dpkg -i first.dep second.dep: installs but does not configure one?

[Steffen Dettmer <steffen.dettmer@gmail.com>]

Hi,

I have two packages, first and second. Package second depend on
package first. I have to use dpkg (I don't use apt, because there is
no package server / no online link etc).

When I run

$ dpkg -i first.dep second.dep

I get the error:

dpkg: regarding .../nd-second_5.0.02_i386.deb containing nd-second,
pre-dependency problem:
 nd-second pre-depends on nd-first
  nd-first is unpacked, but has never been configured.

After that I am suprised by:

root@NOMAD-BLN-R3200Xstd:/# dpkg -l nd-portal nd-persist
ii  nd-first                 5.0.02 i386              first package
in  nd-second                <none>            i386              (no
description available)

When I now repeat "dpkg -i first.dep second.dep"; it works.

It also works when I run:

$ dpkg -i first.dep && dpkg -i second.dep

According to "man dpkg", configuring is step 6 of installation and it
should make no difference whether installing two packages at once or
not.

Do I missunderstand the man page?
Or Is this a bug? In my package or in dpkg or in the man page?

However, I already were surprised that dpkg seems not to install in
the needed order but in order as specified at command line and that it
installs packages even if predeps fail (my wish had been that it
atomically works or fails instead).

Some articles suggest things like "dpkg -i *deb", but if dpkg does not
even installs in the needed order, "dpkg -i *deb" should be a bad
advice.

What is correct?

Any comments appreciated!

Regards,
Steffen


Selecting previously unselected package nd-first.
(Reading database ... 23638 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking nd-first (from .../nd-persist_5.0.02_i386.deb) ...
D000020: process_archive conffile '/etc/cron.d/nd-first' no package, no hash
D000001: process_archive oldversionstatus=not installed
D000002: fork/exec /var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/preinst ( install )
--- DEBUG: nd-first/debian/preinst script called
D000020: tarobject fnnf_new_conff deref='etc/cron.d/nd-first'
D000001: process_archive updating info directory
D000002: process_archive tmp.ci script/file '..' contains dot
D000002: process_archive tmp.ci script/file
'/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/control' is control
D000002: process_archive tmp.ci script/file
'/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/postinst' installed as
'/var/lib/dpkg/info/nd-first.postinst'
D000002: process_archive tmp.ci script/file '.' contains dot
D000002: process_archive tmp.ci script/file
'/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/md5sums' installed as
'/var/lib/dpkg/info/nd-first.md5sums'
D000002: process_archive tmp.ci script/file
'/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/preinst' installed as
'/var/lib/dpkg/info/nd-first.preinst'
D000002: process_archive tmp.ci script/file
'/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/conffiles' installed as
'/var/lib/dpkg/info/nd-first.conffiles'
D000001: generating infodb hashfile
dpkg: regarding .../nd-second_5.0.02_i386.deb containing nd-second,
pre-dependency problem:
 nd-second pre-depends on nd-first
  nd-first is unpacked, but has never been configured.

dpkg: error processing /var/lib/nomad/nd-second_5.0.02_i386.deb (--install):
 pre-dependency problem - not installing nd-second
D000040: checking dependencies of nd-first:i386 (- <none>)
D000040: ok 2 msgs >><<
D000040:     checking Breaks
Setting up nd-first (5.0.02) ...
D000001: deferred_configure updating conffiles
D000020: deferred_configure '/etc/cron.d/nd-first' (=
'/etc/cron.d/nd-persist') useredited=-1 distedited=-1 what=24
D000002: fork/exec /var/lib/dpkg/info/nd-first.postinst ( configure  )
--- done.
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/lib/nomad/nd-second_5.0.02_i386.deb