libsane-hpaio and other hplip packages leave cruft behind even after purge

[Rolf Leggewie]

Some time ago I installed hplip packages. Today I purged those packages. Some cruft was left behind on my bionic system.

$ sudo aptitude purge hplip hplip-data hplip-gui
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  hplip{p} hplip-data{pu} hplip-gui{p} libsane-hpaio{u} python3-dbus.mainloop.pyqt5{u} python3-pexpect{u} python3-ptyprocess{u}
  python3-reportlab{u} python3-reportlab-accel{u}
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 9 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 16,2 MB will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?]
(Reading database ... 220944 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing hplip-gui (3.17.10+repack0-5) ...
Removing hplip (3.17.10+repack0-5) ...
Removing hplip-data (3.17.10+repack0-5) ...
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/ui5' not empty so not removed
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/scan' not empty so not removed
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/prnt' not empty so not removed
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/pcard' not empty so not removed
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/installer' not empty so not removed
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/fax' not empty so not removed
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/copier' not empty so not removed
dpkg: warning: while removing hplip-data, directory '/usr/share/hplip/base/pexpect' not empty so not removed
Removing libsane-hpaio:amd64 (3.17.10+repack0-5) ...
Removing python3-dbus.mainloop.pyqt5 (5.10.1+dfsg-1ubuntu2) ...
Removing python3-pexpect (4.2.1-1) ...
Removing python3-ptyprocess (0.5.2-1) ...
Removing python3-reportlab (3.4.0-3build1) ...
Removing python3-reportlab-accel:amd64 (3.4.0-3build1) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.60ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.23-1ubuntu3.18.04.1) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3+18.04.20180207.2-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-11ubuntu1.1) ...
Processing triggers for dbus (1.12.2-1ubuntu1) ...
(Reading database ... 220072 files and directories currently installed.)
Purging configuration files for hplip (3.17.10+repack0-5) ...
Purging configuration files for hplip-gui (3.17.10+repack0-5) ...
Processing triggers for dbus (1.12.2-1ubuntu1) ...

$ sudo aptitude purge libsane-hpaio
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  libsane-hpaio{p}
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 0 B will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?]
(Reading database ... 220070 files and directories currently installed.)
Purging configuration files for libsane-hpaio:amd64 (3.17.10+repack0-5) ...
dpkg: warning: while removing libsane-hpaio:amd64, directory '/usr/share/hplip' not empty so not removed

$ sudo find /usr/share/hplip/
/usr/share/hplip/
/usr/share/hplip/base
/usr/share/hplip/base/pexpect
/usr/share/hplip/base/pexpect/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/base/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/copier
/usr/share/hplip/copier/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/fax
/usr/share/hplip/fax/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/installer
/usr/share/hplip/installer/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/pcard
/usr/share/hplip/pcard/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/prnt
/usr/share/hplip/prnt/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/scan
/usr/share/hplip/scan/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/ui5
/usr/share/hplip/ui5/__pycache__
/usr/share/hplip/__pycache__

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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