#1136464 acpi-support uses pidof but does not depend on procps

#1136464#5
Date:
2026-05-13 23:24:41 UTC
From:
To:
Dear maintainer(s) of acpi-support,

it appears that acpi-support uses `pidof` in its testsuite, or that
at least one of its binary packages uses `pidof` at runtime.
Historically, `pidof` was provided by the Essential package
`sysvinit-tools`, making an explicit dependency unnecessary. However
`pidof` will soon be moved to `procps` and will no longer be part of
the Essential set.

Please add an explicit dependency on `procps`:

* via the `Depends:` field of all binary packages of acpi-support
  that use `pidof` at runtime;
* via the `Build-Depends:` field of acpi-support, if `pidof` is
  used in tests run at build-time;
* via the `Depends:` field of `debian/control/tests`, if `pidof` is
  used in autopkgtests.

To prevent any disruption for users of acpi-support, please add
this dependency now, before `pidof` is moved from `sysvinit-utils` to
`procps`. Alternatively, you could remove all uses of `pidof`.

It is believed that acpi-support uses `pidof` due to the following
code snippets:

```
path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/addons/lib/screenblank
	fi
	if [ x$LOCK_SCREEN = xtrue ]; then
		if pidof xscreensaver >/dev/null; then
			su "$XUSER" -s /bin/sh -c "xscreensaver-command -lock"
		elif pidof gnome-screensaver > /dev/null; then


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/addons/lib/screenblank
				dcop --session "$session" --all-users kdesktop KScreensaverIface lock > /dev/null 2>&1
			done
		elif pidof xautolock >/dev/null;then
			su "$XUSER" -s /bin/sh -c "/usr/bin/xautolock -locknow"
		elif [ -x /usr/bin/xlock ]; then


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/addons/lib/screenblank
		elif pidof gnome-screensaver > /dev/null; then
			su "$XUSER" -s /bin/sh -c "gnome-screensaver-command --lock"
		elif pidof cinnamon-screensaver > /dev/null; then
			su "$XUSER" -s /bin/sh -c "cinnamon-screensaver-command --lock"
		elif pidof dcopserver >/dev/null; then


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/addons/lib/screenblank
    if [ "x$XAUTHORITY" != x ]; then
	export DISPLAY=:"$displaynum"
	if pidof xscreensaver >/dev/null; then
		su "$XUSER" -s /bin/sh -c "xscreensaver-command -throttle"
	fi


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/addons/scripts/lid.sh
			;;
	    esac
	    if pidof xscreensaver > /dev/null; then
	        if on_ac_power; then
		    su "$XUSER" -s /bin/sh -c "xscreensaver-command -unthrottle"


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/examples/acpi/resume.d/90-xscreensaver.sh
# now, we should poke xscreensaver so you get a dialog
if pidof xscreensaver > /dev/null; then
    d=/tmp/.X11-unix
    for x in $d/*; do


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/examples/acpi/suspendorhibernate
			if [ x$LOCK_SCREEN = xtrue ]; then
			    if pidof xscreensaver > /dev/null; then
				d=/tmp/.X11-unix
				for x in $d/*; do


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/addons/lib/policy-funcs
CheckUPowerPolicy() {
	pidof upowerd > /dev/null
}


path: acpi-support_0.143-5.2/debian/addons/lib/policy-funcs
	getXconsole
	PMS="/usr/bin/xfce4-power-manager /usr/bin/mate-power-manager /usr/lib/dalston/dalston-power-applet"
	pidof -x $PMS > /dev/null ||
        PowerDevilRunning ||
	GnomeSettingsDaemonPowerRunning
```

Feel free to close this issue if this is a false positive (for example
if this code is in an unreachable code path).

Regards,