[stretch-backports] Libreoffice continous dependency problem

[VentGrey]

It is curious how do backports work, even more curious is how libreoffice manages to break it's dependencies when it comes to upgrade it from backports, it makes a command typing hell to finally make it work (which usually ends in uninstalling and re-installing the packages) Here you can see what am I talking about :

Code: Select all

Vent@Ventbian:~$ sudo apt update
Obj:1 http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates InRelease
Ign:2 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch InRelease                              
Obj:3 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates InRelease             
Ign:4 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease                     
Obj:5 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable Release                       
Obj:6 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-backports InRelease
Obj:7 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-proposed-updates InRelease
Obj:8 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch Release     
Leyendo lista de paquetes... Hecho                     
Creando árbol de dependencias       
Leyendo la información de estado... Hecho
Se pueden actualizar 14 paquetes. Ejecute «apt list --upgradable» para verlos.

Oh dear, 14 updates, let's see.

Code: Select all

apt list --upgradable 
Listando... Hecho
libreoffice/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-avmedia-backend-gstreamer/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-base/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-base-core/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-base-drivers/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-calc/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-core/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-draw/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-gtk3/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-impress/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-math/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-report-builder-bin/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
libreoffice-writer/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]
python3-uno/stretch-backports 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 amd64 [actualizable desde: 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1]

Buuut here comes the problem.

Code: Select all

 sudo apt upgrade
Leyendo lista de paquetes... Hecho
Creando árbol de dependencias       
Leyendo la información de estado... Hecho
Calculando la actualización... Hecho
Los siguientes paquetes se han retenido:
  libreoffice-base libreoffice-gtk3 libreoffice-math
  libreoffice-report-builder-bin
0 actualizados, 0 nuevos se instalarán, 0 para eliminar y 4 no actualizados.

and when I try to upgrade them manually:

Code: Select all

sudo apt install -t stretch-backports libreoffice-base
Leyendo lista de paquetes... Hecho
Creando árbol de dependencias       
Leyendo la información de estado... Hecho
No se pudieron instalar algunos paquetes. Esto puede significar que
usted pidió una situación imposible o, si está usando la distribución
inestable, que algunos paquetes necesarios aún no se han creado o se
han sacado de «Incoming».
La siguiente información puede ayudar a resolver la situación:

Los siguientes paquetes tienen dependencias incumplidas:
 libreoffice-base : Depende: libreoffice-base-core (= 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1) pero 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1 va a ser instalado
                    Depende: libreoffice-base-drivers (= 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1) pero 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1 va a ser instalado
                    Depende: libreoffice-core (= 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1) pero 1:5.4.0-1~bpo9+1 va a ser instalado
E: No se pudieron corregir los problemas, usted ha retenido paquetes rotos.

Im aware of how backports work and that they cannot guarantee stability but Is there a way to upgrade libreoffice without making it a long, and tiring command hell? (Besides compiling, I know it would take hours using a Celeron )

[kedaha]

Hi there,
Have you tried using aptitude instead of apt?

[TonyT]

No need to build the latest versions. Just download the debs,
https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/
extract, open a terminal in that directory and do:
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

[VentGrey]

Hi there,
Have you tried using aptitude instead of apt?

Of course I did (after this post)

My guess is that some packages are not released at the same time and that causes the dependency problem or maybe the devs are trying to reduce the dependency list? I really don't know.

[pylkko]

I usually attempt to avoid updating libreoffice as the changes that are made between minor versions are usually so insignificant and might not even pertain to any parts of the suite that I actually use. I was particularly happy about Stretch getting a very very late point release 5.2.7, because Jessie only got .3 or .4 IIRC and have not used a backport yet. The Open Document Foundation says on their page that in enterprise/production machine scenarios you should always use the last point release of a series.

I have, however, previously used backported versions of LO from the backports repo and they have always worked. So out of interest I tried this one, and ran into problems. Some addon packages broke right away and it appears that some packages are 5.4.1 and others 5.4.0 material. Well, maybe the backporter will fix it in future updates. Back to stock. I for sure do not have time to download .debs, verify them and configure them etc.

[pylkko]

I noticed that my mirror of the backports repo just received about 20 new packages related to libreoffice. Perhaps this issue is noe fixed?

[stevepusser]

Vey likely. They are aware of the problem on the backports mailing list.

[pylkko]

Tested it today. Works.

[VentGrey]

libreoffice-gtk3 and similar packages are still broken (also steam but i've stopped playing a long time ago).

Code: Select all

Vent@Ventbian:~$ sudo apt install libreoffice-gtk
[sudo] password for omar: 
Leyendo lista de paquetes... Hecho
Creando árbol de dependencias       
Leyendo la información de estado... Hecho
No se pudieron instalar algunos paquetes. Esto puede significar que
usted pidió una situación imposible o, si está usando la distribución
inestable, que algunos paquetes necesarios aún no se han creado o se
han sacado de «Incoming».
La siguiente información puede ayudar a resolver la situación:

Los siguientes paquetes tienen dependencias incumplidas:
 libreoffice-gtk : Depende: libreoffice-gtk2 pero no va a instalarse
                   Depende: libreoffice-systray pero no va a instalarse
                   Depende: libreoffice-common (= 1:5.2.7-1) pero 1:5.4.1-1~bpo9+1 va a ser instalado