thanks, the work around in the bug report  you reference below worked for me

On 24 October 2012 13:31, era <email address hidden> wrote:

> Reassigning to xemacs21.
>
> ** Package changed: emacs23 (Ubuntu) => xemacs21 (Ubuntu)
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to a
> duplicate bug report (1070763).
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1069209
>
> Title:
>   emacs depencies broken after upgrade to ubunutu 12.10
>
> Status in “xemacs21” package in Ubuntu:
>   Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
>   Due to broken dependecies nigther the:
>   apt-get update / apt-get upgrade
>   synaptic
>   the ubunutu software  center
>    are usable.
>
>   sudo dpkg --configure -a
>   as recommended as bugfix by (I think Synaptic) is broken either.
>
>   See below. Similar errors were visible during the upgrade to ubunutu
> 12.10.
>   Note:
>   The erlang mode of Emacs is not working.
>
>   -> Fatal error.
>
>
>   sudo dpkg --configure -a
>   Setting up emacsen-common (2.0.3) ...
>   Install emacsen-common for xemacs21
>   emacsen-common: Handling install of emacsen flavor xemacs21
>
>   WARNING:
>   Couldn't find obvious defaults for:
>   data-directory
>   mule-lisp-directory
>   lisp-directory
>   Perhaps some directories don't exist, or the XEmacs executable,
>   /usr/bin/xemacs21
>   is in a strange place?Loading
> /usr/share/emacs/site-lisp/debian-startup...
>   Loading 00debian...
>   Error while loading 00debian: Symbol's function definition is void: loop
>   Loading 00debian-vars...
>   Loading 50autoconf...
>   Error while loading 50autoconf: No /usr/local/ prefixed paths in
> load-path
>   Loading 50dictionaries-common...
>   Error while loading 50dictionaries-common: No /usr/local/ prefixed paths
> in load-path
>   Loading 50erlang-mode...
>   Error while loading 50erlang-mode: Cannot open load file: erlang-start
>   Loading 50psvn...
>   Symbol's function definition is void: batch-byte-compile
>   xemacs exiting
>   .
>   ERROR: install script from emacsen-common package failed
>   dpkg: error processing emacsen-common (--configure):
>    subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit
> status 1
>   Setting up dictionaries-common (1.12.10) ...
>   Install dictionaries-common for xemacs21
>   install/dictionaries-common: Byte-compiling for emacsen flavour xemacs21
>
>   WARNING:
>   Couldn't find obvious defaults for:
>   data-directory
>   mule-lisp-directory
>   lisp-directory
>   Perhaps some directories don't exist, or the XEmacs executable,
>   /usr/bin/xemacs21
>   is in a strange place?Symbol's function definition is void:
> batch-byte-compile
>   xemacs exiting
>   .
>   ERROR: install script from dictionaries-common package failed
>   dpkg: error processing dictionaries-common (--configure):
>    subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit
> status 1
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-support:
>    xemacs21-support depends on emacsen-common; however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21-support (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ienglish-common:
>    ienglish-common depends on dictionaries-common (>= 1.10.6~); however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing ienglish-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of iamerican:
>    iamerican depends on dictionaries-common; however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>    iamerican depends on ienglish-common (= 3.3.02-5build1); however:
>     Package ienglish-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing iamerican (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs24-common:
>    emacs24-common depends on emacsen-common (>= 1.4.10); however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs24-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ispell:
>    ispell depends on dictionaries-common; however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing ispell (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs23-common:
>    emacs23-common depends on emacsen-common (>= 1.4.10); however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs23-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of aspell:
>    aspell depends on dictionaries-common (>> 0.40); however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing aspell (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-mule:
>    xemacs21-mule depends on xemacs21-support (= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2);
> however:
>     Package xemacs21-support is not configured yet.
>    xemacs21-mule depends on emacsen-common; however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21-mule (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21:
>    xemacs21 depends on xemacs21-mule (>= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2) |
> xemacs21-mule-canna-wnn (>= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2) | xemacs21-nomule (>=
> 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2); however:
>     Package xemacs21-mule is not configured yet.
>     Package xemacs21-mule-canna-wnn is not installed.
>     Package xemacs21-nomule is not installed.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21 (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs23-bin-common:
>    emacs23-bin-common depends on emacs23-common (= 23.4+1-4ubuntu1);
> however:
>     Package emacs23-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs23-bin-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of erlang-mode:
>    erlang-mode depends on emacsen-common (>= 1.4.14); however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing erlang-mode (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of aspell-en:
>    aspell-en depends on aspell (>= 0.60.3-2); however:
>     Package aspell is not configured yet.
>    aspell-en depends on dictionaries-common (>= 0.49.2); however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing aspell-en (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs24-bin-common:
>    emacs24-bin-common depends on emacs24-common (= 24.1+1-2ubuntu3);
> however:
>     Package emacs24-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs24-bin-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-bin:
>    xemacs21-bin depends on xemacs21-support (= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2);
> however:
>     Package xemacs21-support is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21-bin (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs24:
>    emacs24 depends on emacs24-bin-common (= 24.1+1-2ubuntu3); however:
>     Package emacs24-bin-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs24 (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs23:
>    emacs23 depends on emacs23-bin-common (= 23.4+1-4ubuntu1); however:
>     Package emacs23-bin-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs23 (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   Errors were encountered while processing:
>    emacsen-common
>    dictionaries-common
>    xemacs21-support
>    ienglish-common
>    iamerican
>    emacs24-common
>    ispell
>    emacs23-common
>    aspell
>    xemacs21-mule
>    xemacs21
>    emacs23-bin-common
>    erlang-mode
>    aspell-en
>    emacs24-bin-common
>    xemacs21-bin
>    emacs24
>    emacs23
>   michael@michael-desktop:~$
>
>   $ sudo dpkg --configure -a
>   Setting up emacsen-common (2.0.3) ...
