[SRU] Add chrome-gnome-shell to the recommends of gnome-shell-extension-prefs

[AsciiWolf]

[Impact]

 * Since GNOME 3.36, Shell Extensions can no longer be installed using GNOME Software (Ubuntu Software), instead there was a new Extensions (gnome-shell-extension-prefs) application prepared to replace this functionality. However, this application itself does not support installing new extensions, instead, it opens a web browser with a extensions.gnome.org website that allows browsing and installing new extensions. This website depends on a chrome-gnome-shell package that provides GNOME Shell integration (connector) for Firefox, Chrome, Chromium and other web browsers for this functionality. Without this connector, it is not possible to install Shell Extensions on Ubuntu 20.04.

 * In this SRU, I want to propose adding this chrome-gnome-shell package to recommends of the gnome-shell-extension-prefs package. However, since the gnome-shell-extension-prefs package is in a main repository and chrome-gnome-shell is in universe, it would be probably also needed to first move the gnome-shell-extension-prefs package to universe.

[Test Case]

 * Install the "gnome-shell-extension-prefs" (Extensions) application.

 * Open the "Extensions" application, click the "i" button in the window header, click the "extensions.gnome.org" link.

 * In the web browser window, click on link inside the blue notification on extensions.gnome.org to install a browser extension (frontend for the connector), then refresh the page.

 * After this, a red notification appears on the web page telling the user that host connector is not running.

[Regression Potential]

 * Without the chrome-gnome-shell package installed, it is not possible to install Shell Extensions on Ubuntu 20.04.

[Other Info]

 * More information: https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/GnomeShellIntegrationForChrome

[Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox)]

I'm not sure that will work, when browsers are shipped as a snap.

Does this package work with chromium as a snap?

[Paul White (paulw2u)]

@xnox, no it doesn't work with the chromium snap: bug 1741074

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Related issue: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell/+bug/1867345

[Martin Wimpress  (flexiondotorg)]

We won't be adding chrome-gnome-shell to the default install since the new Extension manager features in GNOME 3.36 to provide this functionality.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Martin, the new Extensions manager does not support installing new extensions. It just contains instructions for users to open the extensions.gnome.org page in their web browser. The functionality to browse/install extensions via Extensions manager will be added in future GNOME releases, but it is highly unlikely it will happen in 3.36. Please, reconsider this. Not adding chrome-gnome-shell to the default install in Ubuntu 20.04 will basically make it impossible for (non-expert) users to install new GNOME Shell extensions.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Or did you mean adding the chrome-gnome-shell as a dependency for GNOME Extensions after this app is moved to a separate package (as noted in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell/+bug/1867345/comments/2)?

[Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)]

@AsciiWorld, unless things changed in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, you can use the Software app to install GNOME Shell extensions.

chrome-gnome-shell is in universe. It needs to be in main before it can be installed by default in the Canonical-supported flavors. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MainInclusionProcess and bug 1695565

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Support for Shell Extensions was removed from GNOME Software since 3.36 (because it was problematic and hard to maintain). I just checked it in the latest stable Snap Store app and was not able to find any support for Shell Extensions there.

So, I see three possible solutions for this issue:

1. Add downstream support for Shell Extensions to GNOME Software / Snap Store on Ubuntu. (That would bring too much work and possible issues, at least in my opinion.)
2. Add AppStream metadata file to the chrome-gnome-shell package that would display the package as Add-on for something (Firefox?) in Snap Store.
3. If a package from main cannot depend on a package from universe, move gnome-shell-extension-prefs to universe and add chrome-gnome-shell to its dependencies. (That would be the best solution in my opinion.)

[Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)]

We can do #3. Do you want to update the bug description for that? We'll need to file this as a potential SRU, but it might get fixed before the 20.04 LTS release.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Jeremy, I have changed this bug name and description to a SRU. Is there anything else needed to do from my side? Should I subscribe ~ubuntu-sru to this bug?

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

I have thought of another solution in case the current one is not accepted (I am not sure if it is possible to move gnome-shell-extension-prefs to universe since it is a part (subpackage) of gnome-shell):

1. Move chrome-gnome-shell to main.
2. Add chrome-gnome-shell to gnome-shell-extension-prefs recommends.

Jeremy, feel free to edit the SRU bug name/description if this is a better solution.

[Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)]

gnome-shell-extension-prefs is now in universe. That makes the remainder of this bug a simple SRU candidate. I uploaded this change to the focal queue earlier today. It will need to be manually approved to be accepted into Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Any progress regarding the SRU?

[Chris Halse Rogers (raof)]

Bikeshed: should gnome-shell-extension-prefs Depend, rather than Recommend chrome-gnome-shell? Does it work *at all* without chrome-gnome-shell?

[Chris Halse Rogers (raof)]

Hello AsciiWolf, or anyone else affected,

Accepted gnome-shell into focal-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell/3.36.1-5ubuntu2 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-focal to verification-done-focal. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-focal. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

[Chris Halse Rogers (raof)]

Additionally: please also upload to groovy.

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

I have tested the latest (3.36.1-5ubuntu2) gnome-shell-extension-prefs from focal-proposed and can confirm that everything seems to work fine. The chrome-gnome-shell dependency was correctly installed and I did not notice any issues. Thanks!

[AsciiWolf (asciiwolf)]

Any progress?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-shell - 3.36.2-1ubuntu1

---------------
gnome-shell (3.36.2-1ubuntu1) groovy; urgency=medium

  * Merge with debian, including new upstream release (LP: #1877212)
  * debian/patches: Refresh
  * Remaining changes with debian:
    - Replace gnome-backgrounds dep with ubuntu-wallpapers and Suggests
      gnome-themes-standard-data, gnome-backgrounds
    - Add some Recommends:
      + ubuntu-session (| gnome-session) to have the ubuntu session available
      + xserver-xorg-legacy
      + yaru-theme-gnome-shell for the default ubuntu theming
    - Update debian/gbp.conf with Ubuntu settings
    - gnome-shell-common.prerm: Remove deprecated ubuntu theme alternative
    - ubuntu/desktop_detect.patch:
      + add caching for desktop detection to avoid querying the current
        desktop env variable as iterate through the list each time. For the
        time of the Shell process, we can expect this env variable to stay
        stable.
    - ubuntu/smarter_alt_tab.patch:
      + quick alt-tab (without showing up the switcher) switch only between
        the last window of the last 2 applications to be focused instead of
        raising all windows of those apps.
    - ubuntu/lightdm-user-switching.patch:
      + Allow user switching when using LightDM.
    - ubuntu/lock_on_suspend.patch
      + Respect Ubuntu's lock-on-suspend setting.
    - ubuntu/background_login.patch
      + Change default background color as we modified the default GDM color
        for our ubuntu session.
    - ubuntu/gdm_alternatives.patch
      + Add support for GDM3 theme alternatives
    - optional-hot-corner.patch
      + enable patch proposed by upstream developer already in package (but
        not in series) to add a settings for optional hot corner activation.
    - main-show-an-error-message-on-gnome-shell-crash.patch,
      global-make-possible-to-set-debug-flags-dynamically.patch,
      main-increase-the-granularity-of-backtraces-in-SHELL_DEBU.patch,
      main-add-backtrace-crashes-all-and-backtrace-all.patch,
      sessionMode-add-support-for-debugFlags-parameter.patch:
      + Improve debug JS tracing for crash reports
    - st-scroll-view-Handle-the-case-where-scrollbars-are-NULL.patch:
      + Fix crash on theme changes
    - ubuntu/search-call-XUbuntuCancel-method-on-providers-when-no-dat.patch:
      + stop searches when requested from UI
    - magnifier-Show-cursor-when-magnifier-is-enabled-and-scale.patch:
      + Show monitor scaled cursor when magnifier is enabled
    - Break gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons (<< 19.01.3+git20190814)

gnome-shell (3.36.2-1) unstable; urgency=medium

  * Team upload
  * New upstream stable release
    - Tone down weekend days with events in calendar
    - Fix crash on physical keyboard detach
    - Fix crash when creating a new workspace by dragging a favourite
      app icon
    - Fix popup scaling in some HiDPI multi-monitor configurations
    - Fix unintended focus delay after entering the wrong password
    - Fix a crash when theming changes (LP: #1868440)
    - When searching for system actions, find transliterated ASCII versions
    - Ellipsize long "wrong password" messag...

