Bug#218787: cannot handle swapping 2 files between 2 packages

[Josip Rodin <joy@srce.hr>]

On Sun, Nov 02, 2003 at 11:46:01AM -0500, Joey Hess wrote:
> debconf has a file that should be in debconf-utils, and debconf-utils has a
> file that should be in debconf. But if I swap the files and make debconf-utils
> conflict and replace debconf, and debconf conflict and replace debconf-utils
> (which also depends on debconf..), dpkg gets confused and wants to remove
> debconf-utils entirely:

It hardly gets "confused", that's basically the default behaviour for the
combination, and you're overusing it :)

Presuming you have a reason for the conflicts (installing new packages
breaks existing old package whose files it replaces), then just use that,
and drop the replaces.

-- 
     2. That which causes joy or happiness.