>   Install emacsen-common for xemacs21
>   emacsen-common: Handling install of emacsen flavor xemacs21
>
>   WARNING:
>   Couldn't find obvious defaults for:
>   data-directory
>   mule-lisp-directory
>   lisp-directory
>   Perhaps some directories don't exist, or the XEmacs executable,
>   /usr/bin/xemacs21
>   is in a strange place?Loading
> /usr/share/emacs/site-lisp/debian-startup...
>   Loading 00debian...
>   Error while loading 00debian: Symbol's function definition is void: loop
>   Loading 00debian-vars...
>   Loading 50autoconf...
>   Error while loading 50autoconf: No /usr/local/ prefixed paths in
> load-path
>   Loading 50dictionaries-common...
>   Error while loading 50dictionaries-common: No /usr/local/ prefixed paths
> in load-path
>   Loading 50erlang-mode...
>   Error while loading 50erlang-mode: Cannot open load file: erlang-start
>   Loading 50psvn...
>   Symbol's function definition is void: batch-byte-compile
>   xemacs exiting
>   .
>   ERROR: install script from emacsen-common package failed
>   dpkg: error processing emacsen-common (--configure):
>    subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit
> status 1
>   Setting up dictionaries-common (1.12.10) ...
>   Install dictionaries-common for xemacs21
>   install/dictionaries-common: Byte-compiling for emacsen flavour xemacs21
>
>   WARNING:
>   Couldn't find obvious defaults for:
>   data-directory
>   mule-lisp-directory
>   lisp-directory
>   Perhaps some directories don't exist, or the XEmacs executable,
>   /usr/bin/xemacs21
>   is in a strange place?Symbol's function definition is void:
> batch-byte-compile
>   xemacs exiting
>   .
>   ERROR: install script from dictionaries-common package failed
>   dpkg: error processing dictionaries-common (--configure):
>    subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit
> status 1
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-support:
>    xemacs21-support depends on emacsen-common; however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21-support (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ienglish-common:
>    ienglish-common depends on dictionaries-common (>= 1.10.6~); however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing ienglish-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of iamerican:
>    iamerican depends on dictionaries-common; however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>    iamerican depends on ienglish-common (= 3.3.02-5build1); however:
>     Package ienglish-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing iamerican (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs24-common:
>    emacs24-common depends on emacsen-common (>= 1.4.10); however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs24-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ispell:
>    ispell depends on dictionaries-common; however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing ispell (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs23-common:
>    emacs23-common depends on emacsen-common (>= 1.4.10); however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs23-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of aspell:
>    aspell depends on dictionaries-common (>> 0.40); however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing aspell (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-mule:
>    xemacs21-mule depends on xemacs21-support (= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2);
> however:
>     Package xemacs21-support is not configured yet.
>    xemacs21-mule depends on emacsen-common; however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21-mule (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21:
>    xemacs21 depends on xemacs21-mule (>= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2) |
> xemacs21-mule-canna-wnn (>= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2) | xemacs21-nomule (>=
> 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2); however:
>     Package xemacs21-mule is not configured yet.
>     Package xemacs21-mule-canna-wnn is not installed.
>     Package xemacs21-nomule is not installed.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21 (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs23-bin-common:
>    emacs23-bin-common depends on emacs23-common (= 23.4+1-4ubuntu1);
> however:
>     Package emacs23-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs23-bin-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of erlang-mode:
>    erlang-mode depends on emacsen-common (>= 1.4.14); however:
>     Package emacsen-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing erlang-mode (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of aspell-en:
>    aspell-en depends on aspell (>= 0.60.3-2); however:
>     Package aspell is not configured yet.
>    aspell-en depends on dictionaries-common (>= 0.49.2); however:
>     Package dictionaries-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing aspell-en (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs24-bin-common:
>    emacs24-bin-common depends on emacs24-common (= 24.1+1-2ubuntu3);
> however:
>     Package emacs24-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs24-bin-common (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-bin:
>    xemacs21-bin depends on xemacs21-support (= 21.4.22-3.2ubuntu2);
> however:
>     Package xemacs21-support is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing xemacs21-bin (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs24:
>    emacs24 depends on emacs24-bin-common (= 24.1+1-2ubuntu3); however:
>     Package emacs24-bin-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs24 (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of emacs23:
>    emacs23 depends on emacs23-bin-common (= 23.4+1-4ubuntu1); however:
>     Package emacs23-bin-common is not configured yet.
>
>   dpkg: error processing emacs23 (--configure):
>    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
>   Errors were encountered while processing:
>    emacsen-common
>    dictionaries-common
>    xemacs21-support
>    ienglish-common
>    iamerican
>    emacs24-common
>    ispell
>    emacs23-common
>    aspell
>    xemacs21-mule
>    xemacs21
>    emacs23-bin-common
>    erlang-mode
>    aspell-en
>    emacs24-bin-common
>    xemacs21-bin
>    emacs24
>    emacs23
>
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