TWM fails to start

[tomdean]

I installed twm using apt on Ubuntu 20.04.2.
At login, I select twm. After entering password, screen blinks and retures to password.
This is just after May 24 13:35 in syslog.

May 24 13:36:25 meerkat /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[114156]: twm: unable to open fontset "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-75-*-*-*-*-*-*"

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: twm 1:1.0.10-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1-generic 5.8.18
Uname: Linux 5.8.0-53-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.17
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Mon May 24 13:43:51 2021
InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-05-22 (2 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.2.0 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20210209.1)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: twm
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[tomdean (tomdean)]

On 5/24/21 1:50 PM, tomdean wrote:
> Public bug reported:
>
> I installed twm using apt on Ubuntu 20.04.2.
> At login, I select twm. After entering password, screen blinks and retures to password.
> This is just after May 24 13:35 in syslog.
>
> May 24 13:36:25 meerkat /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[114156]: twm:
> unable to open fontset "-adobe-helvetica-
> bold-r-normal--*-75-*-*-*-*-*-*"
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
> Package: twm 1:1.0.10-1
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1-generic 5.8.18
> Uname: Linux 5.8.0-53-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.17
> Architecture: amd64
> CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
> CurrentDesktop: GNOME
> Date: Mon May 24 13:43:51 2021
> InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-05-22 (2 days ago)
> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.2.0 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20210209.1)
> ProcEnviron:
> TERM=xterm-256color
> PATH=(custom, no user)
> XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> SourcePackage: twm
> UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
>
> ** Affects: twm (Ubuntu)
> Importance: Undecided
> Status: New
>
>
> ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug focal
>

I have two systems running Ubutu 20.04. Twm runs on one but not the other.

On the system that fails to start twm, login is graphical.
 > uname -a
Linux meerkat 5.4.0-73-generic #82-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 14 17:39:42 UTC
2021 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
 > cat /etc/os-release
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="20.04.2 LTS (Focal Fossa)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS"
VERSION_ID="20.04"
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
VERSION_CODENAME=focal
UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal

On the system that runs twm login is console, followed with startx.

 > uname -a
Linux p9x79 5.4.0-73-generic #82-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 14 17:39:42 UTC 2021
x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
 > cat /etc/os-release
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="20.04.2 LTS (Focal Fossa)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS"
VERSION_ID="20.04"
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
VERSION_CODENAME=focal

[tomdean (tomdean)]

On 5/25/21 1:14 PM, tomdean wrote:
> On 5/24/21 1:50 PM, tomdean wrote:
>> Public bug reported:
>>
>> I installed twm using apt on Ubuntu 20.04.2.
>> At login, I select twm. After entering password, screen blinks and retures to password.
>> This is just after May 24 13:35 in syslog.
>>
>> May 24 13:36:25 meerkat /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[114156]: twm:
>> unable to open fontset "-adobe-helvetica-
>> bold-r-normal--*-75-*-*-*-*-*-*"
>>
>> ProblemType: Bug
>> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
>> Package: twm 1:1.0.10-1
>> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1-generic 5.8.18
>> Uname: Linux 5.8.0-53-generic x86_64
>> ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.17
>> Architecture: amd64
>> CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
>> CurrentDesktop: GNOME
>> Date: Mon May 24 13:43:51 2021
>> InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-05-22 (2 days ago)
>> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.2.0 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20210209.1)
>> ProcEnviron:
>> TERM=xterm-256color
>> PATH=(custom, no user)
>> XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
>> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
>> SHELL=/bin/bash
>> SourcePackage: twm
>> UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
>>
>> ** Affects: twm (Ubuntu)
>> Importance: Undecided
>> Status: New
>>
>>
>> ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug focal
>>
>
> I have two systems running Ubutu 20.04. Twm runs on one but not the
> other.
>
> On the system that fails to start twm, login is graphical.
> > uname -a
> Linux meerkat 5.4.0-73-generic #82-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 14 17:39:42 UTC
> 2021 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
> > cat /etc/os-release
> NAME="Ubuntu"
> VERSION="20.04.2 LTS (Focal Fossa)"
> ID=ubuntu
> ID_LIKE=debian
> PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS"
> VERSION_ID="20.04"
> HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
> SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
> BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
> PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
> VERSION_CODENAME=focal
> UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal
>
> On the system that runs twm login is console, followed with startx.
>
> > uname -a
> Linux p9x79 5.4.0-73-generic #82-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 14 17:39:42 UTC 2021
> x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
> > cat /etc/os-release
> NAME="Ubuntu"
> VERSION="20.04.2 LTS (Focal Fossa)"
> ID=ubuntu
> ID_LIKE=debian
> PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS"
> VERSION_ID="20.04"
> HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
> SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
> BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
> PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
> VERSION_CODENAME=focal
>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
work around
sudo systemctl set-default multi-user
sudo apt install xterm
booted to console - had to use alt-f2 to get console
startx worked

to fix multi-user action from splash to booting to console
edited /etc/default/grub
Changed GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT
from
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
to
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""

sudo update-grub

Now it boots to console and startx with twm configured works.

This is not a fux, just a messy work-around. Still should be able to
use twm with graphic boot.