Unable to launch the application by its desktop icon copied from Applications menu

[Norbert]

[Impact]

This affects many users who try to drag launchers (*.desktop files) into desktop. There is a race condition: some launchers may appear correctly, but some may be treated as text files, and won't actually launch anything until gnome-flashback is restarted.

[Test Case]

1. Install GNOME Flashback, login to it
2. Open Applications menu
3. Drag some icon from Applications menu to the desktop
4.1. Do mouse double click on just copied icon
4.2. Make icon executable
4.3. Do mouse double click on just copied icon again

Expected results:
* user is able to run application by clicking on its desktop-file

Actual results:
* user is unable to run application by clicking on its desktop-file, the text editor is opened instead

[Regression Potential]

Potential regression will be limited to handling files on desktop. However the fix just makes the existing code run on contents change, so the potential should be minimal.

[Other Info]

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: ubuntu-desktop 1.450
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-26.30-generic 5.4.30
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-26-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: GNOME-Flashback:GNOME
Date: Mon Apr 27 12:16:04 2020
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-04-24 (2 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200423)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=ru_RU.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: ubuntu-meta
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

The same happens if I drag .desktop file directly from /usr/share/applications or from GNOME Panel's application launcher.

[Alberts Muktupāvels (muktupavels)]

Hmm, works for me even without "4.2. Make icon executable" step.

[Alberts Muktupāvels (muktupavels)]

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-flashback/-/merge_requests/28

This might help, can not verify as I still can not reproduce... :(

[Dmitry Shachnev (mitya57)]

I have uploaded a package with that patch to this PPA: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-gnome-flashback/+archive/ubuntu/unstable

Can you please check if it fixes the issue for you?

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

@Dmitry Shachnev (mitya57)

Thanks, it works as expected.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-flashback - 3.36.3-1ubuntu1

---------------
gnome-flashback (3.36.3-1ubuntu1) groovy; urgency=medium

  * Merge with Debian unstable, remaining changes:
    - debian/rules, debian/gnome-session-flashback.maintscript:
      + Add an epoch number to gnome-session-flashback package.
    - debian/gnome-session-flashback.gsettings-override:
      + Disable some not needed gnome-flashback components.
      + Add the default settings for GNOME Flashback sessions.
    - debian/control.in:
      + Use Ubuntu VCS fields.
      + Make gnome-session-flashback depend on dbus-user-session,
        indicator-common, ubuntu-mono and yaru-theme-gtk.
      + Make gnome-session-flashback suggest compiz.
      + Build-depend on libcompizconfig0-dev to enable Compiz session
        support.
    - debian/patches/support-indicator-keyboard.diff:
      + Support “org.gnome.desktop.input-sources current” key, to make
        indicator-keyboard working.
    - debian/patches/load_indicators.diff:
      + Load indicators when starting the session via systemd.
    - debian/gnome-session-flashback.install:
      + Install compiz session script and configuration files.
  * The new release has improvements in desktop component:
    - Added desktop files are now properly recognized (LP: #1875317).
    - Files now can be renamed using F2 key (LP: #1875703).
  * Refresh debian/patches/load_indicators.diff.

 -- Dmitry Shachnev <email address hidden> Fri, 01 May 2020 18:51:39 +0300

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

Hello Norbert, or anyone else affected,

Accepted gnome-flashback into focal-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-flashback/3.36.3-0ubuntu1 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-focal to verification-done-focal. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-focal. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

With package from -proposed it works as expected. Thank you!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-flashback - 3.36.3-0ubuntu1

---------------
gnome-flashback (3.36.3-0ubuntu1) focal; urgency=medium

  * New upstream bugfix release (LP: #1876731).
    - Added desktop files are now properly recognized (LP: #1875317).
    - Files now can be renamed using F2 key (LP: #1875703).
  * Install the new gnome-flashback-clipboard executable in gnome-flashback
    package.
  * Bump gnome-session-flashback dependency on gnome-flashback to 3.36.3.
  * Update debian/copyright for clipboard code move.
  * Refresh debian/patches/load_indicators.diff.

 -- Dmitry Shachnev <email address hidden> Mon, 04 May 2020 16:59:18 +0300

[Łukasz Zemczak (sil2100)]

The verification of the Stable Release Update for gnome-flashback has completed successfully and the package is now being released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regressions.