indicator-messages is not shown in mate-panel on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS MATE and 16.04 LTS MATE

[Norbert]

it is known that messaging menu returned in Ubuntu MATE 16.10 (https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/messaging-menu-is-making-a-return-in-16-10/7268/9), but there is no such menu in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS MATE even with ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/xenial-mate enabled.

Steps to reproduce:
1a. Install Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS MATE (https://ubuntu-mate.org/trusty/).
1b. Install Ubuntu 16.04 LTS MATE.

2. Install 'indicator-applet-complete' and 'indicator-messages' packages
3. Add Indicator Applet Complete to the mate-panel.
4a. Launch Thunderbird - this should enable Envelope/Letter icon in 'mate-panel'
4b. Launch Thunderbird - this should enable Envelope/Letter icon in 'mate-panel' and set corresponding config (check with "dconf read /com/canonical/indicator/messages/applications" = "['thunderbird.desktop']").

Expected results:
Envelope/Letter ('indicator-messages') icon is shown in 'indicator-applet-complete' inside 'mate-panel' and is usable by Thunderbird or mailnag.

Actual results:
Envelope/Letter ('indicator-messages') is not shown and is not usable.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Installing MATE 1.16.1 from ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/xenial-mate does not
help.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

I still can't indicator-messages applet (with MailNag) on Ubuntu MATE 16.04. Any ideas?

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Working temporary solution for 14.04.2 MATE is below.
In brief:
1. install indicator stuff (libindicate-gtk3, libindicate5, python-indicate, python-support).
2. get old packages from Ubuntu 12.04 (libindicator-messages-status-provider1, indicator-messages, indicator-messages-gtk2).
3. test with Popper (https://launchpad.net/~ralf.hersel/+archive/ubuntu/rhersel-ppa).

### for 14.04 MATE
sudo apt-get install libindicate-gtk3 libindicate5 python-indicate python-support

cd ~/Downloads
wget http://ppa.launchpad.net/ralf.hersel/rhersel-ppa/ubuntu/pool/main/p/popper/popper_0.31.3-0ubuntu1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i popper_0.31.3-0ubuntu1_all.deb

wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/i/indicator-messages/libindicator-messages-status-provider1_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i libindicator-messages-status-provider1_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb

wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/i/indicator-messages/indicator-messages_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i indicator-messages_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb

wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/i/indicator-messages/indicator-messages-gtk2_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i indicator-messages-gtk2_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb

Go to Applications -> Internet -> Popper (or launch popper-config).
Popper will work, check and indicate new e-mails as on Ubuntu 12.04.5 LTS.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

For 14.04 do not forget to set packages pin:

cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/pin-indicators
[ /etc/apt/preferences.d/pin-indicators ]
Package: indicator-messages
Pin: version 0.6.0-0ubuntu2
Pin-Priority: -10

Package: indicator-messages-gtk2
Pin: version 0.6.0-0ubuntu2
Pin-Priority: -10

Package: libindicator-messages-status-provider1
Pin: version 0.6.0-0ubuntu2
Pin-Priority: -10

Package: popper
Pin: version 0.31.3-0ubuntu1
Pin-Priority: -10

EOF

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Working 16.04 MATE solution is below.
In brief:
1. install indicator stuff (libindicate-gtk3, libindicate5, python-indicate, python-gnomekeyring, python-notify).
2. get old packages from Ubuntu 12.04 (python-support, libindicator-messages-status-provider1, indicator-messages, indicator-messages-gtk2).
3. test with Popper (https://launchpad.net/~ralf.hersel/+archive/ubuntu/rhersel-ppa).

### for 16.04 MATE
sudo apt-get install libindicate-gtk3 libindicate5 python-indicate python-gnomekeyring python-notify

cd ~/Downloads
wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/p/python-support/python-support_1.0.14ubuntu2_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i python-support_1.0.14ubuntu2_all.deb

wget http://ppa.launchpad.net/ralf.hersel/rhersel-ppa/ubuntu/pool/main/p/popper/popper_0.31.3-0ubuntu1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i popper_0.31.3-0ubuntu1_all.deb

wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/i/indicator-messages/libindicator-messages-status-provider1_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i libindicator-messages-status-provider1_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb

wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/i/indicator-messages/indicator-messages_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i indicator-messages_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb

wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/i/indicator-messages/indicator-messages-gtk2_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i indicator-messages-gtk2_0.6.0-0ubuntu2_i386.deb

Launch mate-tweak: Panel (Interface) -> Enable indicators.

Go to Applications -> Internet -> Popper (or launch popper-config).
Popper will work, check and indicate new e-mails as on Ubuntu 12.04.5 LTS.

For 16.04 do not forget to set packages pin:
cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/pin-indicators
Package: indicator-messages
Pin: version 0.6.0-0ubuntu2
Pin-Priority: 1337

Package: indicator-messages-gtk2
Pin: version 0.6.0-0ubuntu2
Pin-Priority: 1337

Package: libindicator-messages-status-provider1
Pin: version 0.6.0-0ubuntu2
Pin-Priority: 1337

Package: popper
Pin: version 0.31.3-0ubuntu1
Pin-Priority: 1337

Package: python-support
Pin: version 1.0.14ubuntu2
Pin-Priority: 1337

EOF

[Martin Wimpress  (flexiondotorg)]

This was fixed in MATE Tweak release sometime during the Ubuntu MATE 16.10 development cycle.