Error during Dapper-->Edgy update, problem removing python2.3

See bug 57121 for more details.

A fix for either installation/removal is to add ", python2.3" (note the comma) to the "supported-versions" entry in /usr/share/python/debian_defaults:

$ cat /usr/share/python/debian_defaults
[DEFAULT]
default-version = python2.4
supported-versions = python2.4, python2.3

I can't tell for sure, but I'd guess that changing the file above before executing pycentral should fix the bug.

See bug #58062 for further details.

I can confirm that after doing what Alex Muntada suggested in his previous comment python2.3 could finally be uninstalled from my system.

Also, could the original reporter change the bug title to something more descriptive?

"Error during Dapper-->Edgy update" could mean almost anything, so I guess something mentioning python 2.3 or 2.4 might be more appropriate.

This is not just happening in a Dapper->Edgy update. I have just done a fresh install of Knot 3 and I have encountered the same issue after my first 'apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade'. Aptitude seems to work around part of the problem, but does not fix it completely.

Running into the same problem during a normal update of Edgy--
will try "fix" proposed above--output below-

Setting up python2.4-minimal (2.4.3-8ubuntu1) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.4...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1329, in ?
    main()
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1319, in main
    if action.check_args(global_options):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 945, in check_args
    for rt in get_installed_runtimes():
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 197, in get_installed_runtimes
    old = pyversions.old_versions()
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'old_versions'
dpkg: error processing python2.4-minimal (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python2.4:
 python2.4 depends on python2.4-minimal (= 2.4.3-8ubuntu1); however:
  Package python2.4-minimal is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing python2.4 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.4-minimal
 python2.4
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

please recheck with today's updates installed.

seems to be a related problem so I'll post it here rather then a new bug report.

tried to upgrade from Dapper (6.06.1) -> Edgy Beta

tried update-manager -c -d

Failed right after downloading all packages with a very no descriptive error

since the sources.list had been updated (maybe update-manager should restore sources.list if it fails) tried with apt-get dist-upgrade

got the following error (seems python related also so I posted it here )

E: Couldn't configure pre-depend python-gtk2 for gnome-app-install, probably a dependency cycle

Tried with and without the "fix" and with updates modules. Same error:

Preconfiguring packages ...
Setting up python2.4-minimal (2.4.3-8ubuntu2) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.4...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1329, in ?
    main()
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1319, in main
    if action.check_args(global_options):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 945, in check_args
    for rt in get_installed_runtimes():
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 197, in get_installed_runtimes
    old = pyversions.old_versions()
  File "/usr/share/pycentral-data/pyversions.py", line 56, in old_versions
    value = config.get('DEFAULT', 'old-versions')
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/ConfigParser.py", line 520, in get
    raise NoOptionError(option, section)
ConfigParser.NoOptionError: No option 'old-versions' in section: 'DEFAULT'
dpkg: error processing python2.4-minimal (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.4-minimal
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install. Trying to recover:
Setting up python2.4-minimal (2.4.3-8ubuntu2) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.4...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1329, in ?
    main()
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1319, in main
    if action.check_args(global_options):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 945, in check_args
    for rt in get_installed_runtimes():
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 197, in get_installed_runtimes
    old = pyversions.old_versions()
  File "/usr/share/pycentral-data/pyversions.py", line 56, in old_versions
    value = config.get('DEFAULT', 'old-versions')
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/ConfigParser.py", line 520, in get
    raise NoOptionError(option, section)
ConfigParser.NoOptionError: No option 'old-versions' in section: 'DEFAULT'
dpkg: error processing python2.4-minimal (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python2.4:
 python2.4 depends on python2.4-minimal (= 2.4.3-8ubuntu2); however:
  Package python2.4-minimal is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing python2.4 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python2.4-dev:
 python2.4-dev depends on python2.4 (= 2.4.3-8ubuntu2); however:
  Package python2.4 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing python2.4-dev (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.4-minimal
 python2.4
 python2.4-dev

Thanks for your bugreport.

This problem should be fixed with the latest python-central upload (python-central_0.5.5ubuntu4). Please reopen if there is still something wrong.

Thanks,
 Michael

I still get an error.

$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up python2.4-minimal (2.4.3-8ubuntu2) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.4...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1329, in ?
    main()
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1323, in main
    rv = action.run(global_options)
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 958, in run
    requested = list(pyversions.requested_versions(vstring, version_only=True))
  File "/usr/share/pycentral-data/pyversions.py", line 131, in requested_versions
    raise ValueError, 'empty set of versions'
ValueError: empty set of versions
dpkg: error processing python2.4-minimal (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python2.4:
 python2.4 depends on python2.4-minimal (= 2.4.3-8ubuntu2); however:
  Package python2.4-minimal is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing python2.4 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.4-minimal
 python2.4

