software-center misses a dependency on libgtk2-perl

[Frantisek Boranek]

Step to reproduce:
  try to install package with debconf wizard (in my case, via double click on third-party Debian package)

Current result:
 After long time installation fails.

Expected:
 Dialog is appear and a instalation is succesful.

Workaround is to use just command line or install libgtk2-perl and then the installation via software-centrum doesn't fail.

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS
Release: 14.04

Logs:

debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Gnome
debconf: (Can't locate Gtk2.pm in @INC (you may need to install the Gtk2 module) (@INC contains: /etc/perl /usr/local/lib/perl/5.18.2 /usr/local/share/perl/5.18.2 /usr/lib/perl5 /usr/share/perl5 /usr/lib/perl/5.18 /usr/share/perl/5.18 /usr/local/lib/site_perl .) at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/FrontEnd/Gnome.pm line 91.)
debconf: falling back to frontend: Dialog
Killed

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Benjamin Bach (benjaoming)]

Other sources confirming this issue:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/485036/installing-a-package-that-asks-debconf-questions-doesnt-work-with-the-software
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2236891

[Benjamin Bach (benjaoming)]

Another apparent version of this bug, "eula not shown when installed via restricted-extras"

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-center/+bug/1389582

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

I think I've tracked this down to the following change.

apturl (0.5.2ubuntu4) trusty; urgency=medium

  * Drop libgtk2-perl Recommends to Suggests.

 -- Dimitri John Ledkov <email address hidden> Sun, 16 Mar 2014 02:56:58 +0000

[Benjamin Bach (benjaoming)]

It seems that there are also cases where update-manager freezes when libgtk2-perl is not installed. I can confirm this has just happened during the grub-pc upgrade on 14.04.2

This process got stuck:

"/usr/bin/perl -w /usr/share/debconf/frontend /var/lib/dpkg/info/grub-pc.postinst configure 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3"

Running "apt-get install -f" from terminal after killing the frozen process fixes the issue.

Related bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader/+bug/1457353

I would think that libgtk2-perl should also be a dependency of update-manager?

[dino99 (9d9)]

this problem is also seen with xenial when updating package via synaptic.
Installing libgtk2-perl solve the issue (and also install some other perl dependencies)

[dino99 (9d9)]

Problem solved into xenial with synaptic 0.83 which 'recommend' libgtk2-perl (>=1.130)

[dino99 (9d9)]

xenial software-center still not install libgtk2-perl (nor recommend)

[Benjamin Bach (benjaoming)]

dino99, how is this problem solved on Vivid? I don't see libgtk2-perl mentioned in dependencies of the latest trunk?

http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~ubuntuone-control-tower/software-center/trunk/view/head:/debian/control

If something has happened with the way that gtk-based debconf wizards are displayed, that would be great to know!?

Does anyone know where the dependency of libgtk2-perl should ideally sit?