Parsing errors and any change loses many menu items

[Pete Cowley]

Hi
I have been having problems with menulibre for years now and it seems to be getting worse!
My system is: Linux pete-System-4 4.15.0-74-lowlatency #84-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT Thu Dec 19 08:50:32 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Unsing UbuntuStudio based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

I added your PPD to the respositoy list and updated. I am on MenuLibre 2.2

So, first of all there is a large list of parse errors (see screen shot). I have tried to find out what file(s) actually creates the menu to no avail. I studied the manual and checked the following
XDG_MENU_PREFIX=xfce-
XDG_VTNR=7
XDG_SESSION_ID=c4
XDG_GREETER_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/lightdm-data/pete
XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/share/xfce4:/usr/share/ubuntustudio:/usr/local/share:/usr/share:/var/lib/snapd/desktop:/var/lib/snapd/desktop:/usr/share
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=ubuntustudio
XDG_SEAT_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=XFCE
XDG_SEAT=seat0
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
XDG_SESSION_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session1
XDG_CONFIG_DIRS=/etc/xdg/xdg-ubuntustudio:/etc/xdg:/etc/xdg

I checked all the files in the DIRS and DATA_DIRS directories and I can find any file that contains what is currently is display in the menus.

When I run menulibre from teh command line with -v I get this:
pete@pete-System-4:~$ menulibre -v

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:27:35: Junk at end of value for background-color

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:40:48: Junk at end of value for background-color

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:48:46: Junk at end of value for background-color

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:59:58: Junk at end of value for background-color

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:66:28: The :prelight pseudo-class is deprecated. Use :hover instead.

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:70:46: Junk at end of value for background-color

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:77:35: The :prelight pseudo-class is deprecated. Use :hover instead.

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.225: Theme parsing error: gtk.css:81:58: Junk at end of value for background-color
DEBUG:menulibre: set_up_logging() 'logging enabled'

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.267: gtk_menu_attach_to_widget(): menu already attached to GtkMenuButton

(menulibre:16960): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:08:17.324: gtk_menu_attach_to_widget(): menu already attached to GtkMenuButton
DEBUG:menulibre: __init__() 'Using menu: /home/pete/.config/menus/xfce-applications.menu'
DEBUG:menulibre: block() 'Blocking history updates'
DEBUG:menulibre: unblock() 'Unblocking history updates'
DEBUG:menulibre: block() 'Blocking history updates'
DEBUG:menulibre: unblock() 'Unblocking history updates'

But in fact there isn't one. I have an xfce-applications.menu.save but that in no way matches the current menu structure.

I am totally confused about how to find out what config file it is actually using and what the problems are. Any debugging option I can use or how do you suggest I start to resolve this?

The second major problem is that if I make ANY change using menulibre, it loses all of the things that programs have hadded to it and reverts to some extremely basic format.
My m,enus are in a bit of a mess becasue some software have not updated them consistently but I am unable to make any changes with out dire consequences and as I can figure out whwere the config file that is actually being ued is, I am in the dark.

If you need further info please ask. I anm not a neub but this has me baffled and frustrated.

Are you able to help me or point me in the right direction? - it would be very much appreciated

Cheers
Pete