recurring error preventing package installations.

Digit · 2011-03-21 17:29:47

the vast majority of packages i attempt to install return:

error: 'packer-*.pkg.tar.*': cannot open package file

this is using packer.

i never used to see this, and a search for this error line only returned a previous mention of it by me.

i'm unsure where it's coming from, what's the cause.

any help welcome, thnx.

oliver · 2011-03-21 18:04:20

packer is just a bash script so you can easily run it in debug mode and see exactly what it's doing:

bash -x /usr/bin/packer -S <whatever>

It may shine some light if no one else knows definitively what the problem is

Last edited by oliver (2011-03-21 18:07:42)

BKLive · 2011-03-23 03:23:32

I'm getting this error a lot too, mostly from GIT-retrieved packages that build and create names like $pkgname-20110322-i686.pkg.tar.xz where the installer is expecting a different date or version number. Not sure on the reason for this because the PKGBUILD updates based on the git repository and then pacman just installs the actual package. I get the same error using pacman, but I just pacman -U whatever-$correctdate-i686.pkg.tar.xz

Definitely not a packer-exclusive issue. Consider filing a bug report? But I'm not 100% on what step of the process is causing the error.

This doesn't happen with svn revisions, though, and I'm not sure why.

Allan · 2011-03-23 03:29:35

BKLive wrote:

I get the same error using pacman.

What do you mean by this? Using "makepkg -i" installs -git etc packages fine, even when the version number changes. I'd say this is just a packer issue.

Digit · 2011-03-25 03:24:01

http://pastebin.com/Rj2GE4Ks
example of the "bash -x /usr/bin/packer -S <whatever>" for gentoo file manager.

if i'm following that correctly (and im about 75% sure i'm not), seems like the continuity of the process is getting broken/split, and variables are no longer being asigned apropriately.

thnx for the responces.
i was starting to think it was just me, like i had a borked /etc/makepkg.conf or some other config. ... may still do. ^_^

tried manual install from aur, using "makepkg -sic", and it worked.
so indeed...
packer may be at fault.
was a goalpost moved for it to have caused this to creep in?

i dropped mention of this to bruenig. maybe he can shed some light, n slap some clarity in our noggins.

bruenig · 2011-03-25 04:08:51

So this is extremely bizarre. Basically at line 279 in packer I source the PKGBUILD. Then at line 311 I do pacman -U $pkgname-*.tar.gz*

The $pkgname there is derived from the pkgname variable sourced from the PKGBUILD just a few lines up. There is nothing in my code that would ever change that in between 279 and 311. The only thing I can think of is that makepkg changes pkgname's variable for some reason. Why it would change it to packer, I haven't any clue. I am looking at it. I could not try with gentoo there since it depends on gamin and I have fam installed and yeah didn't want to screw around with all of that mess.

So I don't know what that is. Any other packages that replicate it?

bruenig · 2011-03-25 04:11:07

And yes, the goalposts are moved all the damn time! One of packer's popularity-getters (from what I can tell) is that since it relies mainly on parsing pacman commands and makepkg commands (instead of underlying libraries), it tends to break the least often heh. But it does on occasion.

Last edited by bruenig (2011-03-25 04:25:38)

bruenig · 2011-03-25 04:15:53

For instance, take the set -x output.

Relevant bits

180. ++ pkgname=packer
194. + makepkg -f
{bunch of makepkg output and such}
773. + runasroot /usr/bin/pacman -U 'packer-*.pkg.tar.*'

Literally that's it. It has to be makepkg somehow I guess. I don't know.

Wait, line 180. -- shit, what is that!

Last edited by bruenig (2011-03-25 04:18:01)

bruenig · 2011-03-25 04:23:08

Did you recently install packer or update it? How did the packer PKGBUILD get on your disk?

The packer PKGBUILD comes out of NOWHERE. What the hell.

Last edited by bruenig (2011-03-25 04:30:24)

Digit · 2011-04-18 14:40:20

a-ha...
thanks bruenig. i rummaged around in makepkg n other configs, but that last comment sparked the clue...

i did a "locate PKGBUILD", and as suspected in the eurika moment, in /usr/bin, a PKGBUILD... musta been in a sloppy rush and neglected to be aware of the working directory some bleary eyed night.

twas an interesting outcome from my pebkac, i had no idea it would try to use any PKGBUILD it finds in /usr/bin. i could reinstall packer to my hearts content, but nothing else. lol.

all packages installing ok now. ^_^

thnx again bruenig.
sry for wasting your time with my pebkac.

[minor edits for clarity, ps apology]

Last edited by Digit (2011-04-18 14:49:12)

Arch Linux

#1 2011-03-21 17:29:47

recurring error preventing package installations.

#2 2011-03-21 18:04:20

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#3 2011-03-23 03:23:32

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#4 2011-03-23 03:29:35

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#5 2011-03-25 03:24:01

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#6 2011-03-25 04:08:51

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#7 2011-03-25 04:11:07

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#8 2011-03-25 04:15:53

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#9 2011-03-25 04:23:08

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

#10 2011-04-18 14:40:20

Re: recurring error preventing package installations.

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