Mutiple icons of the same application on the Unity Launcher

[Mohsin Falak]

Binary package hint: unity

This is completely random. Multiple icons of the same (running) application appears on the Unity Launcher until the application is closed and re-launched.
As, in the screenshot attached. The Deluge application has three separate icons on the Launcher. Nothing fixes it except closing and re-launching the application.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.8.4-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.41-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,mousepoll,wall,grid,regex,resize,place,imgpng,move,vpswitch,gnomecompat,animation,session,workarounds,unitymtgrabhandles,expo,ezoom,staticswitcher,fade,scale,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
DRM.card0.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1024x600
 edid-base64: AP///////wAOFL4bAAAAABoTAQOAFgx4CsNNlFdPjCYnUFQAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBlBEAsEBYGSAwIDYA330AAAAalBEAsEBYGSAwIDYA330AAAAaAAAA/gBKMDI0VIAxMDFOQjEgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBCiAgACo=
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Sun Apr 10 20:36:21 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: bcmwl, 5.100.82.38+bdcom, 2.6.38-8-generic, i686: installed
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27ae] (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:02f4]
   Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:02f4]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta i386 (20110330)
InstallationMedia_: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta i386 (20110330)
InstallationMedia__: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta i386 (20110330)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron 1011
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=47e7674b-0af4-4aa6-911b-157e6b6fa616 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.41-generic 2.6.38.2
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.41-generic 2.6.38.2
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 07/29/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A06
dmi.board.name: CN0Y53
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A06
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A06
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA06:bd07/29/2009:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron1011:pvrA06:rvnDellInc.:rnCN0Y53:rvrA06:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrA06:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron 1011
dmi.product.version: A06
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110407-0ubuntu2
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.1-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.1-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu6

[William Chargin (william-crittercare)]

I too have this problem.
Specs: latest Natty as of 10 Apr 2011, 2x Intel Pentium Dual CPU T2390 @ 1.86GHz, 3086MB RAM, i686 architecture.

[Bilal Akhtar (bilalakhtar)]

Reported by multiple people on Twitter and IRC as well, so marking Confirmed.

Bug is maybe related to BAMF, where BAMF isn't matching the windows to the same .desktop file.

[Angeloribas (angeloribas)]

Same issue here, with different applications (see screenshot attached). Dozens of repeated icons for the same applications. Although it appears that much of icons, actually I was working with only about three or four windows open.

[Jussier (jussierneto)]

I have the same bug here. If you need any information, ask me.
In ScreenShot, I opened just one terminal windows, but launcher shows four. And it is really random.

[Jussier (jussierneto)]

I'm using unity 3.8.6, and I check for updates every day

[Anthraxination (anthraxination)]

I also have this problem happening, although it usually seems to be repeating the bottom half of my unity launcher, after a certain random application each time. This is especially bothersome when I cannot just close or reopen the afflicted applications because it would affect their operation. Perfect example is right now as I am FTP'ing important files, yet my FTP client (Filezilla) has multiple instances duplicating in the unity launcher and I am afraid this will compromise either my computer or the applications performance.

[Angeloribas (angeloribas)]

It seems to happen only with icons that are not fix in the launcher. However, although I have a "Home Folder" icon for Nautilus, it appear many other Nautilus icons on the launcher.

As we're only a few days for the official release, I think it could be marked as a "high importance" issue. Unfortunately, the only contribution I'm able to do (due to my lack of knowledge) is testing and reporting.

[Jussier (jussierneto)]

I have the same problema here with Home Folder Angeloribas. The first Icon in my launcher is the Home Folder, but sometime when I click on it opens another nautilus icon in launcher instead of open in this same icon.
Nautilus shouldn't always open in this same icon?

ps: After this bug happen with Home Folder icon, it became unable to open my home folder from it!

[Dylan McCall (dylanmccall)]

Jussier: That sonething isn't being matched correctly is unrelated to this.
This is about the launcher going into a deranged fit of adding items that
point to the same information. This can be discerned by the way every
duplicate item for an application has a "focused" indicator at the same time
when you focus it, and every duplicate item has a "running" indicator.

That is an interesting observation, Angeloribas. I think I can confirm that
with what I have encountered.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

there is a known bug which lead to duplicate icons after crashes, could you try if that's still an issue today with recent updates on a restarted session?

[EricDHH (ericdhh)]

Some programs exist in root and user mode, like sbackup. So they appears twice in the launcher, you have to start both for getting informations which is the needed one.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

thanks for the bug report. Is that still an issue in Ubuntu 12.04?

[SlugiusRex (slugiusrex)]

I observed this on Quantal [Release 12.10 (quantal) 64-bit]. See attached screenshot 'UnityDisplaysMultipleIcons'

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

SluguisRex, what you are facing is probably a different bug. I believe you installed chromium from the software center and then started it from the newly created icon in the launcher? if so that's a different bug/

[SlugiusRex (slugiusrex)]

Yes - that is true - what bug# is it? I Will sign up for that one then.

Is it a chromium issue? I'm currently at Chroium Version 20.0.1132.47 Ubuntu 12.04 (144678) -

It was happening on 12.10 but now 12.04 - both installed from software center and then started it from the newly created icon in the launcher

[Dylan Weremeichik (dylan.weremeichik)]

@Omer I just linked in a duplicate which i believe is the same issue in 12.04, please let me know if you think it is application specific.
Bug: 1076475

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for bamf (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for unity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for Unity because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for BAMF because there has been no activity for 60 days.]