gnome-appearance-properties hogs processor even after close

[Matthew Hughes]

Binary package hint: gnome-control-center

Steps to reproduce:
1. Right click on desktop , select change background.

The gnome-appearance-properties process hogs processor, even after closing the window.
its necessary to kill the process for it to go away.

[Stefan van der Walt (stefanv)]

Running strace, I see many messages similar to

inotify_add_watch(17, "/usr/share/themes/Emacs/gtk-2.0", IN_MODIFY|IN_ATTRIB|IN_MOVED_FROM|IN_MOVED_TO|IN_CREATE|IN_DELETE|IN_DELETE_SELF|IN_MOVE_SELF|IN_UNMOUNT|IN_ONLYDIR) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
inotify_add_watch(17, "/usr/share/themes/Glossy/gtk-2.0-key", IN_MODIFY|IN_ATTRIB|IN_MOVED_FROM|IN_MOVED_TO|IN_CREATE|IN_DELETE|IN_DELETE_SELF|IN_MOVE_SELF|IN_UNMOUNT|IN_ONLYDIR) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)

etc.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thanks for your bug report. Please try to obtain a backtrace http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingProgramCrash and attach the file to the bug report. This will greatly help us in tracking down your problem.

[Stefan van der Walt (stefanv)]

The program doesn't crash, so I'm not sure what you want.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

the backtrace of an hanging program indicates where it's stucked

[Stefan van der Walt (stefanv)]

The backtrace yields nothing (attached). Clearly, a thread somehow survives, since top says:

 5485 stefan 25 0 20592 4856 3252 R 97 0.5 1:54.90 gnome-appearanc ...

[Matthew Hughes (tute666)]

I obtained the following backtrace, by attaching to the process.
Nonetheless, i had to SIGTERM the process for gdb to stop. I obtained the backtrace, and even then gdb didnt kill the process.
Hope it is helpful

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

There is nothing interesting to those backtraces

[Stefan van der Walt (stefanv)]

Attaching to the leftover process with strace, there are millions of messages of the form

access("/usr/share/themes/Clearlooks/gtk-2.0/gtkrc.en_ZA", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
access("/etc/gtk-2.0/gtkrc.en_ZA", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
access("/home/stefan/.gtk-2.0/2.10.0/i486-pc-linux-gnu/engines/libclearlooks.so", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
access("/home/stefan/.gtk-2.0/2.10.0/i486-pc-linux-gnu/engines/libclearlooks.la", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
access("/home/stefan/.themes/Default/gtk-2.0-key/gtkrc", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)

Almost looks like it keeps trying to refresh the theme directory.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Do you have gtk-gt-engine installed? Does it happen without it?

[Stefan van der Walt (stefanv)]

I have the following installed:

$ dpkg -l "gtk*engine*" | grep "^ii" | awk '{print $2}'
gtk-engines-pixmap
gtk2-engines
gtk2-engines-clearlooks
gtk2-engines-crux
gtk2-engines-industrial
gtk2-engines-lighthouseblue
gtk2-engines-mist
gtk2-engines-murrine
gtk2-engines-pixbuf
gtk2-engines-redmond95
gtk2-engines-smooth
gtk2-engines-thinice
gtk2-engines-ubuntulooks

Removing gtk-engines-pixmap has no effect.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Does it happen with an another use on the same configuration?

[Lutz (webmaster-phatsonic)]

I have the same problem:

When using gnome-appearance-properties it kicks my CPU to 100%.
Even after closing the window, the process stays and uses 100% untill I kill it manually.

"dpkg -l "gtk*engine*" | grep "^ii" | awk '{print $2}'" says:

gtk2-engines
gtk2-engines-pixbuf
gtk2-engines-ubuntulooks

[Raymond W. Ko (neetocin)]

I think I have discovered a possible workaround:

For me, I solved this simply by removing ~/.gtkrc-2.0 from my home directory.

So I assume there is a conflict somewhere between gtkrc and gnome-appearance-properties fighting for control.

[Evaristo (ev-am)]

Same to Lutz, but i haven't ~/.gtkrc-2.0 in my home folder.

[Pierre-Charles David (pcdavid)]

I have the same behaviour as Raymond: removing ~/.gtkrc-2.0 solves the issue.

I've done a few more experiments:
1. If .gtkrc-2.0 exists but is empty, the bug does not appear.
2. If I launch gnome-appearance-properties with a non-empty .gtkrc-2.0 file, the bug triggers every time. Once it is triggered, if I remove the .gtkrc-2.0 file or empty it while g-a-p is still running (either the window is still open or I closed it but g-a-p is still running), g-a-p reacts almost immediately and the CPU goes back to 0%.
3. If I launch g-a-p with no (or an empty) .gtkrc-2.0 file, the bug is not triggered, even if I create the file once it is running.

