[UIFe] TypeError when opening edit menu

[Sundaravenkataraman]

The following trace occurs when opening the "Edit" menu in software-center, as a result of an incompatible change in one of GTK+, pygobject, or libgirepository. The code in software-center is correct, but the bindings are causing the wrong method to be called, resulting in the trace.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/app.py", line 967, in on_menu_edit_activate
    bounds = self.active_pane.searchentry.get_selection_bounds()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/gi/overrides/__init__.py", line 99, in wrapped
    ret = method(*args, **kwargs)
TypeError: unbound method get_selection_bounds() must be called with TextBuffer instance as first argument (got SearchEntry instance instead)

As a work around for this, I have removed the code in software-center, which makes the Cut/Copy items in the Edit menu no longer apply to the search entry. As a result, this also removes the Cut item completely, as it was only used for the search entry. However, it is still possible to use the context-menu when right clicking on the entry, or the standard C-x/C-c key bindings, to cut or copy the selected text in the entry.

Mailing list request messages:
Docs: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-doc/2013-April/017165.html
I18n: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-translators/2013-April/005867.html

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thank you for your bug report

Rodney, could you look at it? It got 239 reports this month

[Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa)]

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu Package testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://packages.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1151621

[Robert Avant (robertj-avant)]

I too have this bug. I also have a problem with this:

Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  language-pack-en language-pack-en-base
The following packages will be upgraded:
  language-pack-en language-pack-en-base
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 4 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/868 kB of archives.
After this operation, 289 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
  language-pack-en-base:amd64 conflicts with language-pack-en:amd64
(Reading database ... 623880 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace language-pack-en 1:12.10+20121009 (using .../language-pack-en_1%3a13.04+20130326_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement language-pack-en ...
Replacing files in old package language-pack-en-base ...
Preparing to replace language-pack-en-base 1:12.10+20121009 (using .../language-pack-en-base_1%3a13.04+20130321_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement language-pack-en-base ...
Replaced by files in installed package language-pack-en ...
Processing triggers for software-center ...
Updating software catalog...this may take a moment.
INFO:softwarecenter.db.pkginfo_impl.aptcache:aptcache.open()
WARNING:softwarecenter.db.update:The file: '/usr/share/app-install/desktop/sonic-visualiser:x-sonicvisualiser-layer.desktop' could not be read correctly. The application associated with this file will not be included in the software catalog. Please consider raising a bug report for this issue with the maintainer of that application
WARNING:softwarecenter.db.update:The file: '/usr/share/app-install/desktop/gmpc:gmpc.desktop' could not be read correctly. The application associated with this file will not be included in the software catalog. Please consider raising a bug report for this issue with the maintainer of that application
WARNING:softwarecenter.db.update:The file: '/usr/share/app-install/desktop/workrave:workrave.desktop' could not be read correctly. The application associated with this file will not be included in the software catalog. Please consider raising a bug report for this issue with the maintainer of that application
WARNING:softwarecenter.db.update:The file: '/usr/share/app-install/desktop/sonic-visualiser:x-sonicvisualiser.desktop' could not be read correctly. The application associated with this file will not be included in the software catalog. Please consider raising a bug report for this issue with the maintainer of that application
Software catalog update was successful.
Setting up language-pack-en (1:13.04+20130326) ...
Setting up language-pack-en-base (1:13.04+20130321) ...
Generating locales...
  en_AG.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_AU.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_BW.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_CA.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_DK.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_GB.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_HK.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_IE.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_IN.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_NG.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_NZ.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_PH.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_SG.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_US.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_ZA.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_ZM.UTF-8... up-to-date
  en_ZW.UTF-8... up-to-date
Generation complete.
Processing trigger...

[Frogs Hair (detaill)]

Confirmed - Already reported

[Harald Glatt (hachre)]

For me this happened when I installed a program, then immediately decided that I don't want it and hit the Remove button that shows up (while it was still installing) it then removed the Remove button or grayed it out, not sure anymore - and after the progress bar on the item was gone the installer crashed and brought me here! Hope it helps tracking it down!

[userDepth (binarydepth)]

I was opening Software sources.

[dobey (dobey)]

I've added GTK+ 3.0 as being affected, as this is actually a bug in GTK+ itself, it seems. Or at least, if it's not in GTK+, then it's either pygobject or libgirepository not correctly binding the methods.

It seems that software-center is making a valid call to get_selection_bounds() on a GtkSearchEntry widget, which implements the GtkEditable interface, and provides a get_selection-bounds() method. However, for some reason, this is being seen as an unbound method when called here, and the gtk_text_buffer_get_selection_bounds() method is being called instead, incorrectly, causing the TypeError.

I will implement a workaround in software-center so that the TypeError gets ignored (as the code in software-center is correct here), which may cause the Cut and Copy menu items to no longer work for the search entry. However, the standard key bindings, and the right-click context menu on the entry, will still work to copy/cut the selected text. Also, the Cut menu item will be removed as it's not used elsewhere, while Copy is used for copying text from other parts of the UI.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

UIFe granted.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package software-center - 5.6.0-0ubuntu2

---------------
software-center (5.6.0-0ubuntu2) raring; urgency=low

  * debian/patches/00_bzr-typerror-remove-menuitem.patch:
    - Avoid TypeError caused by external bug, by removing the Cut
      menu item from the main menu, and making the Copy item not
      used for the search entry. (LP: #1151621)
 -- Rodney Dawes <email address hidden> Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:04:00 -0400