apt fails to install python-yaml

[Katriska Francis]

I get the following error when trying to install pyyaml:

Selecting previously deselected package python-yaml.
(Reading database ... 122416 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking python-yaml (from .../python-yaml_3.05-2_i386.deb) ...
Setting up python-yaml (3.05-2) ...
pycentral: pycentral pkginstall: not overwriting local files
pycentral pkginstall: not overwriting local files
dpkg: error processing python-yaml (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python-yaml
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Distribution: ubuntu 8.10 (intrepid)
Package: python-yaml

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.10
ErrorMessage: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: python-yaml 3.05-2
SourcePackage: pyyaml
Title: package python-yaml 3.05-2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Uname: Linux 2.6.27-9-generic i686

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

Generally this error means you had a non-packaged version of pyyaml installed before and the package system declines to over-write admin installed files. From man pycentral:

       /etc/python/debian_config is searched for the attribute overwrite-local. If set to 1, or True, existing files in /usr/lib/pythonX.Y/site-pack‐
       ages are overwritten with symbolic links to the pycentral install area. The default is to abort the installation of a package, when files
       already exist. This behaviour may be useful, when python libraries were manually installed into this directory.

So you can over-ride this default.