unity8 provides no way or means to access information on USB stick

[ventrical]

Trying several different methods there is just no way that unity8 or any xapps in a container will allow access to information on a USB stick.

entrical@ventrical-MS-7850:~$ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: ventrical-MS-7850 Kernel: 4.8.0-27-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 6.2.0)
           Console: tty 24
           Distro: Ubuntu Zesty Zapus (development branch)
Machine: Device: desktop Mobo: MSI model: B85-G41 PC Mate(MS-7850) v: 1.0
           UEFI: American Megatrends v: V2.8 date: 07/17/2014
CPU: Dual core Intel Pentium G3240 (-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 12399
           clock speeds: max: 3100 MHz 1: 799 MHz 2: 877 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.org 1.18.4 drivers: (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           tty size: 68x26 Advanced Data: N/A out of X
Audio: Card-1 Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-2 Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0
           Sound: ALSA v: k4.8.0-27-generic
Network: Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: e000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full
           mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 160.3GB (30.4% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_MZ7PA128 size: 128.0GB
           ID-2: USB /dev/sdb model: PDM09_32G_B9J2.0 size: 32.3GB

           ID-1: / size: 113G used: 23G (22%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 4.15GB used: 0.01GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 233 Uptime: 1:25 Memory: 1300.0/3813.7MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 6.2.1
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.51) inxi: 2.3.4
ventrical@ventrical-MS-7850:~$

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.04
Package: unity8 8.15+17.04.20161129-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-27.29-generic 4.8.1
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-27-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity:Unity8
Date: Thu Dec 1 19:59:16 2016
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-10-06 (56 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.10 "Yakkety Yak" - Alpha amd64 (20161006)
SourcePackage: unity8
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Michał Sawicz (saviq)]

unity8 doesn't know/deal with any of that. Adding libertine as affected, content-hub may need to be involved, too.

[ventrical (dale-f-beaudoin)]

well then perhaps xmir also. We really can't transfer video/audio from USB sticks unless we use unity7 backdoor and that is a lot of down time. Is why I filed against unity8-desktop-session. My mistake then for assuming that it has something to do with reading USB data from USB drives and storage devices.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

We could possibly merge this with bug 1539957.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Also this is not a Libertine bug. Running nautilus natively in Mir (no Xmir required) is somewhat possible already. I think it should be a Unity8 bug still since we're no longer in the business of multi-process desktop shells, so Unity8 is the right target. Although we could merge with Unity8 bug 1539957 instead.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Sorry, this bug is quite confused in its definition.

Is the requirement to simply access USB via some file manager in Unity8, or is the requirement specifically that Xmir apps be able to access such devices?

Those are different requirements with different solutions.

[Stephen M. Webb (bregma)]

The Libertine problem is going to be a different problem tracked separately in bug #1647006. This particular problem is more likely because the usual Gnome session daemons are not run in the non-Gnome Unity 8 desktop session.

[ventrical (dale-f-beaudoin)]

This bug is across several from factors. Using inxi in xterm (within a container) the USB can be identified. With gnome-disk-utility it recognizes /sdb as Block Device. If there is an .ISO on the device it will recognize the header but there seems to be no share or no network with the USB device.

Other xapps that can identify /sdb show a 32K partition on the drive .. none that I have seen before using standard ubuntu or any other desktop or app for that matter. So it appears that there is a pre-emptive 32K buffer of some sort that is blocking a link with the USB?

Regards..

[ventrical (dale-f-beaudoin)]

@vanvugt

"Sorry, this bug is quite confused in its definition.

Is the requirement to simply access USB via some file manager in Unity8, or "

Yes. Exactly. I have been testing unity8 all through the xenial/yakkety cycles when it first became available as a technical preview. I have been testing unity8+mir since it's inception on again/off again. The inability of nautilus (or any USB related app) to read/write files from USB directly from the unity8 desktop really cripples one's ability to keep a viable testing work-flow going. This also includes Libertine container fails. As I mentioned at ubuntuforums we currently have to use unity7 as a backdoor to install audio/video files.

Another example (as I continue to experiment with Libertine) is that there is no way to restore an ISO to a USB stick unless we log off, go to ubuntu-desktop, log in and use 'disks' or mkusb there.

