dpkg config fails with xemacs21 on trusty

[John Bender]

If this turns out to be a bug in xemacs21, let me know and I'll file it there. But it looks like it's emacsen-common that's failing.

$ sudo apt-get install xemacs21
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  emacsen-common libcompfaceg1 xemacs21-basesupport xemacs21-bin xemacs21-mule
  xemacs21-mulesupport xemacs21-support
Suggested packages:
  xemacs21-supportel
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  emacsen-common libcompfaceg1 xemacs21 xemacs21-basesupport xemacs21-bin
  xemacs21-mule xemacs21-mulesupport xemacs21-support
0 upgraded, 8 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 7,547 kB/27.0 MB of archives.
After this operation, 98.2 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main emacsen-common all 2.0.7 [17.1 kB]
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe libcompfaceg1 amd64 1:1.5.2-5 [14.9 kB]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21-support all 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [4,488 kB]
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21-bin amd64 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [544 kB]
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21-mule amd64 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [2,479 kB]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21 all 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [4,670 B]
Fetched 7,547 kB in 5s (1,496 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package emacsen-common.
(Reading database ... 315549 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../emacsen-common_2.0.7_all.deb ...
Unpacking emacsen-common (2.0.7) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libcompfaceg1.
Preparing to unpack .../libcompfaceg1_1%3a1.5.2-5_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libcompfaceg1 (1:1.5.2-5) ...
Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-support.
Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-support_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_all.deb ...
Unpacking xemacs21-support (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ...
Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-bin.
Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-bin_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking xemacs21-bin (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ...
Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-mulesupport.
Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-mulesupport_2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1_all.deb ...
Unpacking xemacs21-mulesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-basesupport.
Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-basesupport_2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1_all.deb ...
Unpacking xemacs21-basesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-mule.
Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-mule_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_amd64.deb ...
update-alternatives: warning: alternative /usr/bin/xemacs21-mule (part of link group xemacs21) doesn't exist; removing from list of alternatives
update-alternatives: warning: /etc/alternatives/xemacs21 is dangling; it will be updated with best choice
Unpacking xemacs21-mule (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ...
Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21.
Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_all.deb ...
Unpacking xemacs21 (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for install-info (5.2.0.dfsg.1-2) ...
install-info: warning: no info dir entry in `/usr/share/info/xemacs21/emodules.info.gz'
Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1) ...
Setting up emacsen-common (2.0.7) ...
Install emacsen-common for xemacs21
emacsen-common: Handling install of emacsen flavor xemacs21
/usr/lib/emacsen-common/packages/install/emacsen-common: 29: /usr/lib/emacsen-common/packages/install/emacsen-common: xemacs21: not found
ERROR: install script from emacsen-common package failed
dpkg: error processing package emacsen-common (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up libcompfaceg1 (1:1.5.2-5) ...
Setting up xemacs21-mulesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ...
Setting up xemacs21-basesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ...
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                          No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                                                    No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                  No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-mule:
 xemacs21-mule depends on emacsen-common; however:
  Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package xemacs21-mule (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21:
 xemacs21 depends on xemacs21-mule (>= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3) | xemacs21-mule-canna-wnn (>= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3) | xemacs21-nomule (>= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3); however:
  Package xemacs21-mule is not configured yet.
  Package xemacs21-mule-canna-wnn is not installed.
  Package xemacs21-nomule is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package xemacs21 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-support:
 xemacs21-support depends on emacsen-common; however:
  Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
 xemacs21-support depends on xemacs21 (= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3); however:
  Package xemacs21 is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package xemacs21-support (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-bin:
 xemacs21-bin depends on xemacs21-support (= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3); however:
  Package xemacs21-support is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package xemacs21-bin (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-0ubuntu6) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 emacsen-common
 xemacs21-mule
 xemacs21
 xemacs21-support
 xemacs21-bin
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Daniel Plagge (ubuntulp-dplagge)]

I was able to circumvent this by removing all emacs related packages, purging all configurations and re-install emacs. It seems that emacsen-common looks at the remaining configuration files and than concludes incorrectly that the according packages are installed.

(I used dpkg -l "*emacs*" to find out which packages are installed (ii) or still have configuration files remaining (rc).)

[Cici (seb--bu)]

I was able to resolve the problem by deleting /var/lib/emacsen-common/state/flavor/installed/xemacs21.

[John Bender (johnabender)]

@Cici's workaround resolved the issue for me, as well.