bd55592d25104b05ff0bd30a0ac1c3fbc85fa55b46c1
Description-en: transitional package for libgphoto2-6
 This package only exists for clean upgrades. You can remove it afterwards.
Description-md5: 0171bddbe5da74aa0486e3d76fbe49b1
Multi-Arch: same
Homepage: http://www.gphoto.org/proj/libgphoto2/
Description-md5: 0171bddbe5da74aa0486e3d76fbe49b1
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Origin: Ubuntu
Supported: 9m

Package: libgphoto2-2
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 3318
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Architecture: amd64
Multi-Arch: same
Source: libgphoto2
Version: 2.4.14-2.3ubuntu1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15), libexif12, libgd3 (>= 2.1.0~alpha~), libgphoto2-port0 (>= 2.4.10.1), libjpeg8 (>= 8c), libltdl7 (>= 2.4.2)
Pre-Depends: multiarch-support
Recommends: udev (>= 0.175), libgphoto2-l10n (>= 2.4.14-2.3ubuntu1)
Suggests: gphoto2 (>= 2.1.1)
Breaks: gphoto2 (<= 2.1.1)                                                                                                                                   
Description: gphoto2 digital camera library                                                                                                                  
 The gphoto2 library can be used by applications to access various                                                                                           
 digital camera models, via standard protocols such as USB Mass Storage
 and PTP, or vendor-specific protocols.
 .
 This package contains the library.
 .
 The gphoto2 command-line frontend is shipped separately, in the gphoto2
 package.
Description-md5: 0667f79ceb3d5a999a0ff55ad225e156
Homepage: http://www.gphoto.org/proj/libgphoto2/
Original-Maintainer: Debian PhotoTools Maintainers <pkg-phototools-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org>

Second one is:

:~$ apt-cache show libgphoto2-6
Package: libgphoto2-6
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 3446
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Original-Maintainer: Debian PhotoTools Maintainers <pkg-phototools-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org>
Architecture: amd64
Source: libgphoto2
Version: 2.5.2-0ubuntu2
Replaces: libgphoto2-2 (<< 2.5.2)
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15), libexif12, libgd3 (>= 2.1.0~alpha~), libgphoto2-port10 (>= 2.5.2), libjpeg8 (>= 8c), libltdl7 (>= 2.4.2)
Pre-Depends: multiarch-support
Recommends: udev (>= 0.175), libgphoto2-l10n (>= 2.5.2-0ubuntu2)
Suggests: gphoto2 (>= 2.1.1)
Breaks: gphoto2 (<= 2.1.1), libgphoto2-2 (<< 2.5.2)
Filename: pool/main/libg/libgphoto2/libgphoto2-6_2.5.2-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
Size: 1037486
MD5sum: dc2a14a8a4b3f33f2840c14a29326698
SHA1: cdc92f37b8cab24849c314d9592d8fc55e3bb88a
SHA256: cef85c9552d709245b16de6cd17a05c77b2f287a829ed0b6aa0f5ef125ad8ea4
Description-en: gphoto2 digital camera library
 The gphoto2 library can be used by applications to access various
 digital camera models, via standard protocols such as USB Mass Storage
 and PTP, or vendor-specific protocols.
 .
 This package contains the library.
 .
 The gphoto2 command-line frontend is shipped separately, in the gphoto2
 package.
Description-md5: 0667f79ceb3d5a999a0ff55ad225e156
Multi-Arch: same
Homepage: http://www.gphoto.org/proj/libgphoto2/
Description-md5: 0667f79ceb3d5a999a0ff55ad225e156
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Origin: Ubuntu
Supported: 9m
Task: ubuntu-desktop, ubuntu-usb, print-server, kubuntu-desktop, kubuntu-active, kubuntu-active-desktop, kubuntu-active, edubuntu-desktop, edubuntu-usb, xubuntu-desktop, mythbuntu-frontend, mythbuntu-frontend, mythbuntu-desktop, mythbuntu-backend-slave, mythbuntu-backend-slave, mythbuntu-backend-master, mythbuntu-backend-master, lubuntu-core, ubuntustudio-desktop, ubuntu-gnome-desktop

Third and fourth ones are:

