Udate failure [SOLVED]

[Catchpole]

When I start the update process I get an error.

E: /var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-base_1%3a4.3.0-3ubuntu1~precise1_i386.deb: trying to overwrite '/usr/lib/libreoffice/share/basic/script.xlc', which is also in package libreoffice-common 1:4.3.0-3ubuntu1~precise1

And also

E: libreoffice-base: subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 2

I looked at the "Broken Packages" which highlighted Libre Office-base.
I marked this for complete removal and then tried the update again but I keep getting the error messages.
Now I get an error message that says "Not all changes and updates have been completed".

Details from the expanded panel:

Selecting previously unselected package libreoffice-base.
(Reading database ... 376521 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libreoffice-base 1:4.3.0-0ubuntu1~precise1 (using .../libreoffice-base_1%3a4.3.0-3ubuntu1~precise1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libreoffice-base ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-base_1%3a4.3.0-3ubuntu1~precise1_i386.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite '/usr/lib/libreoffice/share/basic/script.xlc', which is also in package libreoffice-common 1:4.3.0-3ubuntu1~precise1
No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached
dpkg-deb (subprocess): subprocess data was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess <decompress> returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error: --compare-versions takes three arguments: <version> <relation> <version>

Type dpkg --help for help about installing and un-installing packages [*];
Use `dselect' or `aptitude' for user-friendly package management;
Type dpkg -Dhelp for a list of dpkg debug flag values;
Type dpkg --force-help for a list of forcing options;
Type dpkg-deb --help for help about manipulating *.deb files;

Options marked [*] produce a lot of output - pipe it through `less' or `more' !
Processing triggers for menu ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-base_1%3a4.3.0-3ubuntu1~precise1_i386.deb
W: Waited for dpkg --assert-multi-arch but it wasn't there - dpkgGo (10: No child processes)
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install. Trying to recover:

Is this likely to resolve itself or do I need to take action.

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

[handyman4848]

I am having the same problem and nothing I try works. I too would like an answer to this problem. My troubles started when I attempted to install pipelight in order to use netflix on linux and it would not install due to issues with libreoffice-base which is how I came to notice the problem. I am using linux mint 13 maya on an AMD-64 system.

[DanielR]

Same problem here. I have already opened a thread: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=175909

I also would like to know how to fix this problem. Tried to remove LibreOffice in order to reinstall it but nothing I did so far worked.

[DanielR]

I had posted the same question in the Ubuntu Forum: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2240047

Please follow the 1. link provided in the first reply for the right solution.

In short, the file /var/lib/dpkg/info/libreoffice-base.postrm is missing a line which needs to be added as root. You can find the details here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php? ... st13100193

After that, purge LibreOffice and reinstall:

sudo apt-get purge libreoffice*
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get install libreoffice

[handyman4848]

Well I seem to have solved my problem.
One of the error messages I got when trying to uninstall libreoffice-base was that the file "/var/lib/dpkg/info/libreoffice-base.postrm:" encountered an unexpected "end of file" and that it was expecting "fi"
The solution I found was to edit the file as super user to add "fi" between the last line of the file and the word "end"
After that I was able to uninstall "libreoffice-base" from the command line with "sudo apt-get remove libreoffice-base", then reinstall the rest of libreoffice (which I uninstalled while attempting to solve the problem) using the synaptic package manager.
I then installed "pipelight-multi" from the synaptic package manager. (My first attempt installed pipelight-multi using apt-get from the ppa:pipelight/stable and that may have triggered the whole problem.)
Hope this helps others.

[Catchpole]

Thanks to all,

I'll try the solution when I get back onto my laptop. (In about 8 hours)

One question though.
I have installed LibreOffice 4 rather than the normal 3.
Will this make a difference?

EDIT
After reading the links, it seems that it is LibrOffice 4 thats affected!

[Catchpole]

OK.
I followed the link below and inserted the missing line and the update completed.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php? ... st13100193

However Libre Office now does not work.

I tried:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get remove -purge libreoffice*

I got an error message:

E: Command line option ‘p’ [from -purge] is not known.

Two questions now:
How do I remove Libre Office?
Does Mint use Libre Office 4 when I install from the package manager? Or does it install Libre Office 3?

[DanielR]

The following syntax worked for me:
1.)

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get purge libreoffice*

2.)

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -f install

3.)

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install libreoffice

On my system (Linux Mint 13 Mate 32-Bit) LibreOffice 4.3.0-3 was installed by the third command.

[Catchpole]

Thanks DanielR,

That worked and I'm back to normal now.

What a brilliant forum this is.

Thanks to everyone.