Bug#954343: Error message 'Unable to parse package file (1)' unhelpful

[Andras Korn <korn-debbugs@elan.rulez.org>]

Package: apt
Version: 2.0.0
Severity: normal

Hi,

with the sources.list entry:

deb http://winswitch.org/beta/ buster main

apt-get as of 2.0 update prints the unhelpful error message:

E: Unable to parse package file  (1)

apt 1.8.4 has no problem with this repository.

I could only find out which sources.list entry was causing the issue by way of successive elimination.

I would suggest the following:

1. identify the type of file in the message (e.g. Packages file, Release file, whatever); 'package file' is vague.

2. in the message, identify the sources.list entry the problematic file is related to.

3. the message should say why the file in question could not be parsed; at the very least, print the number of the line where the problem was encountered.

Thanks!

András

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