[Pierre-Charles David (pcdavid)]

I've been able to narrow the problem a little more. It seems the actual line in my .gtkrc-2.0 which causes the problem is the following:

include "/usr/share/themes/Clearlooks/gtk-2.0/gtkrc"

If I start g-a-p with a .gtkrc-2.0 containing this line (alone or with the rest of my original file), the bugs triggers every time, and the CPU goes to 100%. If I overwrite the .gtkrc-2.0 file while g-a-p is "hung" with a version without the line, the CPU goes back to ~0%, and g-a-p exits correctly.

I've attached strace to g-a-p while it is hung, at it seems caught in a loop. I've attached the fragment of the trace which is repeated endlessly (I don't know which line can be considered the beginning of the loop though).

[easthero (easthero)]

My hardy have the same problem
gnome-control-manager 2.21.2-0ubuntu2
I have'nt .gtkrc-2.0

[Russ (ubuntu-bugs-thewarrens)]

I have the same problem. What -dbgsym do I need for g-a-p to get useful symbols? I can't locate the correct one.

[Russ (ubuntu-bugs-thewarrens)]

I tried gnome-applets-dbgsym (seemed a reasonable guess?) but that wasn't the right one. Nevertheless, I've attached my backtrace...

[Russ (ubuntu-bugs-thewarrens)]

Found it (gnome-control-center-dbgsym). New and sparse backtrace attached.

Also...

$ dpkg -l "gtk*engine*" | grep "^ii" | awk '{print $2}'
gtk-qt-engine
gtk2-engines
gtk2-engines-gtk-qt
gtk2-engines-pixbuf
gtk2-engines-ubuntulooks

Regarding .gtkrc files, I have two and have not tried anything with them (don't want to mess up anything else)...

 ls ~/.gtkrc*
/home/russ/.gtkrc-1.2-gnome2 /home/russ/.gtkrc-2.0-kde

[Anjan (t-anjan)]

I had this problem of gnome-appearance-properties process not ending even after pressing Close. I don't have a ~/.gtkrc* folder. After reading through this bug report, I remembered that I had installed some gtk2 themes and used gtk-theme-switch(2) to preview and switch the themes. I had a couple of gtk2 themes in ~/.themes folder. I removed the gtk-theme-switch package. Then I did a 'apt-get autoremove' and 'apt-get autoclean' and deleted the the 2 themes in ~/.themes. Now g-a-p quits as soon as I click Close.

Maybe this helps. I did this just a few minutes ago. I've also been having a problem with the display completely hanging if the screensaver is left running a little while. I don't know if that problem is related to this bug. I'll have to test that.

[Anjan (t-anjan)]

Edit: I do have a couple of .gtkrc* files. Previously, I had looked for folders by that name.

Anyway, I think my problem was caused because of gtk-theme-switch hadmessed up the the .gtkrc2.0 file. Before removing gtk-theme-switch I switched to the Human theme using gtk-theme-switch.

Then, on removal, I think the .gtkrc2.0 file is being read properly by g-a-p.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

I don't see any unanswered requests for more information on this bug, so marking as 'confirmed'.

If you need additional information, I'll be happy to supply it; the bug is completely reproducible for me here, and I'm unpleasantly reminded of it every time I visit my appearance settings because my laptop suddenly gets very hot and I have to hunt down the processes. Now that I've seen this bug report and the workarounds mentioned within, I've moved aside my .gtkrc-2.0 and things seem to be better, but I can easily restore the broken behavior as needed for testing.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

As requested, here is the file I previously had installed as .gtkrc-2.0.mine, which allows reproducing this bug.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thanks, I can trigger the issue too using a gtkrc, I've opened a bug upstream on http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=523328

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

that's a gtk issue

[thword (thword)]

I have the same problem.
It eats more than 90% of my CPU.

[CombatWombat (combatwombat)]

Same for me. The fix was to comment out the line for the theme (in my case Glossy) in the .gtkrc-2.0 file. GAP would then close.

[Lukáš Zapletal (lzap)]

Deleting the .grkrc-2.0 file helped, thanks.

[Tarik Jabri (tjabri)]

I have this bug too but I don't have a .gtkrc-2.0 file. The only .gtk* file i have is ".gtk-bookmarks". My CPU usable drops as soon as I click the Close button on the window. I noticed this happened within the last day or two's updates, I saw a lot of Gnome stuff being updated.

