Bug#812970: init-system-helpers and file-rc: error when trying to install together

[Ralf Treinen]

Package: file-rc,init-system-helpers
Version: file-rc/0.8.17
Version: init-system-helpers/1.27
Severity: serious
User: treinen at debian.org
Usertags: edos-file-overwrite

Date: 2016-01-28
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:


Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 10942 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../perl_5.22.1-4_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking perl (5.22.1-4) over (5.18.2-2) ...
Replacing files in old package perl-modules (5.18.2-7) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
(Reading database ... 10473 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing perl-modules (5.18.2-7) ...
(Reading database ... 9662 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libtext-charwidth-perl_0.04-7+b4_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libtext-charwidth-perl (0.04-7+b4) over (0.04-7+b2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../perl-base_5.22.1-4_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking perl-base (5.22.1-4) over (5.18.2-2) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Setting up perl-base (5.22.1-4) ...
(Reading database ... 9177 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../liblocale-gettext-perl_1.07-1+b1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking liblocale-gettext-perl (1.07-1+b1) over (1.05-7+b2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../libtext-iconv-perl_1.7-5+b3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libtext-iconv-perl (1.7-5+b3) over (1.7-5+b1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package perl-modules-5.22.
Preparing to unpack .../perl-modules-5.22_5.22.1-4_all.deb ...
Unpacking perl-modules-5.22 (5.22.1-4) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libdb5.3:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libdb5.3_5.3.28-11_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libdb5.3:amd64 (5.3.28-11) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libperl5.22:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libperl5.22_5.22.1-4_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libperl5.22:amd64 (5.22.1-4) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libfdisk1:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libfdisk1_2.27.1-3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libfdisk1:amd64 (2.27.1-3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
Setting up libfdisk1:amd64 (2.27.1-3) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libsmartcols1:amd64.
(Reading database ... 10875 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libsmartcols1_2.27.1-3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libsmartcols1:amd64 (2.27.1-3) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
Setting up libsmartcols1:amd64 (2.27.1-3) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libgcrypt20:amd64.
(Reading database ... 10881 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libgcrypt20_1.6.4-5_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgcrypt20:amd64 (1.6.4-5) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
Setting up libgcrypt20:amd64 (1.6.4-5) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libsystemd0:amd64.
(Reading database ... 10891 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libsystemd0_228-4+b1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libsystemd0:amd64 (228-4+b1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
Setting up libsystemd0:amd64 (228-4+b1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-7) ...
(Reading database ... 10897 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../util-linux_2.27.1-3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking util-linux (2.27.1-3) over (2.20.1-5.11) ...
Replacing files in old package initscripts (2.88dsf-59) ...
Replacing files in old package sysvinit-utils (2.88dsf-51) ...
Preparing to unpack .../sysvinit-utils_2.88dsf-59.3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking sysvinit-utils (2.88dsf-59.3) over (2.88dsf-51) ...
Preparing to unpack .../init-system-helpers_1.27_all.deb ...
Unpacking init-system-helpers (1.27) over (1.21) ...
Replacing files in old package sysv-rc (2.88dsf-51) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Setting up init-system-helpers (1.27) ...
Selecting previously unselected package startpar.
(Reading database ... 11022 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../startpar_0.59-3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking startpar (0.59-3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Setting up startpar (0.59-3) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init/startpar-bridge.conf ...
(Reading database ... 11030 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../sysv-rc_2.88dsf-59.3_all.deb ...
Unpacking sysv-rc (2.88dsf-59.3) over (2.88dsf-51) ...
Setting up sysvinit-utils (2.88dsf-59.3) ...
Setting up sysv-rc (2.88dsf-59.3) ...
Selecting previously unselected package file-rc.
(Reading database ... 11028 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../file-rc_0.8.17_all.deb ...
Adding 'diversion of /usr/sbin/update-rc.d to /usr/sbin/update-rc.d.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Adding 'diversion of /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d to /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Adding 'diversion of /usr/share/man/man8/update-rc.d.8.gz to /usr/share/man/man8/update-rc.d.8.gz.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Adding 'diversion of /usr/share/man/man8/invoke-rc.d.8.gz to /usr/share/man/man8/invoke-rc.d.8.gz.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Unpacking file-rc (0.8.17) ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/file-rc_0.8.17_all.deb (--unpack):
 trying to overwrite '/etc/init.d/README', which is also in package sysv-rc 2.88dsf-59.3
Removing 'diversion of /usr/sbin/update-rc.d to /usr/sbin/update-rc.d.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Removing 'diversion of /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d to /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Removing 'diversion of /usr/share/man/man8/update-rc.d.8.gz to /usr/share/man/man8/update-rc.d.8.gz.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Removing 'diversion of /usr/share/man/man8/invoke-rc.d.8.gz to /usr/share/man/man8/invoke-rc.d.8.gz.init-system-helpers by file-rc'
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/file-rc_0.8.17_all.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/sbin/invoke-rc.d
  /usr/sbin/update-rc.d
  /usr/share/man/man8/invoke-rc.d.8.gz
  /usr/share/man/man8/update-rc.d.8.gz

This bug has been filed against 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 then
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://qa.debian.org/dose/file-overwrites.html.