Bug#37602: apt: Segfault at the end of apt-get
Hi,
On Mon, 17 May 1999, Joey Hess wrote:
> Er, no. If a program segfaults, it is directly due to a bug in the program.
> No exceptions.
It is my understanding that the following happens:
1. Apt (or dpkg) calls update-menus, which waits in the backgroung until
apt has finished (really: until the dpkg lock is no longer valid.)
2. When update-menus runs, it calls all available menu-methods provided by
packages, in order to have the packages rebuild their own particular
native menus.
3. Some menu-methods blow up with a segmentation fault. This does not
stop update-menus in executing the remaining menu-methods, but a message
"segmentation fault" is output on stderr for each menu-method failing
in a segmentation fault.
I think that I agree that any program that segfaults is buggy, but since
the programs that segfault are the menu-methods provided by dwww and
afterstep (and maybe some others that I haven't heard about,) it is a bug
in the respective programs providing the menu-methods.
So IMHO the bug is not related to apt at all, nor is it to blame on menu,
as the menu-methods are standalone executables*.
If my interpretation of events and causes is incorrect, please do tell me
so.
Cheers,
Joost
* the menu-methods are #!/usr/sbin/install-menu scripts, so menu is
clearly related. IIRC the menu maintainer changed interfaces and some
package maintainers just did not update their menu methods. Please do
consult http://www.debian.org/Bugs/db/37/37379.html for more information.
Reply to: