A seemingly harmless assertion error, but ...

[John Winterton]

(synaptic:4479): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkNotebook 0x136f4a0 is mapped but visible child GtkLabel 0x1561620 is not mapped

(synaptic:4479): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkNotebook 0x136f4a0 is mapped but visible child GtkLabel 0x1603850 is not mapped

(synaptic:4479): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkNotebook 0x136f4a0 is mapped but visible child GtkLabel 0x164c160 is not mapped

Multiple times (a whole page full of this) seems to be in some kind of recoverable loop, but may be symtomatic of some error or omission.

Description: Ubuntu 13.04
Release: 13.04
synaptic:
  Installed: 0.80~exp2raring1
  Candidate: 0.80~exp2raring1
  Version table:
 *** 0.80~exp2raring1 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     0.80~exp2 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring/universe amd64 Packages

This only occurs when starting the program with "sudo synaptic" as far as I have determined. Implementors are not testing thoroughly. No message is truly harmless.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: synaptic 0.80~exp2raring1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-25.37-generic 3.8.13
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-25-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.1
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Jul 10 10:31:16 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-10-22 (260 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: synaptic
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-04-25 (75 days ago)

[Daniel Letzeisen (dtl131)]

'sudo synaptic' is not a good idea: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo#Graphical_sudo
Does this happen when using 'gksu/gksudo synaptic' command?

[John Winterton (jwinterton)]

Yes, and at the same location. Calling the GUI directly doesn't do this using the icon, but we know why that is, do we not? All this then goes to the big bit bucket in the sky.

Software QA means no bugs and no warnings of any kind. Letting something go when it seems harmless will turn around and bite you some day.

One of the most annoying things that is happening in Ubuntu is the attempt to hide stuff from the users and modify or remove some tools because they are 'advanced' or 'out-moded'. The end-user is the one who should decide what tools he wants, and sitting in a design meeting with everyone on the same wavelength is not the way to do it. When a program works, it should be left alone. Re-inventing wheels because someone doesn't like the taste of it, is not the way to fly.

P.S. The Unity desktop is not a good idea. All those icons just clutter up my desktop. So I am using the Gnome fallback desktop, and I hope you don't decide to eliminate that. There should be a general halt in trying to emulate the Microsoft desktop. It just confuses everyone.

[Daniel Letzeisen (dtl131)]

"Yes, and at the same location."

How would I go about reproducing this?

(As for the rest of your post, this isn't the place for that sort of thing.)

[John Winterton (jwinterton)]

Sorry, I was feeling a little put upon at the moment.

To reproduce this error open a session in Gnome fallback desktop, then open the standard console.

Enter one of:

sudo syntapic

or

gksu syntapic

After entering your password you should get this problem. The start up of syntapic seems to iterate over some loop that produces this message several times.

I've been in computers for over 50 years and my experience tells me that ignoring things like this is a dangerous thing. Whoever was last assigned to this program did not do a thorough quality check and this kind of thing is disturbing with a program that needs to be utterly trusted.

Now, the solution to this could be simply the removal of a bad assertion, or it might be worth tracking down why that assertion is there. Some item is, in the opinion of the programmer who put it there essential and incorrect. Putting an assertion in a loop certainly calls attention to it when it fails.

[John Winterton (jwinterton)]

Oops. s/synapic/synaptic/

[John Winterton (jwinterton)]

I really wish one could edit these posts. My typwriter is not working well this morning.

[Daniel Letzeisen (dtl131)]

Yes, editing ability would be nice..
Anyway, I couldn't reproduce it in my Raring VM, even running under gnome-fallback (tried with and without effects).