$ dpkg -l python-central python2.4-minimal python2.4 python-minimal
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Installed/Config-files/Unpacked/Failed-config/Half-installed
|/ Err?=(none)/Hold/Reinst-required/X=both-problems (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-=====================================-=====================================-==========================================================================================
ii python-central 0.5.5ubuntu4 register and build utility for Python packages
ii python-minimal 2.4.3-11ubuntu3 A minimal subset of the Python language (default version)
iU python2.4 2.4.3-8ubuntu2 An interactive high-level object-oriented language (version 2.4)
iF python2.4-minimal 2.4.3-8ubuntu2 A minimal subset of the Python language (version 2.4)

$ cat /usr/share/python/debian_defaults
[DEFAULT]

# the default python version
default-version = python2.4

# all supported python versions
supported-versions = python2.4, python2.5

# formerly supported python versions
old-versions = python2.3

How about "forcing" the updated package to install? I "fixed" my problem with--

 sudo dpkg -i --force-all /var/cache/apt/archives/python-minimal_2.4.3-11ubuntu3_all.deb

How about "forcing" the updated package to install? I "fixed" my problem with--

 sudo dpkg -i --force-all /var/cache/apt/archives/python-minimal_2.4.3-11ubuntu3_all.deb

using --force-all or --force-* is unsafe and shouldnt have to be used.

This is fixed for people who do the upgrade now.

If your upgrade failed, please try:
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install python-central
$ sudo apt-get install -f
$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Cheers,
 Michael

The above didn't work for me. I got the same ValueError as in my previous comment with all the commands except update.

I changed /usr/share/pycentral-data/pyversions.py:
< raise ValueError, 'empty set of versions'
> raise ValueError, 'empty set of versions (%s, %s)' % (vstring, version_only)

Now the error:
Setting up python2.4-minimal (2.4.3-8ubuntu2) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.4...
Traceback (most recent call last):
[...]
ValueError: empty set of versions (2.3, True)

I don't understand exactly what pycentral is supposed to do here, but what does this "2.3" do there?

What versions of python-minimal and python-central are installed on the machines that are messed up currently?

> dpkg -l python-minimal python2.4-minimal python-central
ii python-central 0.5.5ubuntu4 register and build utility for Python packages
iF python2.4-minimal 2.4.3-8ubuntu2 A minimal subset of the Python language (version 2.4)
iU python-minimal 2.4.3-11ubuntu3 A minimal subset of the Python language (default version)

The "comment fix" worked for me, i.e. comment out the "if not versions: Value Error empty set" exception in pyversions.py.

I haven't installed python 2.3, yet the configuration of python2.4-minimal tested for just version 2.3. This of course raises the empty set ValueError exception. Where comes this test? Why is this test done?

Does anyone have this problem with python-central 0.5.6ubuntu1?

I get the same ValueError:

$ sudo apt-get install -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libgtkglext1
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 316 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up python2.4-minimal (2.4.3-8ubuntu2) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.4...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1336, in ?
    main()
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1330, in main
    rv = action.run(global_options)
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 965, in run
    requested = list(pyversions.requested_versions(vstring, version_only=True))
  File "/usr/share/pycentral-data/pyversions.py", line 149, in requested_versions
    raise ValueError, 'empty set of versions'
ValueError: empty set of versions
dpkg: error processing python2.4-minimal (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python2.4:
 python2.4 depends on python2.4-minimal (= 2.4.3-8ubuntu2); however:
  Package python2.4-minimal is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing python2.4 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.4-minimal
 python2.4
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

$ dpkg -l python-central python2.4 python2.4-minimal
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Installed/Config-files/Unpacked/Failed-config/Half-installed
|/ Err?=(none)/Hold/Reinst-required/X=both-problems (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-=====================================-=====================================-==========================================================================================
ii python-central 0.5.6ubuntu1 register and build utility for Python packages
iU python2.4 2.4.3-8ubuntu2 An interactive high-level object-oriented language (version 2.4)
iF python2.4-minimal 2.4.3-8ubuntu2 A minimal subset of the Python language (version 2.4)

yes. I have the problem with 0.5.6ubuntu1

Setting up python2.4-minimal (2.4.4~c1-0ubuntu1) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.4...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1336, in ?
    main()
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 1330, in main
    rv = action.run(global_options)
  File "/usr/bin/pycentral", line 965, in run
    requested = list(pyversions.requested_versions(vstring, version_only=True))
  File "/usr/share/pycentral-data/pyversions.py", line 149, in requested_versions
    raise ValueError, 'empty set of versions'
ValueError: empty set of versions
dpkg: error processing python2.4-minimal (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.4-minimal
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Package: python-central
Version: 0.5.6ubuntu1
Severity: wishlist

-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
  APT prefers edgy-updates
  APT policy: (990, 'edgy-updates'), (990, 'edgy-security'), (990, 'edgy-proposed'), (990, 'edgy-backports'), (990, 'edgy')
Architecture: powerpc (ppc)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.17-10-powerpc
Locale: LANG=de_DE.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=de_DE.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)

Versions of packages python-central depends on:
ii python 2.4.3-11ubuntu3 An interactive high-level object-o

python-central recommends no packages.

