Bug#340765: fails to install: /etc/alternatives/desktop-splash: No such file or directory

[Martin Michlmayr]

Package: gnome-session
Version: 2.12.0-1
Severity: serious
Tags: experimental

According to the changelog of gnome-session/2.12.0-1, it uses its own
image now and therefore the dependency on desktop-base has been
lowered to a recommends.

I just installed GNOME from experimental on a fresh and it failed
because desktop-base didn't get installed:

vile:~# apt-get install -t experimental gnome-desktop-environment
...
Recommended packages:
  libft-perl epiphany-extensions gnome-pilot-conduits spamassassin evolution-plugins lzop rpm arj
  p7zip gdm-themes imagemagick dasher gnome-mag gnopernicus gok gnome-accessibility-themes
  gnome-games-extra-data menu-xdg dbus-1-utils desktop-base gthumb libpt-plugins-oss
                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^
...

Setting up gnome-session (2.12.0-1) ...
update-alternatives: unable to make /usr/share/images/desktop-base/desktop-splash.dpkg-tmp a symlink to /etc/alternatives/desktop-splash: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing gnome-session (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Setting up gnome-terminal (2.12.0-1) ...

...
Setting up vino (2.12.0-1) ...

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of gnome-desktop-environment:
 gnome-desktop-environment depends on gnome-core (= 1:2.12.2); however:
  Package gnome-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing gnome-desktop-environment (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 gnome-session
 gnome-core
 gnome-desktop-environment
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

vile:~# apt-get install -t experimental gnome-session
...
gnome-session is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 0B of additional disk space will be used.
...
Setting up gnome-session (2.12.0-1) ...
update-alternatives: unable to make /usr/share/images/desktop-base/desktop-splash.dpkg-tmp a symlink t
o /etc/alternatives/desktop-splash: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing gnome-session (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of gnome-core:
 gnome-core depends on gnome-session (>= 2.12.0); however:
  Package gnome-session is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing gnome-core (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of gnome-desktop-environment:
 gnome-desktop-environment depends on gnome-core (= 1:2.12.2); however:
  Package gnome-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing gnome-desktop-environment (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 gnome-session
 gnome-core
 gnome-desktop-environment
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
vile:~# ll /usr/share/images/desktop-base/
ls: /usr/share/images/desktop-base/: No such file or directory

vile:~# apt-get install desktop-base
...
Suggested packages:
  gnome kde xfce4 wmaker
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  desktop-base
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 1669kB of archives.
After unpacking 1815kB of additional disk space will be used.
...
Selecting previously deselected package desktop-base.
(Reading database ... 46381 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking desktop-base (from .../desktop-base_0.3.16_all.deb) ...
Setting up gnome-session (2.12.0-1) ...

Setting up gnome-core (2.12.2) ...
Setting up gnome-desktop-environment (2.12.2) ...
Setting up desktop-base (0.3.16) ...




-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Shell:  /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.12-1-686
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)

-- 
Martin Michlmayr
http://www.cyrius.com/