dashtodock package crashes gnome-shell when extension is enabled

[Curtis Schroeder]

Description: Ubuntu Bionic Beaver (development branch)
Release: 18.04

gnome-shell-extension-dashtodock:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 62-1
  Version table:
     62-1 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe i386 Packages

Having previously installed gnome-shell-extensions because the "Applications Menu" URL extension was broken, I uninstalled the URL version of DashToDock, which worked correctly in 18.04 alpha1. I then installed the gnome-shell-extension-dashtodock package. When I enabled dashtodock in the Gnome Tweek tool, there was a delay during which gnome-shell froze up, and then I was dumped out to GDM. Subsequent attempts to login quickly resulted in gnome-shell crashing and being returned to GDM.

I also tried enabling the extension using a clean, unused user home directory in case there was incompatible extension data left over after uninstalling the URL version of the extension (see below), but gnome-shell still froze up and crashed out to GDM.

I had expected the package version of DashToDock to perform the same as the URL version. The reason for switching was because an Ubuntu development forum user had informed me the URL gnome extensions were deprecated.

Recovery from the failure:
- Boot into a recovery console or another Linux install.
- Temporarily replace the user's home directory with a clean, unused user home directory.
- Boot 18.04 and login with the unused user home directory that does not have dashtodock enabled.
- Uninstall gnome-shell-extension-dashtodock.
- Boot into a recovery console or another Linux install.
- Restore user's home directory and reboot.

I then successfully enabled Ubuntu dock, but was surprised to see it use my last settings from the URL version of DashToDock extension.

There is probably a more clever way to recover from this failure by disabling dashtodock from a recovery console, but I'm not that well versed in Gnome3.

[Curtis Schroeder (publicpanther)]

Installing gnome-shell-extensions is not required to replicate this bug.

1) Install the gnome-shell-extension-dashtodock package; the detailed installation shell reports that portions of this package were replaced by gnome-shell-extension-ubuntu-dock.
2) Start the Tweak tool and select the extensions tab; Tweak tool will freeze and eventually abort.
3) Logout and login.
4) Start the Tweak tool and select the extensions tab; DashToDock is now included in the list of extensions.
5) Disable Ubuntu Dock; dock is not removed from the screen.
6) Enable DashToDock; eventually gnome-shell session aborts and GDM login screen is displayed.
7) Login; gnome-shell session starts to come up, but then aborts and GDM login screen is displayed.

Traceback from syslog:
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: == Stack trace for conte
xt 0x56332099b170 ==
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #0 0x563320dc3d38 i /u
<email address hidden>/theming.js:200 (0x
7f88ba230340 @ 201)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #1 0x7ffddc31b5d0 I re
source:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:82 (0x7f88f40c2bc0 @ 71)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #2 0x563320dc3c80 i /u
<email address hidden>/theming.js:79 (0x7
f88ba22fef0 @ 451)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #3 0x7ffddc31c1e0 I re
source:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:82 (0x7f88f40c2bc0 @ 71)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #4 0x7ffddc31c2a0 b re
source:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:18 (0x7f88f40c2808 @ 36)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #5 0x7ffddc31c360 b re
source:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:114 (0x7f88f40c2d58 @ 178)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #6 0x563320dc3b60 i /u
<email address hidden>/docking.js:363 (0x
7f88ba21a450 @ 2158)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #7 0x7ffddc31cff0 I re
source:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:82 (0x7f88f40c2bc0 @ 71)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #8 0x7ffddc31d0c0 b re
source:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:18 (0x7f88f40c2808 @ 36)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #9 0x7ffddc31d180 b re
source:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:114 (0x7f88f40c2d58 @ 178)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #10 0x563320dc3a98 i /
<email address hidden>/docking.js:1744 (
0x7f88ba220a28 @ 259)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #11 0x7ffddc31de10 I r
esource:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:82 (0x7f88f40c2bc0 @ 71)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #12 0x563320dc3a08 i /
<email address hidden>/docking.js:1678 (
0x7f88ba220890 @ 115)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #13 0x7ffddc31ea10 I r
esource:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/_legacy.js:82 (0x7f88f40c2bc0 @ 71)
Feb 6 18:45:40 panther2 org.gnome.Shell.desktop[3863]: #14 0x7ffddc31eac0...

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[javen (jwli)]

any update?, poor user experience...