[Bug 779968] Re: dpkg: error: version 'nis_3.17-18' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit

[Trevor Robinson]

This issue occurred for me installing nis after an upgrade from 10.10 to
11.04:

$ sudo aptitude install nis
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libslp1{a} make{a} nis portmap{a}
0 packages upgraded, 4 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 273 kB/382 kB of archives. After unpacking 1,466 kB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?]
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty/main libslp1 i386 1.2.1-7.8ubuntu1 [47.1 kB]
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty/main portmap i386 6.0.0-2ubuntu5 [29.7 kB]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty/universe nis i386 3.17-31 [197 kB]
Fetched 273 kB in 1s (204 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package libslp1.
(Reading database ... 30078 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libslp1 (from .../libslp1_1.2.1-7.8ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package make.
Unpacking make (from .../make_3.81-8ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package portmap.
Unpacking portmap (from .../portmap_6.0.0-2ubuntu5_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package nis.
Unpacking nis (from .../archives/nis_3.17-31_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Setting up libslp1 (1.2.1-7.8ubuntu1) ...
Setting up make (3.81-8ubuntu1) ...
Setting up portmap (6.0.0-2ubuntu5) ...
portmap start/running, process 1633
Setting up nis (3.17-31) ...
 * Stopping NIS services                                                                                         [ OK ]
 * Setting NIS domainname to: mydomain.nis
 * Starting NIS services                                                                                         [ OK ]
dpkg: error: version 'nis_3.17-18' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place


** Attachment added: "dpkg.log"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nis/+bug/779968/+attachment/2142640/+files/dpkg.log

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/779968

Title:
  dpkg: error: version 'nis_3.17-18' has bad syntax: version number does
  not start with digit