dpkg issue: dpkg: warning: parsing file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 3778 package

[PJJ]

When updating or upgrading the system i am receiving the error message above:
dpkg: warning: parsing file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 3778 package 'libxshmfence1:i386':
missing description

But everything is working fine. Just what does this mean and do I need to fix it?
If yes, how? Please.

[vinnywright]

do this .....

dpkg --status  libxshmfence1

what do you get ?

@hear

vinny@vinny-Bonobo-Extreme:/mnt$ dpkg --status  libxshmfence1
Package: libxshmfence1
[COLOR=#ff0000]Status: install ok installed[/COLOR]
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 41
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Architecture: amd64
Multi-Arch: same
Source: libxshmfence
Version: 1.1-2
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
Pre-Depends: multiarch-support
[COLOR=#ff0000]Description: [/COLOR]X shared memory fences - shared library
 This library provides an interface to shared-memory fences for
 synchronization between the X server and direct-rendering clients.
 .
 This package contains the xshmfence shared library.
Original-Maintainer: Debian X Strike Force <debian-x@lists.debian.org>

VINNY

[PJJ]

pete@pj:~$ dpkg --status libxshmfence1
dpkg-query: warning: parsing file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 3796 package 'libxshmfence1:i386':
missing description
Package: libxshmfence1
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 40
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Architecture: i386
Multi-Arch: same
Source: libxshmfence
Version: 1.1-3
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
Pre-Depends: multiarch-support
Descripdion: X shared memory fences - shared library
This library provides an interface to shared-memory fences for
synchronization between the X server and direct-rendering clients.
.
This package contains the xshmfence shared library.
Original-Maintainer: Debian X Strike Force <debian-x@lists.debian.org>

[Snowhog]

Have you cleaned up the package cache? sudo apt-get --purge autoremove && sudo apt-get clean && sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock

[PJJ]

Have you cleaned up the package cache? sudo apt-get --purge autoremove && sudo apt-get clean && sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock

Now I have.
Result for the last two:

sudo apt-get clean
[sudo] password for pete:
pete@pj:~$ sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
pete@pj:~$


The result for the first one is attached as a file.

Hope this gives a clue.

[PJJ]

OK, I will consider this 'solved'.
I was given an Apple MacBook Pro, aluminum, as a gift.
I abandoned my pre-diluvian Toshiba laptop in favor of it.
I do not miss my old computer. But I miss the friendly, competent and patient support and advice from the Kubuntu community.

So, I say 'Goodbye' to all.
Maybe another newer Toshiba or so comes my way and I will be back on Kubuntuforum.

[Snowhog]

pete@pj:~$ dpkg --status libxshmfence1
dpkg-query: warning: parsing file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 3796 package 'libxshmfence1:i386':
missing description << spelled correctly
Package: libxshmfence1
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: libs
Installed-Size: 40
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Architecture: i386
Multi-Arch: same
Source: libxshmfence
Version: 1.1-3
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.4)
Pre-Depends: multiarch-support
Descripdion: X shared memory fences - shared library << spelled incorrectly! (...dion instead of ...tion)
This library provides an interface to shared-memory fences for
synchronization between the X server and direct-rendering clients.
.
This package contains the xshmfence shared library.
Original-Maintainer: Debian X Strike Force <debian-x@lists.debian.org>

If SteveRiley sees this, I'm sure he realize the problem here, and know how to fix it.

[SteveRiley]

The header is spelled correctly in the control file:

So that's probably just a copy/pasta error in post #3.

The status file is pretty important for dpkg. Here are some links with information on how to fix corruption:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/4834/...kg-status-file
http://unix.stackexchange.com/questi...ib-dpkg-status