improve 'error' message for packages which are only referenced

e.g. in a Depends line and are now requested for removal

3 files changed, 43 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/cmdline/apt-get.cc b/cmdline/apt-get.cc
index 42a3929d6..f4ad75d1c 100644
--- a/cmdline/apt-get.cc
+++ b/cmdline/apt-get.cc
@@ -713,11 +713,32 @@ public:
 	}
 
 	virtual pkgCache::VerIterator canNotFindNewestVer(pkgCacheFile &Cache, pkgCache::PkgIterator const &Pkg) {
-		APT::VersionSet const verset = tryVirtualPackage(Cache, Pkg, APT::VersionSet::NEWEST);
-		if (verset.empty() == false)
-			return *(verset.begin());
-		if (ShowError == true)
-			ioprintf(out, _("Virtual packages like '%s' can't be removed\n"), Pkg.FullName(true).c_str());
+		if (Pkg->ProvidesList != 0)
+		{
+			APT::VersionSet const verset = tryVirtualPackage(Cache, Pkg, APT::VersionSet::NEWEST);
+			if (verset.empty() == false)
+				return *(verset.begin());
+			if (ShowError == true)
+				ioprintf(out, _("Virtual packages like '%s' can't be removed\n"), Pkg.FullName(true).c_str());
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			pkgCache::GrpIterator Grp = Pkg.Group();
+			pkgCache::PkgIterator P = Grp.PackageList();
+			for (; P.end() != true; P = Grp.NextPkg(P))
+			{
+				if (P == Pkg)
+					continue;
+				if (P->CurrentVer != 0) {
+					// TRANSLATORS: Note, this is not an interactive question
+					ioprintf(c1out,_("Package '%s' is not installed, so not removed. Did you mean '%s'?\n"),
+						 Pkg.FullName(true).c_str(), P.FullName(true).c_str());
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+			if (P.end() == true)
+				ioprintf(c1out,_("Package '%s' is not installed, so not removed\n"),Pkg.FullName(true).c_str());
+		}
 		return pkgCache::VerIterator(Cache, 0);
 	}
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index d06e48dbb..b62bd3aef 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ apt (0.8.16~exp13) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * cmdline/apt-get.cc:
     - if a package can't be removed as it is not installed, suggest to
       the user an (installed) multiarch silbing with 'Did you mean?'
+    - improve 'error' message for packages which are only referenced
+      e.g. in a Depends line and are now requested for removal
 
   [ Steve Langasek ]
   * cmdline/apt-get.cc:
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ apt (0.8.16~exp13) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * apt-pkg/contrib/fileutl.h:
     - fix compat with FileFd::OpenDescriptor() in ReadOnlyGzip mode
 
- -- David Kalnischkies <kalnischkies@gmail.com>  Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:41:32 +0100
+ -- David Kalnischkies <kalnischkies@gmail.com>  Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:19:25 +0100
 
 apt (0.8.16~exp12) experimental; urgency=low
 
diff --git a/test/integration/test-suggest-installed-multiarch-silbing b/test/integration/test-suggest-installed-multiarch-silbing
index ca6d7bd2e..d55d250aa 100755
--- a/test/integration/test-suggest-installed-multiarch-silbing
+++ b/test/integration/test-suggest-installed-multiarch-silbing
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ insertpackage 'unstable' 'samefoo' 'amd64,i386,armel' '1' 'Multi-Arch: same'
 insertinstalledpackage 'samefoo2' 'i386' '1' 'Multi-Arch: same'
 insertpackage 'unstable' 'samefoo2' 'amd64,i386,armel' '1' 'Multi-Arch: same'
 
+insertinstalledpackage 'mozplugger' 'i386' '1' 'Depends: iceweasel | fireweasel'
+insertinstalledpackage 'fireweasel' 'i386' '1'
+insertpackage 'unstable' 'mozplugger' 'i386,amd64' '1' 'Depends: iceweasel | fireweasel'
+
 setupaptarchive
 
 testequal "Reading package lists...
@@ -64,3 +68,13 @@ testequal "Reading package lists...
 Building dependency tree...
 Package 'samefoo2:armel' is not installed, so not removed. Did you mean 'samefoo2:i386'?
 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded." aptget remove samefoo2:armel -s
+
+testequal "Reading package lists...
+Building dependency tree...
+Package 'iceweasel' is not installed, so not removed
+0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded." aptget remove iceweasel -s
+
+testequal "Reading package lists...
+Building dependency tree...
+Package 'fireweasel' is not installed, so not removed. Did you mean 'fireweasel:i386'?
+0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded." aptget remove fireweasel:amd64 -s