I tried adding a blank .gtkrc-2.0, and that didn't change anything. I also tried adding the same file that Steve Langasek had attached and it didn't change anything either.

In the appearance panel the only thing that it seems to affect is my ability to change backgrounds. when I click on a background, it doesn't even put a selection box around it, it just sits there. Meanwhile, I can everything else, including themes, fonts and even turn compiz on and off. It's just a problem with the backgrounds.

[Tarik Jabri (tjabri)]

Nevermind, I was affected by this bug instead: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-desktop/+bug/236778. Sorry for the confusion!

[=KK= (sevkme)]

read(69, "\211PNG\r\n\32\n\0\0\0\rIHDR\0\0\0\200\0\0\0`\10\2\0\0"..., 4096) = 4096
read(69, "aO\217\3620D \2101A\303\10U\16\0`Uy\301\371\v\3327\263"..., 4096) = 4096
read(69, "\323Z\231\273\230e\177\266/\354V\353\36R\0}b\254\310\274"..., 4096) = 4096
read(69, "\310\302\247YVz\205\214\363b\371\22\6\262\346T\rH\316\276"..., 4096) = 2795
close(69) = 0
munmap(0xb353c000, 4096) = 0
open("/usr/share/backgrounds/simple-ubuntu.png", O_RDONLY|O_LARGEFILE) = 69
fstat64(69, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=2729693, ...}) = 0
mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb353c000
read(69, "\211PNG\r\n\32\n\0\0\0\rIHDR\0\0\10\0\0\0\6\0\10\2\0\0"..., 4096) = 4096
close(69) = 0
munmap(0xb353c000, 4096) = 0
lstat64("/usr/share/backgrounds/heron-simple.png", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=366322, ...}) = 0
lstat64("/usr/share/backgrounds/heron-simple.png", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=366322, ...}) = 0
time(NULL) = 1212820970
open("/home/sevk/.thumbnails/normal/1c335075f7a1aa185ad9cbecab81fd13.png", O_RDONLY|O_LARGEFILE) = 69
fstat64(69, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0600, st_size=10799, ...}) = 0
mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb353c000
read(69, "\211PNG\r\n\32\n\0\0\0\rIHDR\0\0\0\200\0\0\0`\10\6\0\0"..., 4096) = 4096
_llseek(69, 0, [0], SEEK_SET) = 0
read(69, "\211PNG\r\n\32\n\0\0\0\rIHDR\0\0\0\200\0\0\0`\10\6\0\0"..., 4096) = 4096
read(69, "c\370|0\223&\205\256\320\336\222C\211 \f\20\3\37b\31\262"..., 4096) = 4096
read(69, "}\207\tV\27\321\215\300\272\210\244\202#\300\364\f$2\346"..., 4096) = 2607
close(69) = 0
munmap(0xb353c000, 4096) = 0
lstat64("/usr/share/backgrounds/heron-simple.png", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=366322, ...}) = 0
time(NULL) = 1212820970
open("/home/sevk/.thumbnails/normal/1c335075f7a1aa185ad9cbecab81fd13.png", O_RDONLY|O_LARGEFILE) = 69
fstat64(69, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0600, st_size=10799, ...}) = 0
mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb353c000
read(69, "\211PNG\r\n\32\n\0\0\0\rIHDR\0\0\0\200\0\0\0`\10\6\0\0"..., 4096) = 4096
_llseek(69, 0, [0], SEEK_SET) = 0
read(69, "\211PNG\r\n\32\n\0\0\0\rIHDR\0\0\0\200\0\0\0`\10\6\0\0"..., 4096) = 4096
read(69, "c\370|0\223&\205\256\320\336\222C\211 \f\20\3\37b\31\262"..., 4096) = 4096
read(69, "}\207\tV\27\321\215\300\272\210\244\202#\300\364\f$2\346"..., 4096) = 2607
close(69) = 0
munmap(0xb353c000, 4096) = 0
open("/usr/share/backgrounds/heron-simple.png", O_RDONLY|O_LARGEFILE) = 69
fstat64(69, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=366322, ...}) = 0
mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb353c000
read(69, "\211PNG\r\n\32\n\0\0\0\rIHDR\0\0\6@\0\0\4\260\10\6\0\0"..., 4096) = 4096
close(69) = 0
munmap(0xb353c000, 4096) = 0
open("(none)", O_RDONLY|O_LARGEFILE) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
read(3, 0x808d974, 4096) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource tem...

[RoDoLFo TX (rodolfo-inec)]

I can confirm that, still experiencing this gnome-related-bug
I'm not sure that happened using Ubuntu gutsy though

[Kaloyan Todorov (kaloyan.todorov)]

I can confirm that the bug appears when there is a .gtkrc-2.0 file in the home folder. Moving, removing, or renaming the file solves the issue -- at least in my case.
It seems that this file is created - causing the issue to appear - when installing the GTK Qt engine (gtk-qt-engine) and selecting it in the Appearance manager.

