Unity command returns python error

[Tim Hitchins]

When you run the command `unity --version` - in fact any `unity` command - it gives the following:

$ unity --version
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/unity", line 21 in <module>
    import glib
ImportError: No module named glib

I'm on Ubuntu 15.10

Unity is 7.3.2+15.10.20151016-0ubuntu1

I expected to see the version of unity (--version), or the help for the unity command (--help) - or for unity to restart (no args). Instead it gives the above error.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Erik Zoltan (erikzoltan)]

I had problems with my system and reinstalled from a 15.10 CD to fix the problems. Now I can log into Ubuntu but Unity doesn't have a side menu or a top menu bar. Windows don't have window title bars and can't be resized. When I try to run unity command from the terminal, I get the following output.

~ $ unity --version
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/unity", line 21, in <module>
    import glib
ImportError: No module named glib
~ $

I assume this is related to the lack of a side bar and top menu bar.

Thanks,
Erik

[Erik Zoltan (erikzoltan)]

Update: I resolved my problems with the side panel and top menu bar, but I'm still getting the error message with the unity command. So I guess they're possibly not related.

Thanks,
Erik

[Thomas Kupper (thomas-kupper)]

While optimizing my today freshly installed Ubuntu 15.10 x86_64 for High-DPI I came across the same problem. Based on a AskUbuntu article (http://askubuntu.com/questions/695331/ubuntu-15-10-launcher-icons-not-locking) installing the package 'python-gobject-2' solved that problem for me.

In the article it says to install (all) python-gst* packages. Since after removing them unity still worked it had to be one of the dependencies. In the end it came down to the above mentioned package.

Summary: installing 'python-gobject-2' package solved it for me.

Cheers
Thomas

[Vladimir Rutsky (rutsky-vladimir)]

I believe unity package must depend (directly or indirectly) on python-gobject-2.

My colleague encountered this bug and it's symptoms were: after login only desktop with the wallpaper is shown.
You can right click on desktop and, for example, create "New Directory", or start terminal from the context menu,
but no window decorations are shown.