dpkg --instdir

[Piyush Shivam <shivam@cs.duke.edu>]

Hi,

I am trying to use the --instdir option for dpkg command. I get two types 
of errors. First one complains about the length of the directory 
path, and second one about some post-installation script. apt-get install 
works fine, but I am trying to install the packages in a particular 
directory.


I will appreciate any help on this. The error messages are attached below.

Thanks,
Piyush

sudo dpkg -i --instdir=/usr/research/playground/shivam/hearts 
lam4_7.1.1-2_i386.deb
(Reading database ... 49208 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace lam4 7.1.1-2 (using lam4_7.1.1-2_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement lam4 ...
Setting up lam4 (7.1.1-2) ...
dpkg: ../../main/help.c:188: preexecscript: Assertion 
`strlen(path)>=instdirl'
failed.
dpkg: error processing lam4 (--install):
 subprocess post-installation script killed by signal (Aborted)
Errors were encountered while processing:
 lam4


When I reduced the pathlength I still got the following error.

sudo dpkg -i --instdir=/usr/research/playground/shivam/ 
lam4_7.1.1-2_i386.deb
(Reading database ... 49208 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace lam4 7.1.1-2 (using lam4_7.1.1-2_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement lam4 ...
Setting up lam4 (7.1.1-2) ...
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute post-installation script: No such 
file or
directory
dpkg: error processing lam4 (--install):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 lam4