-- no debconf information

Package: python2.4-minimal
Version: 2.4.4~c1-0ubuntu1

Just did the upgrade, and no problem found. Maybe the package is fixed now

still doesn't work for me

~$ dpkg -l python-central python2.4 python2.4-minimal
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Installed/Config-files/Unpacked/Failed-config/Half-installed
|/ Err?=(none)/Hold/Reinst-required/X=both-problems (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-=====================================-=====================================-==========================================================================================
ii python-central 0.5.6ubuntu1 register and build utility for Python packages
iU python2.4 2.4.4~c1-0ubuntu1 An interactive high-level object-oriented language (version 2.4)
iF python2.4-minimal 2.4.4~c1-0ubuntu1 A minimal subset of the Python language (version 2.4)

please could you recheck, with debugging output turned on:

sudo sh -c 'PYCENTRAL=debug apt-get dist-upgrade'

fixed in 0.5.6ubuntu2.

reopening, http://people.ubuntu.com/~doko/edgy/python-central.debdiff needed

I ran update-manager -c -d from a non-up-to-date dapper to Edgy and all went well no errors at all. I did this on Fri Oct, 10 2006

still have this problem and my python-central is updated.

ag@ag-desktop:/$ sudo apt-get install python-central
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
python-central is already the newest version.
You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  openoffice.org-style-industrial: Depends: openoffice.org-common (= 2.0.4-0ubuntu2) but 2.0.4~rc3-0ubuntu2 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).
ag@ag-desktop:/$

ag@ag-desktop:/$ sudo apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  f-spot libgnomecupsui1.0-1c2a libgtkhtml3.8-15 libopenobex-1.0-0 libstdc++5
  tomboy evolution-webcal ekiga libglew1 openoffice.org-gnome gimp-print
  ttf-devanagari-fonts libmagick9 libmono-security1.0-cil gcalctool pnm2ppa
  gthumb gnome-nettool xfonts-scalable openoffice.org-impress libmono0
  libglade2.0-cil ubuntu-docs ttf-punjabi-fonts linux-headers-generic
  libsensors3 wvdial python-at-spi ttf-indic-fonts libglib2.0-cil
  libdjvulibre15 libwmf0.2-7 tangerine-icon-theme libmono-sharpzip0.84-cil
  openoffice.org-draw python-apport-utils ttf-thai-tlwg libgnome-mag2
  ttf-kochi-mincho doc-base gucharmap brltty-x11 libbtctl2 hwdb-client-gnome
  xscreensaver-gl gdebi libmono-sqlite1.0-cil vnc-common ttf-mgopen
  libgconf2.0-cil evolution-exchange evolution openoffice.org-gtk fortunes-min
  libmono-system-web1.0-cil libwvstreams4.2-base esound
  libexchange-storage1.2-2 ttf-kannada-fonts ttf-gentium cli-common gnome-mag
  gnome-screensaver rhythmbox libmono-corlib1.0-cil bluez-cups dbus-1-utils
  readahead hpijs brltty screen libpisock9 hplip acpi dc gnome-themes
  gnome-pilot-conduits whois libpt-plugins-v4l2 linux-headers-2.6.17-10-386
  linux-headers-386 scim-modules-socket gnome-pilot powernowd scim fortune-mod
  update-notifier apport libscim8c2a ttf-lao usplash-theme-ubuntu mono-common
  libmdbtools ttf-kochi-gothic festlex-cmu tango-icon-theme-common
  libpoppler1-glib libgnome2.0-cil tango-icon-theme foomatic-db-hpijs
  xfonts-75dpi scim-gtk2-immodule libgutenprintui2-1 librecode0
  libgnome-pilot2 gnome-btdownload bluez-utils libatspi1.0-0 libxevie1
  diveintopython gnome-orca ttf-gujarati-fonts xvncviewer hwdb-client-common
  gnome-volume-manager openoffice.org-evolution gtk2-engines
  libmono-system1.0-cil libkpathsea4 libpt-plugins-v4l openoffice.org-math eog
  xfonts-base screensaver-default-images libgmime-2.0-2 libdbus-1-cil
  ttf-telugu-fonts gnome-spell bug-buddy ttf-tamil-fonts libgtk2.0-cil
  libbrlapi1 mono-gac libgutenprint2 bittorrent language-selector
  festlex-poslex at-spi tsclient rdesktop libmono1.0-cil vino
  gnome-keyring-manager cupsys-driver-gutenprint libmono-data-tds1.0-cil
  firefox-gnome-support mono-jit python-problem-report evince ttf-arphic-uming
  festvox-kallpc16k libmono-system-data1.0-cil fping ttf-malayalam-fonts
  evolution-plugins landscape-client gtkhtml3.8 tote...

comment 29 is a different issue; openend #67556.

We can't fix this any better for Edgy. Matthias, if this has been handled (I've lost track), please close it, otherwise please investigate and fix any remaining issues early in Feisty (hence "later").

closing this report now:

- some outstanding issues with the removal of python2.3 are fixed in feisty
- the update should be more robust now.

we will have to recheck the upgrade from our current LTS release to the next one.