[Martin Ammermüller (martin-ammermueller)]

Same here, deleting ~/.gtkrc-2.0 fixed it

[Ansus (neptunia)]

Bug

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-control-center/+bug/240655

marked as duplicate of this bug.

[Ravindran K (ravindran-k)]

yes deleting the ~/.gtkrc-2.0 indeed fixes it.. but I get the below messages

ravi@ravi-desktop:~$ gnome-appearance-properties
/usr/share/themes/Taqua/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:54: Clearlooks configuration option "sunkenmenu" is not supported and will be ignored.
/usr/share/themes/Taqua/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:55: Clearlooks configuration option "menuitemstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
/usr/share/themes/Taqua/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:56: Clearlooks configuration option "listviewitemstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
/usr/share/themes/Taqua/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:57: Clearlooks configuration option "progressbarstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:4: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_about.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:5: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_volume.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:7: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_mic.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:8: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_line-in.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:9: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_attach.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:10: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_book.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:11: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_book.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:12: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_book.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:13: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_book.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:16: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_dialog_info.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:17: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_dialog_question.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:18: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_dialog_error.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:19: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_dialog_warning.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:21: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_dnd.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:22: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_dnd_multiple.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:24: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_add.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:26: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_bold.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:27: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_cancel.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:28: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_cdrom.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:29: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_clear.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:30: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_close.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:31: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_convert.svg"
/usr/share/themes/Cukoo-spit/gtk-2.0/iconrc:32: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "stock_copy.svg...

[Sreejith Kesavan (semk)]

I'm having the same problem and removing the .gtkrc-2.0 fixed this issue. But running "gnome-appearance-properties" in terminal displays

sree@BlueGene:~$ gnome-appearance-properties
/home/sree/.themes/Mac4Lin_MacMenu_Graphite_v0.4/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:2219: Unable to find include file: "icons/iconrc"
/usr/share/themes/Clearlooks-gperfection2/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:52: Clearlooks configuration option "menuitemstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
/usr/share/themes/Clearlooks-gperfection2/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:53: Clearlooks configuration option "listviewitemstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
/usr/share/themes/Clearlooks-gperfection2/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:54: Clearlooks configuration option "progressbarstyle" is not supported and will be ignored.
sree@BlueGene:~$

But it works without any problem.

[Sambit Bikas Pal (sambitbikaspal)]

Same here. Deleting ~/.gtkrc-2.0 solved the problem.

[amahfouz (eldood)]

yep. me too, Deleting ~/.gtkrc-2.0 solved the problem

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

the bug has been fixed upstream now

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

the issue should be fixed in intrepid

[marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra)]

In Intrepid i have same issue today using updated and upgraded Intrepid
i have to remove my $HOME/~/.gtkrc-* to have this issue no more.

Hope this helps

[kelen.chang (kelen-chang)]

i got a similar messages when i open any program's window with terminal
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:82: Murrine configuration option "hilight_ratio" will be deprecated in future releases. Please update this theme to get rid of this warning.
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:111: Murrine configuration option "hilight_ratio" will be deprecated in future releases. Please update this theme to get rid of this warning.
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:140: Murrine configuration option "hilight_ratio" will be deprecated in future releases. Please update this theme to get rid of this warning.
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:176: Murrine configuration option "hilight_ratio" will be deprecated in future releases. Please update this theme to get rid of this warning.
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:210: Murrine configuration option "hilight_ratio" will be deprecated in future releases. Please update this theme to get rid of this warning.

[kelen.chang (kelen-chang)]

and i have no file .gtkrc-2.0 in ~/

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Kelen, your issue is unrelated to this bug report.

[Connie (diacalc)]

Ubuntu 10.04

I've caught this bug.

this - https://bugs.launchpad.net/gnome-control-center/+bug/147045/comments/15 solves the problem.

Here is the content of my .gtkrc-2.0

# -- THEME AUTO-WRITTEN DO NOT EDIT
include "/usr/share/themes/Glossy/gtk-2.0/gtkrc"

include "/home/connie/.gtkrc.mine"

# -- THEME AUTO-WRITTEN DO NOT EDIT

after clearing this file gnome-appearance-properties closes and frees resources. Otherwise it eats CPU.

This happen on two of three user accounts on my home comp. The content of the .gtkrs-2.0 the same.

On the third account there is no .gtkrc-2.0 and g-a-p works normal.