Package "gnome" is uninstallable due to conflicting dependencies on epiphany and swfdec-mozilla

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Unfortunately, we can't fix it because your description didn't include enough information. You may find it helpful to read "How to report bugs effectively" http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html. We'd be grateful if you would then provide a more complete description of the problem. We have instructions on debugging some types of problems at http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingProcedures.
At a minimum, we need:
1. the specific steps or actions you took that caused you to encounter the problem,
2. the behavior you expected, and
3. the behavior you actually encountered (in as much detail as possible).
Thanks!

When reporting bugs in the future please use apport, either via the appropriate application's "Help -> Report a Problem" menu or using 'ubuntu-bug' and the name of the package affected. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

I was also having this problem, I managed to solve it by changing my package server.

In synaptic ->settings -> repositories

I had "Download from:" set to "Server for United Kingdom", changing this to "Main Server" and the issue disappeared. The dependencies for the epiphany-extensions package no longer includes a conflict for swfdec-mozilla so GNOME is again installable.

I'm in the middle of experiencing exactly the same problem. To answer Pedro's questions I can provide the following information:

1. the specific steps or actions you took that caused you to encounter the problem.
Upgrading from karmic to lucid. Manually changed all occurrences of karmic to lucid in /etc/apt/sources.list (see bottom of comment).
On the command line, performed:
$sudo apt-get update
$sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Once upgrade was complete, restarted the computer.
Presented with login screen, no gnome desktop environment available, only xterm.

2. the behavior you expected
Gnome to still be present. Along with nautilus and the rest of the environment.

3. the behavior you actually encountered (in as much detail as possible).
Gnome was not installed, nor was nautilus. "$ apt-get install nautilus" succeeded as expected.
when I perform "$ apt-get install gnome" I get the following information:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies.
  gnome: Depends: swfdec-mozilla but it is not going to be installed
E: Broken packages

I can then perform the following:
$ sudo apt-get install swfdec-mozilla
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  w3c-dtd-xhtml
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libswfdec-0.8-0
The following packages will be REMOVED
  epiphany-browser epiphany-extensions
The following NEW packages will be installed
  libswfdec-0.8-0 swfdec-mozilla
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/471kB of archives.
After this operation, 2,683kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 243291 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing epiphany-extensions ...
Removing epiphany-browser ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/firefox to provide /usr/bin/x-www-browser (x-www-browser) in auto mode.
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/google-chrome to provide /usr/bin/gnome-www-browser (gnome-www-browser) in auto mode.
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Selecting previously deselected package libswfdec-0.8-0.
(Reading database ... 243025 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libswfdec-0.8-0 (from .../libswfdec-0.8-0_0.8.4-1build1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package swfdec-mozilla.
Unpacking swfdec-mozilla (from .../swfdec-mozilla_0.8.2-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme ...
Setting up libswfdec-0.8-0 (0.8.4-1build1) ...

Setting up swfdec-mozilla (0.8.2-1ubuntu2) ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/lib/swfdec-mozilla/libswfdecmozilla.so to provide /usr/lib/iceape/plugins/flashplugin-alternative.so (iceape-flashplugin) in a...

Try apt-get install gnome-desktop instead of gnome. Worked for me.

- Steven

On 10-04-01 06:42 PM, Catch wrote:
> I'm in the middle of experiencing exactly the same problem. To answer
> Pedro's questions I can provide the following information:
>
> 1. the specific steps or actions you took that caused you to encounter the problem.
> Upgrading from karmic to lucid. Manually changed all occurrences of karmic to lucid in /etc/apt/sources.list (see bottom of comment).
> On the command line, performed:
> $sudo apt-get update
> $sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
> Once upgrade was complete, restarted the computer.
> Presented with login screen, no gnome desktop environment available, only xterm.
>
> 2. the behavior you expected
> Gnome to still be present. Along with nautilus and the rest of the environment.
>
> 3. the behavior you actually encountered (in as much detail as possible).
> Gnome was not installed, nor was nautilus. "$ apt-get install nautilus" succeeded as expected.
> when I perform "$ apt-get install gnome" I get the following information:
>
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree
> Reading state information... Done
> Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
> requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
> distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
> or been moved out of Incoming.
> The following information may help to resolve the situation:
>
> The following packages have unmet dependencies.
> gnome: Depends: swfdec-mozilla but it is not going to be installed
> E: Broken packages
>
> I can then perform the following:
> $ sudo apt-get install swfdec-mozilla
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree
> Reading state information... Done
> The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
> w3c-dtd-xhtml
> Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
> The following extra packages will be installed:
> libswfdec-0.8-0
> The following packages will be REMOVED
> epiphany-browser epiphany-extensions
> The following NEW packages will be installed
> libswfdec-0.8-0 swfdec-mozilla
> 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
> Need to get 0B/471kB of archives.
> After this operation, 2,683kB disk space will be freed.
> Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
> (Reading database ... 243291 files and directories currently installed.)
> Removing epiphany-extensions ...
> Removing epiphany-browser ...
> update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/firefox to provide /usr/bin/x-www-browser (x-www-browser) in auto mode.
> update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/google-chrome to provide /usr/bin/gnome-www-browser (gnome-www-browser) in auto mode.
> Processing triggers for man-db ...
> Selecting previously deselected package libswfdec-0.8-0.
> (Reading database ... 243025 files and directories currently installed.)
> Unpacking libswfdec-0.8-0 (from .../libswfdec-0.8-0_0.8.4-1build1_i386.deb) ...
> Selecting previously deselected package swfdec-mozilla.
> Unpacking swfdec-mozilla (from .../swfdec-mozilla_0.8.2-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
> Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme ...
> Setting up libswfdec-0.8-0 (0...

