[Aptitude-devel] Bug#1135084: aptitude: confused by a dependency on a package that becomes virtual

Vincent Lefevre vincent at vinc17.net
Mon Apr 27 12:36:17 BST 2026


Package: aptitude
Version: 0.8.13-8.1
Severity: normal

I currently have texlive-full 2025.20260124-1 installed. This package
has a dependency on dvidvi, which is installed as a real package. But
in the next version of the packages, dvidvi becomes a virtual package,
provided by texlive-binaries:

Package: texlive-binaries
Version: 2026.20260303.78225+ds-3
Replaces: dvidvi, [...]
Provides: dvidvi, [...]
Conflicts: dvidvi, [...]

while texlive-full 2026.20260328-4 still lists dvidvi as a dependency
(which will be satisfied, though).

I can upgrade texlive-binaries without any issue:

disset:~> aptitude install -s texlive-binaries
The following packages will be REMOVED:  
  dvidvi{a} 
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libkpathsea6 libptexenc1 libsynctex2 libtexlua53-5 texlive-binaries 
5 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 79 not upgraded.
[...]

(ditto via the TUI).

But if I want to upgrade texlive-full (from 2025.20260124-1 to
2026.20260328-4), either from the command line or via the TUI,
aptitude complains. By default, it proposes:

disset:~> aptitude install -s texlive-full
[...]
     Keep the following packages at their current version:       
1)     texlive-fonts-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]      
2)     texlive-fonts-recommended [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]
3)     texlive-full [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]             
4)     texlive-lang-chinese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]     
5)     texlive-latex-extra-doc [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]  

the next one being

     Remove the following packages:                              
1)     texlive-full [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]             

     Keep the following packages at their current version:       
2)     texlive-fonts-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]      
3)     texlive-fonts-recommended [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]
4)     texlive-lang-chinese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]     
5)     texlive-latex-extra-doc [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]  

and other ones proposing to remove up to 8 packages, like

      Remove the following packages:                              
1)      latex2html [2026+debian1-1 (now, testing, unstable)]      
2)      texlive-fonts-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]      
3)      texlive-fonts-recommended [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]
4)      texlive-formats-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]    
5)      texlive-full [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]             
6)      texlive-lang-chinese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]     
7)      texlive-latex-extra-doc [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]  
8)      texlive-science [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing)]          

      Leave the following dependencies unresolved:                
9)      texlive-latex-extra recommends texlive-fonts-recommended  
10)     texlive-lang-cjk recommends texlive-lang-chinese          
11)     texlive-fonts-extra recommends texlive-fonts-recommended  

or downgrading many packages:

      Downgrade the following packages:                                         
1)      context [2025.09.21.20251026+dfsg-1 (now, testing, unstable) -> 2024.04.
2)      luametatex [2.11.08+ds-1 (now, testing, unstable) -> 2.11.02+really2.11.
3)      texlive-base [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (stable)
4)      texlive-bibtex-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 
5)      texlive-extra-utils [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (
6)      texlive-font-utils [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (s
7)      texlive-fonts-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (
8)      texlive-fonts-recommended [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.202503
9)      texlive-formats-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2
10)     texlive-full [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (stable)
11)     texlive-games [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (stable
12)     texlive-humanities [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (s
13)     texlive-lang-arabic [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (
14)     texlive-lang-chinese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 
15)     texlive-lang-cjk [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (sta
16)     texlive-lang-cyrillic [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1
17)     texlive-lang-czechslovak [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.2025030
18)     texlive-lang-english [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 
19)     texlive-lang-european [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1
20)     texlive-lang-french [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (
21)     texlive-lang-german [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (
22)     texlive-lang-greek [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (s
23)     texlive-lang-italian [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 
24)     texlive-lang-japanese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1
25)     texlive-lang-korean [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (
26)     texlive-lang-other [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (s
27)     texlive-lang-polish [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (
28)     texlive-lang-portuguese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309
29)     texlive-lang-spanish [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 
30)     texlive-latex-base [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (s
31)     texlive-latex-base-doc [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-
32)     texlive-latex-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (
33)     texlive-latex-extra-doc [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309
34)     texlive-latex-recommended [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.202503
35)     texlive-luatex [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (stabl
36)     texlive-metapost [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (sta
37)     texlive-music [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (stable
38)     texlive-pictures [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (sta
39)     texlive-plain-generic [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2
40)     texlive-pstricks [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (sta
41)     texlive-publishers [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (s
42)     texlive-science [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-2 (stab
43)     texlive-xetex [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2024.20250309-1 (stable

The expected resolution is currently the 28th!

      Remove the following packages:                                            
1)      dvidvi [1.0-10.2 (now, stable, testing, unstable)]                      

