indicator-application does not work in MATE 1.8

[Vlad Orlov]

Ubuntu version: Xubuntu 14.04 LTS
indicator-application-gtk2 version: 12.10.0.1-0ubuntu2

Steps to reproduce:

1. Install Xubuntu 14.04
2. Install MATE 1.8 from https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-mate-dev/+archive/ubuntu/trusty-mate
3. Install mate-indicator-applet (a container for the indicators) and add it to MATE panel
4. Install indicator-application-gtk2

What expected to happen:

Working indicator-application-gtk2, displaying the network manager icon in mate-indicator-applet area.
At the same time, the network manager icon should disappear from the notification area.

What happened instead:

The indicator-application-gtk2 apparently does not run.
No network manager icon is displayed in mate-indicator-applet area.
The network manager icon is still displayed in the notification area.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

Exactly the same behavior in Xubuntu 14.10 with MATE 1.8 installed from Ubuntu repositories.

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

I've compiled indicator-application-gtk2 from source and found out there's indicator-application-service executable which doesn't make it to the package. It can be found only in the src subdir after the compilation.

If I run it manually, I get this:

$ ./indicator-application-service

(process:16085): libindicator-WARNING **: No watchers, service timing out.

(process:16085): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 20 was not found when attempting to remove it

Then it exits.

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

Installed Ubuntu MATE Remix 14.10 alpha 2, did the same steps.
The result is the same: indicator-application does not work.

[Martin Wimpress (flexiondotorg)]

After installing Ubuntu MATE Alpha 2, do the following:

    sudo apt-get install mate-indicator-applet indicator-sound-gtk2

Then right click on a panel and select `Add to Panel...` and choose Indicator Applet or Indicator Applet complete from the menu. You will now see the sound-indicator, roving that mate-indicator-applet works.

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

What? indicator-sound? The report is about indicator-application.

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

Ok, it turned out someone disabled the packaging of the needed service files, so the GTK+2 version of indicator-application was never supposed to work.
I've re-enabled it, and now indicator-application-gtk2 works fine in MATE. The patch is in the attachment.

If you find any conflicts with GTK+3 version of indicator-application, let me know, I'll rename the service (like it has been done for indicator-sound-gtk2). But as for now, I don't see the need for it.

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

Adding a screenshot just to illustrate it works (see the new position and menu of network manager applet in the upper right corner).

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

The attachment "This patch re-includes the needed service files in indicator-application-gtk2 package." seems to be a patch. If it isn't, please remove the "patch" flag from the attachment, remove the "patch" tag, and if you are a member of the ~ubuntu-reviewers, unsubscribe the team.

[This is an automated message performed by a Launchpad user owned by ~brian-murray, for any issues please contact him.]

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

Ok, I've tested it on another Xubuntu 14.04 system where both Xfce and MATE are installed, so the different kinds of indicator-application are in use (Xfce uses GTK+3 one, MATE uses GTK+2 one). Both work fine, no any conflicts found.

[Martin Wimpress (flexiondotorg)]

@Monsta thanks for your help. I've create a branch of `indicator-application-gtk2` that includes your fixes.

  * https://code.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-mate-dev/indicator-application/indicator-application-gtk2-mate

I've also created an experimental PPA where you'll find builds of the revised `indicator-application-gtk2`.

  * https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-mate-dev/+archive/ubuntu/crazy-mate

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

Martin, I see that indicator-application-gtk2 version 12.10.0.1-0ubuntu3~utopic1 (in Ubuntu MATE 14.10) displays network-manager applet fine, and all its menu items work fine as well.
So it can be considered fixed I guess?

[Martin Wimpress (flexiondotorg)]

This needs merging into the official package for the 15.04 archive before it can be considered fixed :-)

[Martin Wimpress (flexiondotorg)]

Merge proposal submitted.

  * https://code.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-mate-dev/indicators-gtk2/indicator-application-gtk2/+merge/244116

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

I'm on Ubuntu 12.04.5 with MATE PPAs and mate-indicator-applet (1.8.0-4~ppa1~precise1), indicator-application-gtk2 (0.5.0-0ubuntu1).
It seems that there is no bug here.

[Vlad Orlov (monsta)]

Indeed, 0.5.0 is so ancient that it might be free of this bug :D

[tr33m4n (tr33m4n)]

I checked Martin's ppa, no sign of the revised indicator-application-gtk2 build. Anyone know when this will be pushed out to 14.10 users? Or will it ever? Would like to use entirely indicator applets rather than the messy (and somewhat unsupported by themes/icons etc) "notification area"

[Martin Wimpress (flexiondotorg)]

Indicator support is enabled by default in Ubuntu MATE 14.04 and is a post-install option for Ubuntu MATE 14.10 and 15.04. I will continue to provide in for 14.10 and 15.04 via my PPAs and documentation explaining how to enable indicators. But, for the time being, I am not going to add indicator support by default. I'll revisit indicator integration at a later date.