[Debconf-devel] Bug#445286: debconf: in an Emacs buffer does not display default value for input

[Francesco Potorti`]

Package: debconf
Version: 1.5.14
Severity: normal

When upgrading libssl0.9.8 from the terminal I get a window with a
proposed list of serveices to be restarted.

If I do the same from an Emacs buffer, the list is empty, and pressing
RET does not restart any services.

I tried to debug it, but I only arrived to state that apparently the SET
command does not work in an Emacs buffer, as the debconf database
contains an empty value for that entry.  Here is what I see (I press RET
at the prompt):

tucano:/tmp# DEBCONF_DEBUG=developer debconf  /tmp/libssl0.9.8.postinst configure me
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
debconf (developer): starting /tmp/libssl0.9.8.postinst configure me
Checking for services that may need to be restarted...done.
Checking init scripts...
debconf (developer): <-- VERSION 2.0
debconf (developer): --> 0 2.0
debconf (developer): <-- RESET libssl0.9.8/restart-services
debconf (developer): --> 0
debconf (developer): <-- SET libssl0.9.8/restart-services fetchmail ntp spamassassin exim4 ssh
debconf (developer): --> 0 value set
debconf (developer): <-- INPUT critical libssl0.9.8/restart-services
debconf (developer): --> 0 question will be asked
debconf (developer): <-- GO
This release of OpenSSL fixes some security issues. Services will not use these fixes until they are
restarted. Please note that restarting the SSH server (sshd) should not affect any existing connections.

Please check the list of detected services that need to be restarted and
correct it, if needed. The services names must be identical to the
initialization script names in /etc/init.d and separated by spaces. No
services will be restarted if the list is empty.

Any service that later fails unexpectedly after this upgrade should be
restarted. It is recommended to reboot this host to avoid any
SSL-related trouble.

Services to restart to make them use the new libraries: 


debconf (developer): --> 0 ok
debconf (developer): <-- GET libssl0.9.8/restart-services
debconf (developer): --> 0


-- System Information:
Debian Release: lenny/sid
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (990, 'testing'), (500, 'testing-proposed-updates')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.18-4-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=it_IT at euro (charmap=ANSI_X3.4-1968) (ignored: LC_ALL set to C)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Versions of packages debconf depends on:
ii  debconf-i18n                  1.5.14     full internationalization support 
ii  perl-base                     5.8.8-7    The Pathologically Eclectic Rubbis

Versions of packages debconf recommends:
ii  apt-utils                     0.7.6      APT utility programs

-- debconf information:
  debconf-apt-progress/title:
  debconf-apt-progress/info:
  debconf/priority: high
  debconf-apt-progress/preparing:
  debconf-apt-progress/media-change:
  debconf/frontend: Dialog