"Error: HUD service not connected" when opening HUD

[nLinked]

I get this error in the typing box when I press Alt to open the HUD:

Error: HUD service not connected

Typing anything returns no results for any app. I upgraded from Ubuntu 11.10 32-bit to 12.04. I use Ubuntu Unity 2D. Everything is updated.

In Unity 3D, the HUD does say "Type your command", but typing anything still returns nothing when it should, and a little circle spins on the left of the text as if it was trying to look for something.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Alex Moldovan (alexmoldovan)]

Does "unity --reset" solve the issue?

[nLinked (nlinked-deactivatedaccount)]

Afraid not. If I run that command in Unity 2D, it changes me to Unity 3D. I log out and back into 2D, but the HUD error still appears in the typing box.

[rbaleksandar (redbaronqueen)]

I can confirm this bug too. I did an upgrade and get this error ever since I first logged in. I also did a fresh install on another computer and still the same problem.

[Malcolm Greaves (greaves-malcolm)]

This bug persists in 12.04 LTS running Unity 2D on a MacBook Pro 5,2. It is not a consistent bug, however. For me, this bug appeared after I did a clean install (for completely unrelated X server reasons). My first 12.04 install was fine -- no HUD issues whatsoever.

[Malcolm Greaves (greaves-malcolm)]

I tried Alex's suggestion (unity --rest), however, it did not work. Unity --reset re-launched unity as unity 3D, not unity 2D (which is what I need). The HUD more broken under unity 3D -- it still doesn't work, but it also doesn't display the "hud not connected" error.

Does anyone know why it can't find the ".service" files it's looking for (see attachment)??field.comment=I tried Alex's suggestion (unity --rest), however, it did not work. Unity --reset re-launched unity as unity 3D, not unity 2D (which is what I need). The HUD more broken under unity 3D -- it still doesn't work, but it also doesn't display the "hud not connected" error.

Does anyone know why it can't find the ".service" files it's looking for (see attachment)?

[Malcolm Greaves (greaves-malcolm)]

bump

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

People here: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity/+question/195972 are also seeing something similar.

[Michael Zaugg (AOI) (it-oas)]

Did anyone with this issue try to (re-)install indicator-appmenu?

  sudo apt-get install indicator-appmenu

After this (re-login first) HUD also worked on Unity 2D.
Details see: http://askubuntu.com/q/126295/10475