ubuntu-vm-builder crashed with VMBuilderUserError in main()

[Muelli]

just started it.

ProblemType: Crash
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: ubuntu-vm-builder 0.12.4-0ubuntu1.2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-6.34-generic 2.6.38-rc7
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-6-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon May 2 19:45:59 2011
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/ubuntu-vm-builder
InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python2.6
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcCmdline: /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/ubuntu-vm-builder kvm natty --destdir=/tmp/ubuntu-vm --addpkg=openssh-server --addpkg=nano --rootpass=root
PythonArgs: ['/usr/bin/ubuntu-vm-builder', 'kvm', 'natty', '--destdir=/tmp/ubuntu-vm', '--addpkg=openssh-server', '--addpkg=nano', '--rootpass=root']
SourcePackage: vm-builder
Title: ubuntu-vm-builder crashed with VMBuilderUserError in main()
UserGroups: adm admin audio cdrom dialout dip floppy fuse kvm libvirtd lpadmin netdev plugdev powerdev scanner tty video

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

Thanks for taking the time to report this bug.

vmbuilder must be run as root. You ran it as non-root user, which was the reason for the error. You will also need to use ubuntu' in place of natty for the second argument, and specify natty for the suite instead. Something like the following should work:

sudo vmbuilder kvm ubuntu --suite=natty -addpkg=openssh-server --addpkg=nano

[Muelli (ubuntu-bugs-auftrags-killer)]

Calling the program with the wrong arguments shouldn't make it crash. Hence it's a bug.

[Serge Hallyn (serge-hallyn)]

This wasn't a crash, it was a meaningful error message.

[Ben Howard (darkmuggle-deactivatedaccount)]

Resolving as invalid.

[Muelli (ubuntu-bugs-auftrags-killer)]

But it makes apport pop up to report a crash.

[James Page (james-page)]

Sounds like there is some debate as to whether this is a crash or an error message.

I'm going to change status to 'Opinion' so that further discussion can happen.

[Muelli (ubuntu-bugs-auftrags-killer)]

Well. I'm still surprised how this can seriously not be considered a crash. Yes it's an error message. Maybe even a good and meaningful one. But it's a crash nonetheless.
I'd use logging.exception to print the stack trace along with an error message instead of letting the Python exception handler handle it and make Apport show up.