Cannot install aaa_base_1.0-1.deb in Debian.

[biotin]

Cannot install aaa_base_1.0-1.deb in Debian Testing. Without it, it won't be able to remove most deb packages installed with checkinstall. dpkg seems to be unwilling to remove things like "/", "/usr" and others.

$sudo dpkg -i aaa_base_1.0-1.deb
dpkg: error processing archive aaa_base_1.0-1.deb (--install):
parsing file '/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/control' near line 11 package 'aaa-base':
blank line in value of field 'Description'
Errors were encountered while processing:
aaa_base_1.0-1.deb
$sudo dpkg -I aaa_base-1.0-1.deb
dpkg-deb: error: failed to read archive `aaa_base-1.0-1.deb': No such file or directory

[geraldog]

Hey, biotin!

Are you absolutely sure you need this?

From the README:

NOTE to non-Debian-based users

Felipe (the author) then goes on to describe how to download dpkg!
( which comes installed by default on Debian I presume? )

From aaa_base-1.0-1.deb description:

Description: aaa_base, never uninstall it.
 This package is intended for non-Debian users that wish to create .deb
 packages. It allows them to remove packages wich contain dirs such as '/',
 '/usr', etc..  This package is directly based in aaa_base.tgz from the
 Slackware-7.1 distribution.

 It shouldn't be necessary to install it in Debian systems.

Bottomline

if you run Debian Testing you don't need this.
This package is for people installing/uninstalling a .deb on other distros.

I also noticed the strong _never uninstall it_.
I have a feeling something really bad happens if you do uninstall it...

I was confused too.
I also tried to install it.
This error is a godsend, i.e., it is in fact a feature.

If you are running a distro other than Debian and:

1. need to install this;
2. install dpkg and run into this issue;
3. simply look here: http://askubuntu.com/questions/191850/sudo-dpkg-error-blank-line-in-value-of-field-maintainer
4. yank the newline in the description;
5. try again -- it might work, I don't know :)

Don't go here:

The NSA is watching!