[Bug 2105497] [NEW] util-linux rename is missing (and replaced by perl rename)

fernanAguero 2105497 at bugs.launchpad.net
Mon Mar 31 13:45:09 UTC 2025 

Public bug reported:

TL;DR In a fresh install rename(1) is missing, but its manual page is
there. Upon installing rename, another rename is installed, replacing
the man page. Further upon removing the newer rename package, both the
executable and the man page are gone. The system still insists that
util-linux is installed and at the latest version.


In a fresh Ubuntu-24.04 system, the rename function is missing. However there is a manual page for rename(1), which comes installed with the system, which says is part of the util-linux package.

Upon calling rename(1), the system surprisingly says: 
Command 'rename' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo apt install rename

Which is weird because util-linux is installed (and at its latest
version).

But after installing rename following this suggestion, the rename
utility is now from a Perl package, and the installed manual page is now
for rename(1p), overwriting the previous man page.

When the rename package is removed, no man page remains for rename(1).

Not sure what the bug is: 
 - rename(1) should have been installed and available in a fresh system?
 - both rename(1) and its manual page should not be available in a fresh system? (and only installed on demand)
 - the rename perl package should not overwrite a previously existing man page from another package?

This has been reported before unoffically: 
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1095759/rename-command-not-found-when-running-a-script

How to reproduce:

1) make sure you start with a fresh system

lsb_relase - a

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS
Release:        24.04
Codename:       noble

2) sudo apt update

3) verify that util-linux is installed

sudo apt install util-linux
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
util-linux is already the newest version (2.39.3-9ubuntu6.2).

3) verify that rename(1) is not there

```
eval "$(rename)"
Command 'rename' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo apt install rename
```

4) the man page for rename(1) exists (came with the system)
man 1 rename
(check output, verify that the man page is from util-linux)

5) install rename using apt
sudo apt install rename

6) verify that rename and its man page are from Perl
fernan at backuplex:~$ file /usr/bin/rename
/usr/bin/rename: symbolic link to /etc/alternatives/rename
fernan at backuplex:~$ file /etc/alternatives/rename
/etc/alternatives/rename: symbolic link to /usr/bin/file-rename
fernan at backuplex:~$ file /usr/bin/file-rename
/usr/bin/file-rename: Perl script text executable

man 1 rename 
(check output, verify that now the man page comes from Perl)

7) remove rename 
sudo apt remove rename

8) verify that now there is no man page for rename
man 1 rename 
No manual entry for rename in section 1

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: util-linux 2.39.3-9ubuntu6.2
Uname: Linux 5.15.167.4-microsoft-standard-WSL2 x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.28.1-0ubuntu3.5
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
Date: Mon Mar 31 13:19:30 2025
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=C.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 TERM=xterm-256color
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: util-linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: util-linux (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug noble wayland-session

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2105497

Title:
  util-linux rename is missing (and replaced by perl rename)

Status in util-linux package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  TL;DR In a fresh install rename(1) is missing, but its manual page is
  there. Upon installing rename, another rename is installed, replacing
  the man page. Further upon removing the newer rename package, both the
  executable and the man page are gone. The system still insists that
  util-linux is installed and at the latest version.

  
  In a fresh Ubuntu-24.04 system, the rename function is missing. However there is a manual page for rename(1), which comes installed with the system, which says is part of the util-linux package.

  Upon calling rename(1), the system surprisingly says: 
  Command 'rename' not found, but can be installed with:
  sudo apt install rename

  Which is weird because util-linux is installed (and at its latest
  version).

  But after installing rename following this suggestion, the rename
  utility is now from a Perl package, and the installed manual page is
  now for rename(1p), overwriting the previous man page.

  When the rename package is removed, no man page remains for rename(1).

  Not sure what the bug is: 
   - rename(1) should have been installed and available in a fresh system?
   - both rename(1) and its manual page should not be available in a fresh system? (and only installed on demand)
   - the rename perl package should not overwrite a previously existing man page from another package?

  This has been reported before unoffically: 
  https://askubuntu.com/questions/1095759/rename-command-not-found-when-running-a-script

  How to reproduce:

  1) make sure you start with a fresh system

  lsb_relase - a

  No LSB modules are available.
  Distributor ID: Ubuntu
  Description:    Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS
  Release:        24.04
  Codename:       noble

  2) sudo apt update

  3) verify that util-linux is installed

  sudo apt install util-linux
  Reading package lists... Done
  Building dependency tree... Done
  Reading state information... Done
  util-linux is already the newest version (2.39.3-9ubuntu6.2).

  3) verify that rename(1) is not there

  ```
  eval "$(rename)"
  Command 'rename' not found, but can be installed with:
  sudo apt install rename
  ```

  4) the man page for rename(1) exists (came with the system)
  man 1 rename
  (check output, verify that the man page is from util-linux)

  5) install rename using apt
  sudo apt install rename

  6) verify that rename and its man page are from Perl
  fernan at backuplex:~$ file /usr/bin/rename
  /usr/bin/rename: symbolic link to /etc/alternatives/rename
  fernan at backuplex:~$ file /etc/alternatives/rename
  /etc/alternatives/rename: symbolic link to /usr/bin/file-rename
  fernan at backuplex:~$ file /usr/bin/file-rename
  /usr/bin/file-rename: Perl script text executable

  man 1 rename 
  (check output, verify that now the man page comes from Perl)

  7) remove rename 
  sudo apt remove rename

  8) verify that now there is no man page for rename
  man 1 rename 
  No manual entry for rename in section 1

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
  Package: util-linux 2.39.3-9ubuntu6.2
  Uname: Linux 5.15.167.4-microsoft-standard-WSL2 x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.28.1-0ubuntu3.5
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
  Date: Mon Mar 31 13:19:30 2025
  ProcEnviron:
   LANG=C.UTF-8
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   SHELL=/bin/bash
   TERM=xterm-256color
   XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
  SourcePackage: util-linux
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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