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-shell - 3.36.1-5ubuntu2

---------------
gnome-shell (3.36.1-5ubuntu2) focal; urgency=medium

  * Have gnome-shell-extension-prefs recommend chrome-gnome-shell
    (LP: #1866841)
    - gnome-shell-extension-prefs recommends visiting
      extensions.gnome.org to install extensions but that
      requires chrome-gnome-shell to be installed
    - GNOME Software 3.36 no longer offers installing
      GNOME Shell extensions

 -- Jeremy Bicha <email address hidden> Tue, 21 Apr 2020 07:48:41 -0400

[Łukasz Zemczak (sil2100)]

The verification of the Stable Release Update for gnome-shell has completed successfully and the package is now being released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regressions.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Hello AsciiWolf, or anyone else affected,

Accepted gnome-shell into focal-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell/3.36.2-1ubuntu1~20.04.1 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-focal to verification-done-focal. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-focal. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

[Marco Trevisan (Treviño) (3v1n0)]

This was already part of 3.36.1-5ubuntu2, so SRU verification is not needed and can be then confirmed.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-shell - 3.36.2-1ubuntu1~20.04.1

---------------
gnome-shell (3.36.2-1ubuntu1~20.04.1) focal; urgency=medium

  * No change backport to focal (LP: #1877212)
  * debian/gbp.conf: Set branch to ubuntu/focal
  * debian/control: Update VCS references to focal branch

gnome-shell (3.36.2-1ubuntu1) groovy; urgency=medium

  * Merge with debian, including new upstream release (LP: #1877212)
  * debian/patches: Refresh
  * Remaining changes with debian:
    - Replace gnome-backgrounds dep with ubuntu-wallpapers and Suggests
      gnome-themes-standard-data, gnome-backgrounds
    - Add some Recommends:
      + ubuntu-session (| gnome-session) to have the ubuntu session available
      + xserver-xorg-legacy
      + yaru-theme-gnome-shell for the default ubuntu theming
    - Update debian/gbp.conf with Ubuntu settings
    - gnome-shell-common.prerm: Remove deprecated ubuntu theme alternative
    - ubuntu/desktop_detect.patch:
      + add caching for desktop detection to avoid querying the current
        desktop env variable as iterate through the list each time. For the
        time of the Shell process, we can expect this env variable to stay
        stable.
    - ubuntu/smarter_alt_tab.patch:
      + quick alt-tab (without showing up the switcher) switch only between
        the last window of the last 2 applications to be focused instead of
        raising all windows of those apps.
    - ubuntu/lightdm-user-switching.patch:
      + Allow user switching when using LightDM.
    - ubuntu/lock_on_suspend.patch
      + Respect Ubuntu's lock-on-suspend setting.
    - ubuntu/background_login.patch
      + Change default background color as we modified the default GDM color
        for our ubuntu session.
    - ubuntu/gdm_alternatives.patch
      + Add support for GDM3 theme alternatives
    - optional-hot-corner.patch
      + enable patch proposed by upstream developer already in package (but
        not in series) to add a settings for optional hot corner activation.
    - main-show-an-error-message-on-gnome-shell-crash.patch,
      global-make-possible-to-set-debug-flags-dynamically.patch,
      main-increase-the-granularity-of-backtraces-in-SHELL_DEBU.patch,
      main-add-backtrace-crashes-all-and-backtrace-all.patch,
      sessionMode-add-support-for-debugFlags-parameter.patch:
      + Improve debug JS tracing for crash reports
    - st-scroll-view-Handle-the-case-where-scrollbars-are-NULL.patch:
      + Fix crash on theme changes
    - ubuntu/search-call-XUbuntuCancel-method-on-providers-when-no-dat.patch:
      + stop searches when requested from UI
    - magnifier-Show-cursor-when-magnifier-is-enabled-and-scale.patch:
      + Show monitor scaled cursor when magnifier is enabled
    - Break gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons (<< 19.01.3+git20190814)

gnome-shell (3.36.2-1) unstable; urgency=medium

  * Team upload
  * New upstream stable release
    - Tone down weekend days with events in calendar
    - Fix crash on physical keyboard detach
    - Fix crash when creating a new workspace by dragging a favourite
      app icon
    - Fix popup scaling in some HiDPI multi-monitor configurations
    - Fix unintend...