Removing dconf leaves dangling symlinks: "run-parts: failed to stat component /etc/cron.weekly/dconf: No such file or directory"

[Axel Beckert]

/etc/cron.weekly/dconf is just a symlink on /usr/bin/dconf which is not removed on package removal. So if you just remove the package but don't purge it, you will get weekly mails arguing:

run-parts: failed to stat component /etc/cron.weekly/dconf: No such file or directory

Please either

a) remove that symlink and make a shell script out of it which first checks, if /usr/bin/dconf exists and only then calls it, or
b) remove that symlink in the postrm script on removal already.

I'd prefer a) as it's the cleaner way.

[Axel Beckert (xtaran)]

Some more details:

It can not be reproduced by just installing the package and removing it, as the symlink is created when dconf runs the first time.

The postrm script does delete the symlink, but only on "purge", not on "remove" (as experienced before).

[Daniel Manrique (roadmr)]

Hi Axel,

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. I have observed the same behavior so I'll be able to confirm this bug report. However I'd appreciate your help in making it a bit more complete with specific information on your version and system.

To that end, I'd like to ask you to please execute the following command, as it will automatically gather debugging information, in a terminal:
apport-collect 804188
When reporting bugs in the future please use apport by using 'ubuntu-bug' and the name of the package affected. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

Also I'd appreciate if you can confirm that the behavior can be replicated by this procedure:

1- sudo apt-get install dconf
2- sudo dconf

at this point the symlink gets created, then:

3- sudo apt-get remove dconf

Expected result:
- /etc/cron.weekly/dconf gets removed
Actual result:
- /etc/cron.weekly/dconf remains and points to a file that's no longer present

Once you help me by completing this information, we'll be able to move the bug report further.

Thanks again!

[Axel Beckert (xtaran)]

Hi Daniel,

Daniel Manrique wrote:
> To that end, I'd like to ask you to please execute the following command, as it will automatically gather debugging information, in a terminal:
> apport-collect 804188

Ends up in a browser displaying a launchpad page saying "Invalid
OpenID transaction". For doing so I logged in via SSH as normal user
on that box and executed "apport-collect 804188".

> Also I'd appreciate if you can confirm that the behavior can be
> replicated by this procedure:
>
> 1- sudo apt-get install dconf
> 2- sudo dconf
>
> at this point the symlink gets created, then:
>
> 3- sudo apt-get remove dconf

Well, yeah, except that I don't use sudo but ssh root@hostname. I'm
not a local user of that machine but a system administrator who uses
only SSH to access that machine.

> Expected result:
> - /etc/cron.weekly/dconf gets removed
> Actual result:
> - /etc/cron.weekly/dconf remains and points to a file that's no longer present

Yeah, right.

> Once you help me by completing this information, we'll be able to move
> the bug report further.

I'll probably report it in Debian, too. The issue is present in Debian
as well. I just stumbled about it first on Natty.

  Regards, Axel
--
 ,''`. | Axel Beckert <email address hidden>, http://people.debian.org/~abe/
: :' : | Debian Developer, ftp.ch.debian.org Admin
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[Axel Beckert (xtaran)]

Axel Beckert wrote:
> I'll probably report it in Debian, too. The issue is present in Debian
> as well. I just stumbled about it first on Natty.

Reported against Debian at
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=632334

  Regards, Axel
--
 ,''`. | Axel Beckert <email address hidden>, http://people.debian.org/~abe/
: :' : | Debian Developer, ftp.ch.debian.org Admin
`. `' | 1024D: F067 EA27 26B9 C3FC 1486 202E C09E 1D89 9593 0EDE
  `- | 4096R: 2517 B724 C5F6 CA99 5329 6E61 2FF9 CD59 6126 16B5

[Axel Beckert (xtaran)]

Debian removed the dconf package. It's the same package from Hardy to Raring in all Ubuntu releases. Maybe it should be removed from upcoming Ubuntu releases, too.