Bug#674022: dpkg: error: --compare-versions takes three arguments: <version> <relation> <version>

[Norbert Preining <preining@logic.at>]

On Mo, 25 Jun 2012, Anders Kaseorg wrote:
> The end of the postinst still contains both an underquoting bug and a 
> logic mistake, causing the same error message from the original bug 
> description.

Why?

First of all
	if [ -n ] ; then
		echo true
	else
		echo false
	fi
does return what? Yes, it returns "true".

So, if no $old_version is set as on new install, then the
first test is true and the second is NOT executed.

If $old_version is set, the comparison works correct.

So, can you *produce* this bug or are you only reading code without 
checking?

> --- postinst	2012-06-25 04:05:26.193684796 -0400
> +++ postinst	2012-06-25 04:06:05.090645044 -0400
> @@ -321,7 +321,7 @@
>  #
>  if [ "$1" = "configure" ] ; then
>    old_version=$2
> -  if [ -n $old_version ] || dpkg --compare-versions $old_version le 2011.20120322-2 ; then
> +  if dpkg --compare-versions "$old_version" le-nl 2011.20120322-2 ; then
>      for i in /etc/texmf/texdoc            \
>               /etc/texmf/dvips/config      \
>               /etc/texmf/dvips             \
> 

Best wishes

Norbert
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norbert Preining            preining@{jaist.ac.jp, logic.at, debian.org}
JAIST, Japan                                 TeX Live & Debian Developer
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