This has been a systemic problem.. even during testing ubuntu_personal.img

  I am not sure if you developers have been able to circumvent this problem but there are certainly problems at Development Version Testing. Is there an existing tool we can use?

Regards..

Dale Beaudoin
Ubuntu Development Version Testing team Captain (U+1)

[ventrical (dale-f-beaudoin)]

@bregma

"

The Libertine problem is going to be a different problem tracked separately in bug #1647006. This particular problem is more likely because the usual Gnome session daemons are not run in the non-Gnome Unity 8 desktop session."

I thought we were using X when we open a container? Now I am confused. Sorry if I sound disrespectful but not being able to access a USB using an xapp via containers makes the whole concept useless.. unless we are cloud computing. I thought this was supposed to be convergence ... not divergence to the cloud and not all users want to use snappy or snap apps while in a container. While I must admit that so far Libertine and unity8 have made leaps and bounds in excellence I feel strongly that this USB problem has to be remedied ASAP across both unity8 and containers.

Regards..

[Christopher Townsend (townsend)]

Here are my thoughts on this...

First an foremost, particularly on the desktop, Unity 8 should have some native way of viewing files on USB devices. There is not a very usable native file manager available on Unity 8 desktop, so that is problem number 1. Hopefully when full Gtk support is added and the ability to easily discover Gtk apps in U8 is implemented, something like Nautilus will just work.

The second problem, since there is not a very usable file manager, is using a Libertine container with some X file manager. This problem is probably more difficult to solve because we use unprivileged LXC's for Libertine on U8 desktop and due to how unprivileged LXC's work, access to USB (and SD card) file systems via bind mounts, is currently very difficult to achieve. We've spent time trying to make that work and had to de-prioritize it due the non-trivial nature of getting something to work. We are not LXC developers, so trying to get that to work is a very tall mountain to climb:)

[ventrical (dale-f-beaudoin)]

@townsend

"First an foremost, particularly on the desktop, Unity 8 should have some native way of viewing files on USB devices. There is not a very usable native file manager available on Unity 8 desktop, so that is problem number 1. Hopefully when full Gtk support is added and the ability to easily discover Gtk apps in U8 is implemented, something like Nautilus will just work."

Thank you for your comments. I have (and still do) assume that this is par for the course. So, from your comments can I safely conclude that it is a matter of time when Gtk will be implemented - that this problem will be solved. Could you provide a rough timeline as to when this support feature will be implemented?
Secondly:- are there any ppas that devs are experimenting with, related to the above problem, that we at (U+1) can also use?

"The second problem, since there is not a very usable file manager, is using a Libertine container with some X file manager. This problem is probably more difficult to solve because we use unprivileged LXC's for Libertine on U8 desktop and due to how unprivileged LXC's work, access to USB (and SD card) file systems via bind mounts, is currently very difficult to achieve. We've spent time trying to make that work and had to de-prioritize it due the non-trivial nature of getting something to work. We are not LXC developers, so trying to get that to work is a very tall mountain to climb:)"

Yes... thank you for your perspective on this. In one sense it may defeat the purpose of having a secure container that can access read/write USB pendrives but in another sense it should be a hallmark feature of what Libertine/Containers can provide to mobile devices, IoT and thin clients. An example would be running a live persistent drive of Zesty on a thin client - or any thin client because the resources a container uses is so small as well as the memory and end_users would still be able to run legacy debian apps through xapps. One may make the observation that this is a preference or a "wish list" item but I must emphasize that competition is fierce and ubuntu/canonical is in a unique position to make this convergence happen. We have to prioritize this bug and get this working while the iron is hot. Otherwise it may alienate many users and prospects because sound, trusted, familiar and classical features are absent and not included. If we exclude familiarity we infringe on userspace. Maybe it is a mountain that must be scaled :)

regards..

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

OK, rather than merging with bug 1539957, just be aware of it as the solution is likely to be related to this one.

[ventrical (dale-f-beaudoin)]

@vanvugt

Nice work !

I am going to try the similar string with gnome-disk-utility and see if I can restore a drive.

Regards

[dino99 (9d9)]

That version is now dead
http://news.softpedia.com/news/ubuntu-17-04-zesty-zapus-has-reached-end-of-life-upgrade-to-ubuntu-17-10-now-519360.shtml

Project unity8 is now off