Debian – How to preconfigure package using debconf-set-selections

debian

I am trying to preconfigure redmine instalation and I have got stuck with

debconf-set-selections pkg.selections

Resulting in lot of error messages

error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/password-confirm
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/admin-pass
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/mysql/admin-pass
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/app-password-confirm
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/mysql/app-pass
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/app-pass
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/db/app-user
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/default-language
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/remote/newhost
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/db/basepath
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/upgrade-error
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/changeconf
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/missing-db-package-error
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/db/dbname
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/purge
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/remote/host
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/dbconfig-upgrade
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/internal/reconfiguring
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/upgrade-backup
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/method
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/install-error
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/mysql/admin-user
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/database-type
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/manualconf
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/authmethod-admin
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/mysql/method
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/internal/skip-preseed
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/admin-user
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/remove-error
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/dbconfig-remove
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/remote/port
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/pgsql/authmethod-user
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/dbconfig-install
error: Cannot find a question for redmine/instances/default/dbconfig-reinstall

If I run debconf-set-selections after the package was installed, it works, however, I need to reconfigure the package.

Could someone explain me please the proper way to do this?

Best Answer

Sometimes the debconf database is left in inconsistent state after the package removal. Open the file /var/cache/debconf/templates.dat and try to locate templates mentioning your package. Remove them and try again with the debconf-set-selections.