E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

Just reflashed my N900 and upgraded to CSSU-Thumb. I installed some apps via terminal like mplayer mceledpattern sib kmplayer usbmode and more. Some of them installed allright like filebox and OMP but not all. They return some kind of error I can't understand. I tried apt-get install -f and apt-get upgrade but the same result. Also when I try to install any new program it tries to install those which couldn't be installed and return that error again. Please advise on this matter and provide some solution. Thanks

Re: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

There is your problem. The installation is trying to move a file that does not exist. Let me guess - you have "docpurge" installed, right? It watches the doc folder and automatically deletes files to save space.

The solution is to create an empty file usr/share/doc/libmpcdec3 and repeat the installation.

Re: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

I have no idea what docpurge is and I don't remember installing it. Anyway, I am going to try the method you just suggested. :)

Thanks.

Re: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

thanks pichlo. It worked. You saved the day. :P

Re: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

oh no! now other broken packages are are doing the same thing. seems I will have to create many files in that directory.

Re: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

/usr/share/doc/libmpcdec3 is in the libmpcdec3 package and the optification seems sane*.
There must be some problem specific to your system, not the packages.
Is your root file system full?


*) as sane as the whole concept of optification can be in the first place

Re: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

xD

btw, I don't get what you mean by root file system being full. If you are talking about the Memory for installable applications then 831.9 MB is available.

Also, I'm using a custom combined image of 1024 MiB.

Re: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
 

The N900 has three main storage partitions. It has a few more but these three are the most important:
1) root, about 220 MB, where all the system packages and some other, small programs go
2) opt, about 2 GB, where the rest of the "installable packages" go, as well as most of your package configuration
3) MyDocs, about 27 GB, where your pictures, videos, music etc goes

Space can be reallocated between opt and MyDocs but root is fixed. And, as you can see, rather small, which means it can fill up quite easily.

docpurge is a package, registered to be activated at the end of every installation. There are a few more, catorise may be one of them.

The purpose of docpurge is to, you've guessed it, purge the docs :) In other words, to remove the documentation that comes bundled with some packages. This is because the default place where most applications put their docs is in /usr/share/doc, which is on a root partition (by the way, "optification" is a process of moving files out of root to opt). You can see the effects of docpurge if you look in /usr/share/doc. On my device, there is a single file, README, with the contents, "Purged by docpurge".

As far as I know, docpurge is installed by default, which means /usr/share/doc is kept empty at all times and yes, you may have to repeat the exercise several times.