software-center crashed with UnicodeDecodeError in decode(): 'utf8' codec can't decode byte 0xe3 in position 21: invalid continuation byte

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

The '.deb' file I got this error is this one:

http://www.receita.fazenda.gov.br/PessoaFisica/ReceitaNet/PGD/RecnetDeb.htm

It's a program used to send taxes and fees annual declaration to the Government in Brazil.

Thanks for the link to the deb - this made it easy to reproduce and fix the bug.

This bug was fixed in the package software-center - 5.1.14

---------------
software-center (5.1.14) precise; urgency=low

  [ Michael Vogt ]
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/lp962580:
    - add locking to the expunge helper process to fix bugs that are triggered
      if multiple expunge cache processes are run (LP: #962580)
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/cache-refresh-glitch:
    - ensure that we get a full refresh if a pkg was not available before
      show_app is called
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/lp940482:
    - fix crash if the debfile does not return proper utf8 for the
      description (LP: #940482)
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/lp966514:
    - properly handle network disconnect conditions with the Ubuntu
      SSO dialog (LP: #966514)
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/lp966879:
    - fix for crashes in the installed view treeview (LP: #966879,
      LP: #950899)
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/lp846204:
    - fix ValueError crashes in get_iter due to invalid tree paths
      (LP: #846204)
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/lp964433:
    - disconnect the model from the view before calling set_from_matches
      (LP: #964433)
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/treeview-keep-state-on-db-cache-change:
   - restore the state of the installed view treeview when the
     the db or cache changes, such as on an app install or remove
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/946393:
   - fix installing multiple apps when in a custom list view (LP: #946393)
  * lp:~mvo/software-center/lp969050:
   - disconnect the view when the model is cleared to avoid a furry of
     cursor_changed signals as the rows get removed (LP: #969050)

  [ Gary Lasker ]
  * lp:~gary-lasker/software-center/installed-pane-refresh:
    - avoid rebuilding the treeview in the installedpane if its not
      required (LP: #828887)
  * lp:~gary-lasker/software-center/fix-crash-lp967036:
    - Small branch to fix a crash due to a UnicodeDecodeError when accessing
      the short description for H/W requirements (LP: #967036)
  * lp:~gary-lasker/software-center/fix-crash-lp935930:
    - fix a crash due to a UnicodeDecodeError (LP: #935930)
 -- Michael Vogt <email address hidden> Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:50 +0200