Error opening directory "/usr/share/appdata": No Such file or directory

[Mark Smith]

In "Ubuntu Software" (software-center) v3.36.1 on Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS kernel 5.4.0-40-generic:

When I select any package from the main menu (Editor's picks) or any item under the sub-menus, I get a window (screenshot attached) pop uip with the error:

Sorry, something went wrong:
Error opening directory "/usr/share/appdata": No such file
or directory

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-40.44-generic 5.4.44
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-40-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.4
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Jul 20 12:27:29 2020
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-05-25 (55 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200423)
Snap: snap-store 3.36.0-80-g208fd61 (latest/stable/ubuntu-20.04)
SnapSource: snap-store
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Ken VanDine (ken-vandine)]

Please attach the verbose output. From a terminal please run:

killall snap-store
snap-store.ubuntu-software --verbose

When you get the error, go back to the terminal and copy as much of the output and attach it to the bug report.

Thanks

[Mark Smith (juglugs1974)]

That action appears to have cleared the fault :)

I have attached the output of the terminal commands anyway for reference.

Thank you.
Mark

[smiki (micouk)]

I periodically see this bug happening.
manually killing snap-store fixes it but it shouldn't happen in the first place.
also I experience a other bugs in my system I'm trying to fix for some weeks now.
That my snap-store only shows snap packages, no .deb repositories.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/snap-store-desktop/+bug/1870184

and also another separate bug:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/snap-store-desktop/+bug/1873040

the whole software distribution system in 20.04 is broken
tried to install/reinstall/purge gnome-software and snap plugin to no effect

[IlarioGelmetti (ilariogelmetti)]

Just installed Ubuntu 20.04.1 and got this error.
Checking in journalctl I can see this (sorry for the Catalan localization):

snap-store: GError set over the top of a previous GError or uninitialized memory.
            This indicates a bug in someone's code. You must ensure an error is NULL before it's set.
            The overwriting error message was: S'ha produït un error en obrir el directori «/usr/share/met
ory
snap-store: xb_builder_ensure: assertion 'error == NULL || *error == NULL' failed
snap-store: not GsPlugin error g-file-error-quark:4: S'ha produït un error en obrir el directori «/usr/share/appdata»: No such file or directory
snap-store: not handling error failed for action search: S'ha produït un error en obrir el directori «/usr/share/appdata»: No such file or directory

[IlarioGelmetti (ilariogelmetti)]

Sorry, pasting the log some entries got cut... Here it is again, all the reported lines refer to the snap-store process:

GError set over the top of a previous GError or uninitialized memory.
This indicates a bug in someone's code. You must ensure an error is NULL before it's set.
The overwriting error message was: S'ha produït un error en obrir el directori «/usr/share/metainfo»: No such file or directory

xb_builder_ensure: assertion 'error == NULL || *error == NULL' failed

not GsPlugin error g-file-error-quark:4: S'ha produït un error en obrir el directori «/usr/share/appdata»: No such file or directory

not handling error failed for action search: S'ha produït un error en obrir el directori «/usr/share/appdata»: No such file or directory

[shag00 (shag00)]

Still occurs on a new installation so why has this been marked as invalid?

[Maria da Graca Campos Pimentel (mgpimentel)]

Hello all! I have installed the latest Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
- the problem is still there

This solved it at this time:
 killall snap-store

However when I run
 snap-store.ubuntu-software --verbose

I get
 GLib Failed to set thread scheduler attributes: Operation not permitted
 Gs *** Cancel current search

Can you help?

best

Maria