Bug#924793: xdm packaging bug/defect on Ubuntu 18.04
Package: xdm
Version: 1:1.1.11-3ubuntu1
OS: Ubuntu (xubuntu) 18.04.2
During package installation/reinstallation, the configure step consistently fails as follows (the commands were run in
a sudo bash shell) ...
# apt install --reinstall xdm
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
Need to get 145 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 xdm amd64 1:1.1.11-3ubuntu1 [145 kB]
Fetched 145 kB in 0s (489 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 265903 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../xdm_1%3a1.1.11-3ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking xdm (1:1.1.11-3ubuntu1) over (1:1.1.11-3ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-20) ...
Processing triggers for systemd (237-3ubuntu10.15) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2ubuntu0.1) ...
Setting up xdm (1:1.1.11-3ubuntu1) ...
start-stop-daemon: pid value must be a number greater than 0
Try 'start-stop-daemon --help' for more information.
The above problem can be repeated at will by attempting to reconfigure the package...
# dpkg-reconfigure xdm
start-stop-daemon: pid value must be a number greater than 0
Try 'start-stop-daemon --help' for more information.
Note that above manifests itself with, or without, the use of the '--force' option.
FWIW, the problem is in the invocation of the start-stop-daemon script within the package postinst script - the fix
is, I believe, an update to the package postinst file (/var/lib/dpkg/info/xdm.postinst) - something along the lines
of thw following ...
# F=xdm.postinst
# sed '/start-stop-daemon/s,--pid,-p,' /var/lib/dpkg/info/$F > /tmp/$F && mv /tmp/$F /var/lib/dpkg/info/$F
Best rgds,
Dave P
--
D.C. Pointon FIAP MBCS | Now I saw, tho' too late, the folly of
07810 645299 | beginning a work before we count the cost
01782 514815 | and before we judge rightly of our strength
01730 233886 | to go thro' with it. Robinson Crusoe
Reply to: