Re: file conflicts between packages

[Viktor Rosenfeld <rosenfel@informatik.hu-berlin.de>]

Peter Jay Salzman wrote:

>    Preparing to replace xlibs 4.1.0-5 (using .../xlibs_4.1.0-6_i386.deb) ...
>    Unpacking replacement xlibs ...
>    dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/xlibs_4.1.0-6_i386.deb
>    (--unpack):
>     trying to overwrite `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults', which is also in
>    package mixviews
>    Errors were encountered while processing:
>     /var/cache/apt/archives/xlibs_4.1.0-6_i386.deb
>    E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
> 
> what is the standard operating procedure for this?

Submitting a bug report against the package would be useful, so it can
be modified.  If you can't wait to install the package, you can do 

	dpkg --force-overwrite -i /var/cache/apt/archive/<package-name>

Actually, this is discouraged, because the packaging system can't keep
track of the files anymore -- if you uninstall one package with the
file, the other package will break, because the file is missing.  Kinda
like Microsoft.  :)  However, if you're using unstable, this isn't such
a big deal, because the package will get fixed quickly.  Once the
package is fixed, the packaging system is in sync again.

Cheers,
Viktor
-- 
Viktor Rosenfeld
WWW: http://www.informatik.hu-berlin.de/~rosenfel/