Broken software package(s)

[HermanDegenhart]

Dear friends,
Since a few days I seem to have one or more broken software packages on my Dell laptop with Kubuntu 8.04. Because of that I cannot update nor upgrade or even remove whatever program without getting a warning halfway installation that an error has occured, causing the breakup of software packages or whatever disaster of that sort. So, if not repaired, something has to be found and deleted, but how? Please tell me.

[dibl]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Try

sudo dpkg --configure -a

in a console window.

Then

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install

sudo apt-get autoclean

and you should be cleared up.

[HermanDegenhart]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Thanks for the effort, but it did not solve the problem. According to the text in Terminal during the proposed attempt made, the problem could be writer2latex (--configure). The subproces post-installation script returned an error code 127. I hope somebody will have an idea now. Please.

[dibl]

Re: Broken software package(s)

You can try a

sudo apt-get remove --purge writer2latex

If that seems to have some effect, then try

sudo dpkg --configure -a

again.

I don't recognize the name of that package "writer2latex" -- is that something you intended to install?

[HermanDegenhart]

Re: Broken software package(s)

I wrote sudo apt-get remove --purge writer2latex into Terminal and got E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem back. Could it be a problem that my system is in Dutch? I myself don't think so as all commands are written the same. But?

[HermanDegenhart]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Dear Dibl, instead of the command: sudo apt-get remove --purge writer2latex I wrote: sudo dpkg --purge writer2latex. That second command did the trick. However the package Writer2latex is removed while it was installed first. Do I have to install it again?

[dibl]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Great! Yes, sometimes we just need to do what the system tells us to do, huh?

Yes, you have removed that package. So if you want that package, you must install it again.

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install writer2latex

[HermanDegenhart]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Dear Dibl, after putting in your second command: sudo apt-get install writer2latex in Terminal, I got this back:
De volgende NIEUWE pakketten zullen geïnstalleerd worden:
writer2latex
0 pakketten opgewaardeerd, 1 pakketten nieuw geïnstalleerd, 0 te verwijderen en 0 niet opgewaardeerd.
Er moeten 0B/64,2kB aan archieven opgehaald worden.
Na deze handeling, zal er 209kB extra schijfruimte gebruikt worden.
Selecteren van voorheen niet geselecteerd pakket writer2latex.
(Database inlezen ... 147562 bestanden en mappen geïnstalleerd.)
Uitpakken van writer2latex (uit .../writer2latex_0.5-6_all.deb) ...
Instellen van writer2latex (0.5-6) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/writer2latex.postinst: 57: update-updmap: not found
dpkg: fout bij afhandelen van writer2latex (--configure):
subproces post-installation script gaf een foutwaarde 127 terug
Fouten gevonden tijdens behandelen van:
writer2latex
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

In case you cannot read it, it says that the new package Writer2latex shall be installed. Than, after some text, it goes on: /var/lib/dpkg/info/writer2latex.postinst: 57: update-updmap: not found. Then dpkg: error by processing writer2latex (--configure):
subproces post-installation script returned an errporcode 127.
Errors found while processing writer2latex.
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
So the program obviously holds a bug. How to solve this?

[dibl]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Hmmmm. Yes, it looks like there is some problem with that package. I cannot say exactly what the problem is -- perhaps a mistake was made by the package maintainer, and it should not be in the 8.04 repository. It looks like it has a conflict with dpkg, which is the package management database on your computer. Perhaps it is a newer version than dpkg can accommodate.

If it is important to get that package for your work, you might have to find the previous version, and find a .deb package to download and install. Use Adept Manager to look at the details of writer2latex, and see what version it is. Then use Google and see if you can find the previous version, in a .deb package. Download that .deb to your desktop, then you can right-click on it and "Install with Gdebi".

Good luck!

[HermanDegenhart]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Dear Dibl, I have removed writer2latex and installed tex-common. The problems seem to have gone. So I keep it this way. By the time I need writer2latex there might be an improved version. Thanks for your effort.

[dibl]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Sure -- glad to help.

You might want to try your writer2latex again in a few weeks -- sometimes it's just a minor library update that will enable a package to be installed correctly.

[HermanDegenhart]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Thanks again. You're right. I keep it in mind.

[Guest]

Re: Broken software package(s)

Dear Dibl, instead of the command: sudo apt-get remove --purge writer2latex I wrote: sudo dpkg --purge writer2latex. That second command did the trick. However the package Writer2latex is removed while it was installed first. Do I have to install it again?

yes, thank you , the second method works for me.