:~$ apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-2
libgphoto2-2
Reverse Depends:
  libgphoto2-l10n
  libgphoto2-l10n
  libgphoto2-2:i386
  libgphoto2-2:i386
  kamera
  libsane
  libgphoto2-2:i386
  libgphoto2-2:i386
  libgphoto2-l10n
  libgphoto2-l10n
  libgphoto2-l10n
  libgphoto2-l10n
:~$ apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-6
libgphoto2-6
Reverse Depends:
  kamera
  libsane
  libgphoto2-2
:~$

The fifth and sixth ones are:

:~$ apt-cache show libgphoto2-port0
Package: libgphoto2-port0
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 232
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Architecture: amd64
Multi-Arch: same
Source: libgphoto2
Version: 2.4.14-2.3ubuntu1
Replaces: libgphoto2port
Provides: libgphoto2port
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15), libltdl7 (>= 2.4.2), libusb-1.0-0 (>= 2:1.0.8)
Pre-Depends: multiarch-support
Suggests: gphoto2 (>> 2.1.0), gtkam
Breaks: gphoto2 (<= 2.1.1)
Conflicts: libgphoto2port
Description: gphoto2 digital camera port library
 The gphoto2 library can be used by applications to access various
 digital camera models, via standard protocols such as USB Mass Storage
 and PTP, or vendor-specific protocols.
 .
 This package contains the runtime code for port access.
Description-md5: 6e52236fade1dd1f9b033de909479e66
Homepage: http://www.gphoto.org/proj/libgphoto2/
Original-Maintainer: Debian PhotoTools Maintainers <pkg-phototools-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org>

:~$ apt-cache show libgphoto2-port10
Package: libgphoto2-port10
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 240
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Original-Maintainer: Debian PhotoTools Maintainers <pkg-phototools-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org>
Architecture: amd64
Source: libgphoto2
Version: 2.5.2-0ubuntu2
Replaces: libgphoto2port
Provides: libgphoto2port
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.15), libltdl7 (>= 2.4.2), libusb-1.0-0 (>= 2:1.0.8)                                                                                     
Pre-Depends: multiarch-support                                                                                                                               
Suggests: gphoto2 (>> 2.1.0), gtkam                                                                                                                          
Conflicts: libgphoto2port
Breaks: gphoto2 (<= 2.1.1)
Filename: pool/main/libg/libgphoto2/libgphoto2-port10_2.5.2-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
Size: 49120
MD5sum: 6e47920012a0380a15398f06dbb2139c
SHA1: 15558d1c6a316baf8c2faf8fe4f8d82905d038a2
SHA256: 2a47f77759873c314f1df3576f23b2b4903a455faa54712cb36314195a3d8106
Description-en: gphoto2 digital camera port library
 The gphoto2 library can be used by applications to access various
 digital camera models, via standard protocols such as USB Mass Storage
 and PTP, or vendor-specific protocols.
 .
 This package contains the runtime code for port access.
Description-md5: 6e52236fade1dd1f9b033de909479e66
Multi-Arch: same
Homepage: http://www.gphoto.org/proj/libgphoto2/
Description-md5: 6e52236fade1dd1f9b033de909479e66
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Origin: Ubuntu
Supported: 9m
Task: ubuntu-desktop, ubuntu-usb, print-server, kubuntu-desktop, kubuntu-active, kubuntu-active-desktop, kubuntu-active, edubuntu-desktop, edubuntu-usb, xubuntu-desktop, mythbuntu-frontend, mythbuntu-frontend, mythbuntu-desktop, mythbuntu-backend-slave, mythbuntu-backend-slave, mythbuntu-backend-master, mythbuntu-backend-master, lubuntu-core, ubuntustudio-desktop, ubuntu-gnome-desktop

