I was able to circumvent this by removing all emacs related packages, purging all configurations and re-install emacs. It seems that emacsen- common looks at the remaining configuration files and than concludes incorrectly that the according packages are installed.
(I used dpkg -l "*emacs*" to find out which packages are installed (ii) or still have configuration files remaining (rc).) -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to emacsen-common in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1311985 Title: dpkg config fails with xemacs21 on trusty Status in “emacsen-common” package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: If this turns out to be a bug in xemacs21, let me know and I'll file it there. But it looks like it's emacsen-common that's failing. $ sudo apt-get install xemacs21 Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following extra packages will be installed: emacsen-common libcompfaceg1 xemacs21-basesupport xemacs21-bin xemacs21-mule xemacs21-mulesupport xemacs21-support Suggested packages: xemacs21-supportel The following NEW packages will be installed: emacsen-common libcompfaceg1 xemacs21 xemacs21-basesupport xemacs21-bin xemacs21-mule xemacs21-mulesupport xemacs21-support 0 upgraded, 8 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 7,547 kB/27.0 MB of archives. After this operation, 98.2 MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main emacsen-common all 2.0.7 [17.1 kB] Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe libcompfaceg1 amd64 1:1.5.2-5 [14.9 kB] Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21-support all 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [4,488 kB] Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21-bin amd64 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [544 kB] Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21-mule amd64 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [2,479 kB] Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe xemacs21 all 21.4.22-4ubuntu3 [4,670 B] Fetched 7,547 kB in 5s (1,496 kB/s) Selecting previously unselected package emacsen-common. (Reading database ... 315549 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../emacsen-common_2.0.7_all.deb ... Unpacking emacsen-common (2.0.7) ... Selecting previously unselected package libcompfaceg1. Preparing to unpack .../libcompfaceg1_1%3a1.5.2-5_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libcompfaceg1 (1:1.5.2-5) ... Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-support. Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-support_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_all.deb ... Unpacking xemacs21-support (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ... Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-bin. Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-bin_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_amd64.deb ... Unpacking xemacs21-bin (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ... Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-mulesupport. Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-mulesupport_2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1_all.deb ... Unpacking xemacs21-mulesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ... Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-basesupport. Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-basesupport_2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1_all.deb ... Unpacking xemacs21-basesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ... Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21-mule. Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21-mule_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_amd64.deb ... update-alternatives: warning: alternative /usr/bin/xemacs21-mule (part of link group xemacs21) doesn't exist; removing from list of alternatives update-alternatives: warning: /etc/alternatives/xemacs21 is dangling; it will be updated with best choice Unpacking xemacs21-mule (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ... Selecting previously unselected package xemacs21. Preparing to unpack .../xemacs21_21.4.22-4ubuntu3_all.deb ... Unpacking xemacs21 (21.4.22-4ubuntu3) ... Processing triggers for install-info (5.2.0.dfsg.1-2) ... install-info: warning: no info dir entry in `/usr/share/info/xemacs21/emodules.info.gz' Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1) ... Setting up emacsen-common (2.0.7) ... Install emacsen-common for xemacs21 emacsen-common: Handling install of emacsen flavor xemacs21 /usr/lib/emacsen-common/packages/install/emacsen-common: 29: /usr/lib/emacsen-common/packages/install/emacsen-common: xemacs21: not found ERROR: install script from emacsen-common package failed dpkg: error processing package emacsen-common (--configure): subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1 Setting up libcompfaceg1 (1:1.5.2-5) ... Setting up xemacs21-mulesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ... Setting up xemacs21-basesupport (2009.02.17.dfsg.2-1) ... No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure. No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure. No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-mule: xemacs21-mule depends on emacsen-common; however: Package emacsen-common is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package xemacs21-mule (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21: xemacs21 depends on xemacs21-mule (>= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3) | xemacs21-mule-canna-wnn (>= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3) | xemacs21-nomule (>= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3); 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 package xemacs21 (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-support: xemacs21-support depends on emacsen-common; however: Package emacsen-common is not configured yet. xemacs21-support depends on xemacs21 (= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3); however: Package xemacs21 is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package xemacs21-support (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xemacs21-bin: xemacs21-bin depends on xemacs21-support (= 21.4.22-4ubuntu3); however: Package xemacs21-support is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package xemacs21-bin (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-0ubuntu6) ... Errors were encountered while processing: emacsen-common xemacs21-mule xemacs21 xemacs21-support xemacs21-bin E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/emacsen-common/+bug/1311985/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp