debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog - how to fix?

[bswitzer]

Why do I always get:

debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog
debconf: (Dialog frontend will not work on a dumb terminal, an emacs shell buffer, or without a controlling terminal.)
debconf: falling back to frontend: Readline


i.e. how do I 'get' 'Dialog'?

[disturbedite]

Re: debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog - how to fix?

its more complicated than that.
execute this command:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure debconf
and choose kde, since you're on kubuntu/kde.

[bswitzer]

Re: debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog - how to fix?

Thanks.

But this begs the question ... since, as you noted, this is Kubuntu ... "Why doesn't it come that way?"

[bswitzer]

Re: debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog - how to fix?

its more complicated than that.

Can you explain? From running the command you posted, I see Dialog is a full-screen text based method. It's curious that just installing a 'dialog' package isn't appropriate.

Granted, there are more graphical choices. But given the lack of 'dialog', one might think it should come defaulted to readline.

No?

[disturbedite]

Re: debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog - how to fix?

i will explain. by more complicated than what you said in the first post, i meant its more complicated in principle, not practicality. before, without a debconf ui, (introduced recently), you had to configure certain packages and other things via command line interface (cli). if you ran a graphical package manager, it was a problem with those particular types of packages. (i.e. flash plugin & sun-java). (you'd get a broken/unconfigured package essentially, until you configured it via cli). now, with a debconf ui, it allows you to choose how to configure those types of packages. its pretty self explanatory from there....kde=use kde | gnome=use gnome | dialog=use cli | readline=don't ask to configure anything. (readline is not recommended for usual desktop use i would assume). (before the debconf ui i believe you could configure this use via editing a config file, i forget which one, and now this ui is just frontend/ui in effect to that config file).

But this begs the question ... since, as you noted, this is Kubuntu ... "Why doesn't it come that way?"

it does now by default i believe. you prolly upgraded to feisty from edgy like i did, right?

[bswitzer]

Re: debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog - how to fix?

... before, without a debconf ui, (introduced recently), ...

Ah! Recent introduction, and this aspect fell through the cracks. OK.

But this begs the question ... since, as you noted, this is Kubuntu ... "Why doesn't it come that way?"

it does now by default i believe. you prolly upgraded to feisty from edgy like i did, right?

(-: Good guess!

Thanks for passing on the wisdom.

[disturbedite]

Re: debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog - how to fix?

no prob. thats one of the reasons this forum is here.