:~$

Now for the remainder

:~$ apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-port0
libgphoto2-port0
Reverse Depends:
  libgphoto2-port0:i386
  libgphoto2-port0:i386
  libgphoto2-2
  kamera
  libsane
:~$ 
:~$ apt-cache rdepends --installed libgphoto2-port10
libgphoto2-port10
Reverse Depends:
  kamera
  libsane
:~$ 
:~$ apt-cache show google-earth-stable
Package: google-earth-stable
Version: 6.0.3.2197-r0
Architecture: amd64
Maintainer: Google Earth Team <google-earth-support@google.com>
Installed-Size: 96936
Pre-Depends: dpkg (>= 1.14.0)
Depends: lsb-core (>= 3.2), ia32-libs
Section: net
Priority: optional
Filename: pool/main/g/google-earth-stable/google-earth-stable_6.0.3.2197-r0_amd64.deb
Size: 23601658
SHA1: b15d6dab80ee74760fd8591ea6f53e01e11142e5
MD5sum: 9d6ba461b25d5213973e7203679ef14c
Description: Explore, search and discover the planet
 Google Earth lets you fly anywhere to see satellite imagery, 3D buildings, 3D trees, terrain, Street View, planets and much more.
Description-md5: 614d101ee221d720b1a08db10d0b8a99

:~$ 
:~$ apt-cache depends google-earth-stable
google-earth-stable
  Depends: lsb-core
    lsb-core:i386
  Depends: ia32-libs
  PreDepends: dpkg
    dpkg:i386                                                                                                                                                
  Conflicts: google-earth-stable:i386                                                                                                                        
:~$

Hope this makes your day.

[SteveRiley]

Of course it does

Your currently-installed libgphoto2-2 is version 2.4.14-2.3ubuntu1. The to-be-installed version is 2.5.2-0ubuntu2, which is an empty transitional package that will pull in its replacement, libgphoto2-6.

This replacement declares that it will break any version of libgphoto2-2 less than version 2.5.2. Therefore, APT will remove the currently-installed libgphoto2-2 package, since its version falls within the breakage declaration.

Saucy appears to be in the midst of updating these and other libraries. It's to be expected that third-party packages like Google Earth will break when this sort of thing happens, especially if their dependencies are poorly defined. The only recommendation I can make is for you to uninstall Google Earth, perform a dist-upgrade, and then try reinstalling it.

[NoWorries]

I have just finished updating my system and I found that libgphoto2-2 was still installed after libgphoto2-6 was installed. So I removed libgphoto2-2 and tried to install Google Earth and it failed due to unsatisfied dependencies.

I have to go now and will see what awaits me tomorrow.

[SteveRiley]

Remember that the new libgphoto2-2 is an empty transitional package, designed to pull in the replacement libgphoto2-6. To verify that this indeed is what happened, please show the output of

apt-cache policy libgphoto2-2

dpkg -L libgphoto2-2

The first command should indicate that version 2.5.2-0ubuntu2 is installed. The second command displays the files contained in the package; it should be an empty Debian package container with no real meat in it.

Also, when you tried installing google-earth-stable, what dependencies were shown as missing?

[NoWorries]

Good Morning Steve from the UK,

Because I removed libgphoto2-2 I get the following:

:~$ apt-cache policy libgphoto2-2
libgphoto2-2:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 2.5.2-0ubuntu2
  Version table:
     2.5.2-0ubuntu2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ saucy/main amd64 Packages
:~$ dpkg -L libgphoto2-2
dpkg-query: package 'libgphoto2-2' is not installed
Use dpkg --info (= dpkg-deb --info) to examine archive files,
and dpkg --contents (= dpkg-deb --contents) to list their contents.
:~$

When I did an installation of google-earth-stable_6.0.3.2197-r0_amd64.deb I get the following:

:~/Update$ sudo dpkg -i google-earth-stable_6.0.3.2197-r0_amd64.deb 
[sudo] password: 
Selecting previously unselected package google-earth-stable.
(Reading database ... 177736 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking google-earth-stable (from google-earth-stable_6.0.3.2197-r0_amd64.deb) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of google-earth-stable:
 google-earth-stable depends on ia32-libs; however:
  Package ia32-libs is not installed.

dpkg: error processing google-earth-stable (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for mime-support ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 google-earth-stable
:~/Update$

It seems to be wanting the ia32-libs package which is no longer available on my system.

[SteveRiley]

Yes, ia32-libs has been slated to be removed for some time, and it finally was on 1 August. Google will need to update their package so that it no longer has a hard dependency on that.

I don't have a Saucy build handy at the moment. Are either ia32-libs-multiarch or multiarch-support still present and available for installation?