[Bug 940396] Re: lucid -> precise main all failed to upgrade: dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of kde-runtime

[David Kalnischkies]

First A simple workaround for this specific case:
Move the libsmbclient dependency in kde-runtime from somewhere in the middle to the end of the dependency list.

The problem:
Imagine a package A depending on B and C. B depends on nothing and C breaks the "old" installed B.
In some situations (not many, usually the ordering prevents this, but "loops" can trigger this) APT will look at package A first:
Dependency B is satisfied with the version installed. Fine. Next dependency is C - this dependency is broken as an old B is installed. We fix this by unpacking the new version of B. Dependency C is fine now, too. But hang on a minute: The first dependency we checked isn't satisfied anymore, just that APT doesn't notice this and tries to configure A now as it thinks all dependencies are satisfied…

Michaels hot-fix above works here - as you might guess - as it will
force APT to not only unpack B for C, but also configure it. Problem
solved - but as Michael hinted this isn't side-effect free (it would do
this for dependency D of C, too, even through it's not needed for D and
therefore increases the complexity of the solution - if we are able to
find one with this added).

In a few seconds launchpad should link my branch to this bug. Rev 2229
and 2230 (subject to change after merge/pull) fixes this problem by re-
checking the dependencies in case we have "changed" anything (damn, this
sounds so easy…). This shouldn't have a side-effect, but as this is
quiet a bit of a change source-wise Michael will push it through a few
testcases before we throw that at the general public…

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/940396

Title:
  lucid -> precise main all failed to upgrade: dpkg: dependency problems
  prevent configuration of kde-runtime

Status in “apt” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in “apt” source package in Precise:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  lucid to precise upgrade - main all - amd64/i386

  upgrade failed with:
  Setting up plasma-scriptengine-javascript (4:4.8.0-0ubuntu1) ...
  dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of kde-runtime:
   kde-runtime depends on libsmbclient (>= 2:3.2.0); however:
    Package libsmbclient is not configured yet.
  dpkg: error processing kde-runtime (--configure):
   dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
  Errors were encountered while processing:
   kde-runtime

  http://10.189.74.2:8080/job/precise-upgrade-lucid-
  main/ARCH=i386,LTS=lts,PROFILE=main-all,label=upgrade-test/33/

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