package libpcre3:i386 2:8.38-3.1 failed to install/upgrade: package libpcre3:i386 is not ready for configuration cannot configure (current status 'half-installed')

[Matjaž Jerman]

I have this error after unsuccefuly install teamviewer via GDebi:

➜ ~ sudo apt-get install -f
[sudo] password for matjaz:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/223 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
dpkg: error processing package libpcre3:i386 (--configure):
 package libpcre3:i386 is not ready for configuration
 cannot configure (current status 'half-installed')
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libselinux1:i386:
 libselinux1:i386 depends on libpcre3; however:
  Package libpcre3:i386 is not installed.

No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                          dpkg: error processing package libselinux1:i386 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libpcre3:i386
 libselinux1:i386
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: libpcre3:i386 2:8.38-3.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-52.55~16.04.1-generic 4.8.17
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-52-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
AptOrdering:
 libpcre3: Configure
 libselinux1: Configure
 NULL: ConfigurePending
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun May 21 20:20:57 2017
Dependencies:
 gcc-6-base 6.0.1-0ubuntu1
 libc6 2.23-0ubuntu7
 libgcc1 1:6.0.1-0ubuntu1
 multiarch-support 2.23-0ubuntu7
ErrorMessage: package libpcre3:i386 is not ready for configuration cannot configure (current status 'half-installed')
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-05-20 (1 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20170215.2)
PackageArchitecture: i386
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.2
 apt 1.2.20
SourcePackage: pcre3
Title: package libpcre3:i386 2:8.38-3.1 failed to install/upgrade: package libpcre3:i386 is not ready for configuration cannot configure (current status 'half-installed')
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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