package glpi 0.78.1-1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[Bo Butler]

attempting to uninstall

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: glpi 0.78.1-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-11.48-generic 2.6.38.8
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-11-generic i686
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Aug 22 14:57:29 2011
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: glpi
Title: package glpi 0.78.1-1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Mike (bild85)]

The Software Center failed to add glpi and presented me with: Next Step: Abort.

It launched a gui during installation and said to visit localhost/glpi/ to complete configuration. Then another dialog popped up asking me if I wanted to use the default database or configure it manually. I chose the automatic option. The install then failed with a third dialog box that said:

Configuring glpi
Next Step:
"Abort, Retry, Ignore" and help.

It appeared to me that the choices given were in response to an error that wasn't presented to the user. So I attempted to uninstall. That failed when I asked it to remove any db configuration, creating the error "package glpi 0.78.1-1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1 ".

This was in the details of the failure dialog message box:
"...
Use of uninitialized value $_[1] in join or string at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/DbDriver/Stack.pm line 111, <GEN0> line 26.
dbconfig-common: dumping mysql database glpi to /var/tmp/glpi.glpi.2013-03-07-09.53.mysql.S3l9Zs.
sanity check failed for mysql.
error encountered dumping database:
No mysql client to execute. (have you installed the mysql-client package?)
..."

Of course I haven't installed the mysql-client package - I opted for the automatic configuration my database!

Upon attempting to recreate this problem, I see that if I click Help on that ridiculous 'Configuring glpi' dialog box it explains quite clearly that I must first install mysql-client manually. It's just an awful dialog to present. Screencap included for your pleasure.

What I would have expected is that the error information be presented above the Abort options. I'm conditioned to ignore little 'help' buttons in most cases.

Something like this would be clearer to me:

Configuring glpi
Next Step:
Since glpi cannot detect an installed database, you need to ensure that one is available. [basically move all the text under 'help' to the front of the dialog box.]
Then, present the user with the options:
"Abort, Retry, Ignore" and Help.