Non Sensical Blocks

Mr Incredible · n00b Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 4

I am getting the following blocks and of course I cannot remove the offending packages - so does anyone have any idea how to remove a block? I have run revdep-rebuild and am getting a clean result. At first I thought it was a mistake and it would correct itself after someone noticed it but it has been there for over a week now.

[ebuild U ] sys-apps/portage-2.1.4.5 [2.1.4.4]
*** Portage will stop merging at this point and reload itself,
then resume the merge.
[ebuild U ] x11-libs/gtk+-2.14.4 [2.12.12] USE="-jpeg2k%"
[blocks B ] <gnome-base/gail-1000 (is blocking x11-libs/gtk+-2.14.4)
[blocks B ] <sys-apps/portage-2.1.5 (is blocking app-shells/bash-3.2_p39)

Thanks in Advance

Sadako · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:19 pm Post subject:

The gtk/gail one is simple, you just need to unmask =gnome-base/gail-1000 in order to install gtk+-2.14, the reason for this is because the gail library is actually a part of the gtk+ package itself now, as of 2.14.
gnome-base/gail-1000 is actually just a dummy package, there to satisfy all the ebuilds depending on the gail package and are unaware it's supplied by gtk+ now, it doesn't actually install anything.

As for the second block, I don't know exactly why bash needs a version of portage greater than 2.1.4, but you are using an ~arch keyworded version of bash and trying to emerge a stable version of portage, so such blocks aren't completely unexpected (remember, all ebuilds and eclasses are essentially bash scripts).
To solve this, you'll either need to revert to a stable version of bash, or an ~arch keyworded version of portage, I'd recommended unmasking the 2.1* versions of portage, ie

Mr Incredible · n00b Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 4

Didn't help both blocks remain. What I would like to know is what causes these blocks and where can I go to remove them as they do not make any sense.

Sadako · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:25 pm Post subject:

Mr Incredible · n00b Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 4

First off I want to state that I appreciate the assistance, however I fail to see how two essential packages can be in conflict i.e. bash and portage - that is what doesn't make any sense whatsoever and gail which is not a real package as I removed the real gail in an attempt to satisfy it, is blocking gtk+. Below is the result of running your suggested command:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
emerge -1 =gnome-base/gail-1000 =sys-apps/portage-2.1.5*
Calculating dependencies... done!

[ebuild U ] sys-apps/portage-2.1.5.6 [2.1.4.4]
*** Portage will stop merging at this point and reload itself,
then resume the merge.
[ebuild U ] gnome-base/gail-1000 [1.22.3]
[ebuild U ] x11-libs/gtk+-2.14.4 [2.12.12] USE="-jpeg2k%"
[blocks B ] <gnome-base/gail-1000 (is blocking x11-libs/gtk+-2.14.4)
[blocks B ] <sys-apps/portage-2.1.5 (is blocking app-shells/bash-3.2_p39)

* Error: The above package list contains packages which cannot be
* installed at the same time on the same system.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pete

fiolj · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject:

As explained by Hopeless the problem is with the version of the packages not being compatibles rather than with the packages themselves.

For gail, it has been solved in the proposed way. See also:
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-710117-highlight-gail.html

I'd suggest that you try first uninstalling gail and then emerge:

Mr Incredible · n00b Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 4

Juan

Thanks, but I already tried that and a whole lot more. Then I got fed up and decided to try another distro. I have been using Gentoo for 4 years and this is not the first time I came up against one of these. I always managed to work around them before but this one got the best of me - so I have moved on. Not sure where I will land but am giving Ubuntu a try at the moment. So long Gentoo it was good while it lasted but this last one kinda soured me. I still maintain that two basic packages such as portage and bash should never come into conflict and cause blocks. If they do someone is doing something wrong. Philosophically I still like the idea of Gentoo but this kind of thing needs to find a solution if it is ever to attract a larger audience. I may still return but I will start clean and stay with 32 bit as I can't think of a single benefit I saw in using the 64 bit just a lot of hurdles. It was however a great learning experience so I don't go away empty handed.