Bug#604626: libmedc-dev and libmed-dev: error when trying to install together

[Ralf Treinen]

Package: libmed-dev,libmedc-dev
Version: libmed-dev/2.3.6-4
Version: libmedc-dev/2.3.6-4
Severity: serious
User: treinen at debian.org
Usertags: edos-file-overwrite

Date: 2010-11-23
Architecture: amd64
Distribution: sid

Hi,

automatic installation tests of packages that share a file and at the
same time do not conflict by their package dependency relationships has
detected the following problem:


WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated!
  libgfortran3 libibverbs1 libnuma1 libtorque2 libopenmpi1.3
  libhdf5-openmpi-1.8.4 libmed1 libmed-dev libmedc1 libmedc-dev
Authentication warning overridden.
Can not write log, openpty() failed (/dev/pts not mounted?)
Selecting previously deselected package libgfortran3.
(Reading database ... 12297 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libgfortran3 (from .../libgfortran3_4.4.5-8_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libibverbs1.
Unpacking libibverbs1 (from .../libibverbs1_1.1.3-2_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libnuma1.
Unpacking libnuma1 (from .../libnuma1_2.0.5-1_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libtorque2.
Unpacking libtorque2 (from .../libtorque2_2.4.8+dfsg-9_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libopenmpi1.3.
Unpacking libopenmpi1.3 (from .../libopenmpi1.3_1.4.2-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libhdf5-openmpi-1.8.4.
Unpacking libhdf5-openmpi-1.8.4 (from .../libhdf5-openmpi-1.8.4_1.8.4-patch1-2_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libmed1.
Unpacking libmed1 (from .../libmed1_2.3.6-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libmed-dev.
Unpacking libmed-dev (from .../libmed-dev_2.3.6-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libmedc1.
Unpacking libmedc1 (from .../libmedc1_2.3.6-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libmedc-dev.
Unpacking libmedc-dev (from .../libmedc-dev_2.3.6-4_amd64.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libmedc-dev_2.3.6-4_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 trying to overwrite '/usr/include/med_utils.h', which is also in package libmed-dev 0:2.3.6-4
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libmedc-dev_2.3.6-4_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


This is a serious bug as it makes installation fail, and violates
sections 7.6.1 and 10.1 of the policy. An optimal solution would
consist in only one of the packages installing that file, and renaming
or removing the file in the other package. Depending on the
circumstances you might also consider Replace relations or file
diversions. If the conflicting situation cannot be resolved then, as a
last resort, the two packages have to declare a mutual
Conflict. Please take into account that Replaces, Conflicts and
diversions should only be used when packages provide different
implementations for the same functionality.

Here is a list of files that are known to be shared by both packages
(according to the Contents file for sid/amd64, which may be
slightly out of sync):

  /usr/include/MEDerreur.hxx
  /usr/include/med.h
  /usr/include/medC_win_dll.h
  /usr/include/med_proto.h
  /usr/include/med_utils.h

This bug is assigned to both packages. If you, the maintainers of
the two packages in question, have agreed on which of the packages will
resolve the problem please reassign the bug to that package. You may
also register in the BTS that the other package is affected by the bug.

-Ralf.

PS: for more information about the detection of file overwrite errors
of this kind see http://edos.debian.net/file-overwrites/.