Catch explained the scenario better.
I week ago I manually got gnome installed via .deb packages from another site.

I did an update manager again this week and the same scenario as Catch explained occurs.

I am going to try another package server mentioned by David W and see the result.

I also cannot install 'gnome' (for reasons of it requiring both epiphany-extensions and swfdec-mozilla, which apparently cannot coexist) but I can install 'gnome-desktop-environment.' Changing from German to Main server did nothing.

This bug is fixed in the upstream Debian metapackage, which removed the swfdec depend and added a mozilla-plugin-gnash recommend.

not solved for me using 10.4
installing is dependency hell as described by the other people above

Based on comment #5 I tried installing gnome-desktop, but it was not there (anymore). In Synaptic I found a package called gnome-desktop-environment instead, so now I am installing that one.

This problem still exists in maverick as of now:

# apt-get install gnome-desktop-environment
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 gnome-desktop-environment : Depends: swfdec-gnome (>= 2.26) but it is not installable
E: Broken packages

# apt-get install gnome-desktop-environment swfdec-gnome
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package swfdec-gnome is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'swfdec-gnome' has no installation candidate

Confirmed - problem exists still in Maverick

Same problem here on Ubuntu Server 10.04.1 amd64 (fresh installation). Cannot install 'gnome' package ($> sudo aptitude install gnome) because of dependencies conflict between 'epiphany-extensions' and 'swfdec-mozilla' as well.

Hello,

I am debutant on Linux I have just installed(settled) ubuntu10.10 and I meet the meme probleme for "gnome" must to know this famous conflict....

What is that you have to find a solution for ubuntu?

Thank you for avnce

( Excuse my English)

Cyril

This bug is not new. Revert to confirmed.

This bug is making me turning in circles....

I switched repositories, I've tried the "Main" and a specific Canadian but always the same dependencies problem

apt-get install gnome
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  gnome: Depends: epiphany-extensions but it is not going to be installed
E: Broken packages

root@alphabeta-desktop:~# apt-get install epiphany-extensions
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  plasma-dataengines-workspace kdesdk libcaca-dev kdepim-runtime libprocessui4
  libtaskmanager4 gwibber-service cervisia kdesdk-kio-plugins
  python-levenshtein libpackagekit-glib2-12 libkscreensaver5
  libsolidcontrolifaces4 libaudiofile-dev libboost-program-options1.40.0
  cmake-data libsoprano-dev plasma-widgets-workspace kdebase-apps
  libmikmod2-dev kapptemplate umbrello liblog4j1.2-java klipper
  ubuntu-system-service libkonq5-dev ksysguard
  libplasma-geolocation-interface4 libsysfs-dev libdirectfb-extra kdelibs5-dev
  libavahi-client-dev libogg-dev automoc kwrite festlex-cmu python-gtkspell
  kdesudo libpackagekit-qt-12 libgupnp-av-1.0-2 libdirectfb-dev libbcel-java
  libakonadiprivate1 libido-0.1-0 libphonon-dev valgrind libksgrd4 lokalize
  cmake libgee2 rtkit krosspython libplasmagenericshell4 libdbus-1-dev
  systemsettings libkfontinst4 kdm festlex-poslex kbugbuster python-iniparse
  festvox-kallpc16k kcachegrind libesd0-dev libswfdec-0.8-0 python-packagekit
  packagekit tcl8.3 kinfocenter libasound2-dev ksysguardd
  python-egenix-mxdatetime libplasmaclock4 kdepimlibs5 python-enchant
  libweather-ion4 libgcj9-0-awt libc6-dbg kdebase-workspace-kgreet-plugins
  poxml libsolidcontrol4 translate-toolkit libslang2-dev kpartloader
  cvsservice plasma-desktop python-egenix-mxtools kompare festival
  python-vobject akonadi-server pkg-kde-tools libksignalplotter4
  indicator-session packagekit-backend-apt plasma-widget-folderview kappfinder
  liblsofui4 kdesdk-misc gwibber libplasma-applet-system-monitor4
  libavahi-common-dev portmap libprocesscore4 kdesdk-strigi-plugins
  kdesdk-scripts libvorbis-dev libestools1.2 kdepimlibs-data libaa1-dev
  libmx4j-java kuiviewer kdepasswd kmtrace python-indicate
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  epiphany-browser
Suggested packages:
  epiphany-extension-gwget
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  swfdec-mozilla
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  epiphany-browser epiphany-extensions
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 1 to remove and 571 not upgraded.
Need to get 377kB/1502kB of archives.
After this operation, 4088kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]?

Get:1 http://g...

Hullo. I am having the same prob, and am running Ubuntu 10.10. I tried going to Synaptic, edit -> fix broken packages, and now when I try to go the terminal and type apt-get install gnome, or apt-get install -s gnome, I get the following:

root@TheDoctorsTARDIS:~# apt-get install -s gnome
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package gnome is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'gnome' has no installation candidate

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. However, I am closing it because the bug has been fixed in the latest development version of Ubuntu - Oneiric Ocelot.