Bug#852514: libpetsc3.7-dev: leaves alternatives after purge: /usr/lib/petscdir/{3.7, 3.7-real}

[Andreas Beckmann]

Package: libpetsc3.7-dev
Version: 3.7.5+dfsg1-3
Severity: important
User: debian-qa at lists.debian.org
Usertags: piuparts

Hi,

during a test with piuparts I noticed your package left unowned files on
the system after purge, which is a violation of policy 6.8:

https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-maintainerscripts.html#s-removedetails

The leftover files are actually alternatives that were installed by the
package but have not been properly removed.

This was observed after a stretch->sid upgrade, the packages in stretch
and sid itself work fine. Therefore I assume you obsoleted some
alternative in the sid package. To clean this up, you should unregister
the obsolete alternative in the postinst script.

>From the attached log (scroll to the bottom...):

2m18.4s INFO: Warning: Package purging left files on system:
  /etc/alternatives/petsc3.7 -> /usr/lib/petscdir/3.7.4/x86_64-linux-gnu-real	 not owned
  /etc/alternatives/petsc3.7-real -> /usr/lib/petscdir/3.7.4/x86_64-linux-gnu-real	 not owned
  /usr/lib/petscdir/	 owned by: libpetsc3.7.5-dev:amd64, libpetsc3.7.4-dev:amd64
  /usr/lib/petscdir/3.7 -> /etc/alternatives/petsc3.7	 not owned
  /usr/lib/petscdir/3.7-real -> /etc/alternatives/petsc3.7-real	 not owned


cheers,

Andreas
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