Bug#309437: Bug#309604: Bug#309437: libpango1.0-common <-> libpango1.0-0 circular dependencies

[Loïc Minier]

        Hi Bill,

On Wed, May 18, 2005, Bill Allombert wrote:
> I agree changing dependencies for sarge might not an option, though
> this was done for gnome-applets (See #309341).

 I only know 4 ways to solve the problem:
 - use aptitude,
 - configure apt to allow more chars on the dpkg command line,
 - upgrade apt-get prior to upgrading,
 - break the dependency loop in all packages.

> However, the dpkg behaviour documented by Debian policy section 7.2 doe=
s not
> allow packages with circular dependencies to be installed _at all_. Thi=
s
> means that each of them is a potential upgrade breakage, so we should
> strive to reduce them. 

 I disagree with your interpretation of 7.2, but I won't discuss this
 further: first because this has already been discussed in a previous
 Gtk bug, and second because the matter at hand is solving this upgrade
 bug.

 Still, there's a reason to try to break circular dependencies: it's the
 only workaround against this apt-get bug that makes upgrades seemlessly
 happen (ie. without manual intervention).

 I don't know whether you looked at other circular loops currently in
 the archive, but packages such as vim or galeon have the same problem.
 I'm not really sure all of them should be reuploaded.

 I believe this requires an advice from the release team.

   Bye,
-- 
Loïc Minier <lool@dooz.org>
"Neutral President: I have no strong feelings one way or the other."