Bug#654818: alevt and dvb-apps: error when trying to install together

[Ralf Treinen]

Package: dvb-apps,alevt
Version: dvb-apps/1.1.1+rev1457-2
Version: alevt/1:1.6.2-4
Severity: serious
User: treinen at debian.org
Usertags: edos-file-overwrite

Date: 2012-01-05
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!
  libpng12-0 libxau6 libxdmcp6 libxcb1 libx11-data libx11-6 libzvbi-common
  libzvbi0 alevt dvb-apps
Authentication warning overridden.
Can not write log, openpty() failed (/dev/pts not mounted?)
Selecting previously unselected package libpng12-0.
(Reading database ... 10506 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libpng12-0 (from .../libpng12-0_1.2.46-3_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libxau6.
Unpacking libxau6 (from .../libxau6_1%3a1.0.6-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libxdmcp6.
Unpacking libxdmcp6 (from .../libxdmcp6_1%3a1.1.0-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libxcb1.
Unpacking libxcb1 (from .../libxcb1_1.7-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libx11-data.
Unpacking libx11-data (from .../libx11-data_2%3a1.4.4-4_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libx11-6.
Unpacking libx11-6 (from .../libx11-6_2%3a1.4.4-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libzvbi-common.
Unpacking libzvbi-common (from .../libzvbi-common_0.2.33-4_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libzvbi0.
Unpacking libzvbi0 (from .../libzvbi0_0.2.33-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package alevt.
Unpacking alevt (from .../alevt_1%3a1.6.2-4_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package dvb-apps.
Unpacking dvb-apps (from .../dvb-apps_1.1.1+rev1457-2_amd64.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/dvb-apps_1.1.1+rev1457-2_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 trying to overwrite '/usr/share/man/man1/alevt-date.1.gz', which is also in package alevt 1:1.6.2-4
configured to not write apport reports
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/dvb-apps_1.1.1+rev1457-2_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/bin/alevt
  /usr/bin/alevt-cap
  /usr/bin/alevt-date
  /usr/share/man/man1/alevt-cap.1.gz
  /usr/share/man/man1/alevt-date.1.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://edos.debian.net/file-overwrites/.