      Upgrade the following packages:                                           
2)      libkpathsea6 [2025.20250727.75242+ds-5+b2 (now, testing) -> 2026.2026030
3)      libptexenc1 [2025.20250727.75242+ds-5+b2 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260303
4)      libsynctex2 [2025.20250727.75242+ds-5+b2 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260303
5)      libtexlua53-5 [2025.20250727.75242+ds-5+b2 (now, testing) -> 2026.202603
6)      texlive-base [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-4 (unstabl
7)      texlive-bibtex-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 
8)      texlive-binaries [2025.20250727.75242+ds-5+b2 (now, testing) -> 2026.202
9)      texlive-extra-utils [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (
10)     texlive-font-utils [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (u
11)     texlive-formats-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5
12)     texlive-games [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (unstab
13)     texlive-humanities [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (u
14)     texlive-lang-arabic [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (
15)     texlive-lang-cjk [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (uns
16)     texlive-lang-cyrillic [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3
17)     texlive-lang-czechslovak [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.2026032
18)     texlive-lang-english [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 
19)     texlive-lang-european [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3
20)     texlive-lang-french [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (
21)     texlive-lang-german [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (
22)     texlive-lang-greek [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (u
23)     texlive-lang-italian [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 
24)     texlive-lang-japanese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3
25)     texlive-lang-korean [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (
26)     texlive-lang-other [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (u
27)     texlive-lang-polish [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 (
28)     texlive-lang-portuguese [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328
29)     texlive-lang-spanish [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-3 
30)     texlive-latex-base [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-4 (u
31)     texlive-latex-extra [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (
32)     texlive-latex-recommended [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.202603
33)     texlive-luatex [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-4 (unsta
34)     texlive-metapost [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-4 (uns
35)     texlive-music [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (unstab
36)     texlive-pictures [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-4 (uns
37)     texlive-plain-generic [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5
38)     texlive-pstricks [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (uns
39)     texlive-publishers [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (u
40)     texlive-science [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-5 (unst
41)     texlive-xetex [2025.20260124-1 (now, testing) -> 2026.20260328-4 (unstab

-- Package-specific info:
Terminal: xterm-256color
$DISPLAY is set.
which aptitude: /usr/bin/aptitude

aptitude version information:
aptitude 0.8.13
Compiler: g++ 15.2.0
Compiled against:
  apt version 7.0.0
  NCurses version 6.6
  libsigc++ version: 2.12.1
  Gtk+ support disabled.
  Qt support disabled.

Current library versions:
  NCurses version: ncurses 6.6.20251231
  cwidget version: 0.5.18
  Apt version: 7.0.0

aptitude linkage:
	linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007fb81125d000)
	libapt-pkg.so.7.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libapt-pkg.so.7.0 (0x00007fb810800000)
	libncursesw.so.6 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libncursesw.so.6 (0x00007fb811201000)
	libtinfo.so.6 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libtinfo.so.6 (0x00007fb8111cb000)
	libsigc-2.0.so.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsigc-2.0.so.0 (0x00007fb8111c3000)
	libcwidget.so.4 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libcwidget.so.4 (0x00007fb8110bb000)
	libsqlite3.so.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsqlite3.so.0 (0x00007fb810680000)
	libboost_iostreams.so.1.90.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libboost_iostreams.so.1.90.0 (0x00007fb8110a1000)
	libxapian.so.30 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libxapian.so.30 (0x00007fb810400000)
	libstdc++.so.6 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6 (0x00007fb810000000)
	libm.so.6 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm.so.6 (0x00007fb810b0a000)
	libgcc_s.so.1 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x00007fb810adc000)
	libc.so.6 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (0x00007fb80fe08000)
	libz.so.1 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libz.so.1 (0x00007fb811080000)
	libbz2.so.1.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libbz2.so.1.0 (0x00007fb810ac8000)
	liblzma.so.5 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/liblzma.so.5 (0x00007fb8103cf000)
	liblz4.so.1 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/liblz4.so.1 (0x00007fb8103a3000)
	libzstd.so.1 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzstd.so.1 (0x00007fb8102d9000)
	libudev.so.1 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libudev.so.1 (0x00007fb80fdc0000)
	libsystemd.so.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsystemd.so.0 (0x00007fb80fca5000)
	libcrypto.so.3 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libcrypto.so.3 (0x00007fb80f600000)
	libxxhash.so.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libxxhash.so.0 (0x00007fb81066c000)
	/lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007fb81125f000)
	libuuid.so.1 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libuuid.so.1 (0x00007fb810abc000)

-- System Information:
Debian Release: forky/sid
  APT prefers unstable-debug
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable-debug'), (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'stable-security'), (500, 'stable-debug'), (500, 'proposed-updates-debug'), (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 6.19.13+deb14-amd64 (SMP w/16 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
Kernel taint flags: TAINT_CPU_OUT_OF_SPEC
Locale: LANG=C.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=C.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE not set
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled

Versions of packages aptitude depends on:
ii  aptitude-common           0.8.13-8.1
ii  libapt-pkg7.0             3.2.0
ii  libboost-iostreams1.90.0  1.90.0-6
ii  libc6                     2.42-15
ii  libcwidget4               0.5.18-6+b3
ii  libgcc-s1                 16-20260425-1
ii  libncursesw6              6.6+20251231-1
ii  libsigc++-2.0-0v5         2.12.1-4+b1
ii  libsqlite3-0              3.46.1-9+b1
ii  libstdc++6                16-20260425-1
ii  libtinfo6                 6.6+20251231-1
ii  libxapian30               1.4.31-2

Versions of packages aptitude recommends:
ii  libdpkg-perl    1.23.7
ii  sensible-utils  0.0.26

Versions of packages aptitude suggests:
pn  apt-xapian-index                <none>
ii  aptitude-doc-en [aptitude-doc]  0.8.13-8.1
pn  debtags                         <none>
ii  tasksel                         3.88

-- Configuration Files:
/etc/logrotate.d/aptitude changed [not included]

-- no debconf information

-- 
Vincent Lefèvre <vincent at vinc17.net> - Web: <https://www.vinc17.net/>
100% accessible validated (X)HTML - Blog: <https://www.vinc17.net/blog/>
Work: CR INRIA - computer arithmetic / Pascaline project (LIP, ENS-Lyon)



More information about the Aptitude-devel mailing list