[intrepid] Can only login using failsafe Gnome: "unable to open file '/usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap' for reading"

[Motin]

After upgrading Ubunt from 8.04 to 8.10, everything seems to work well.
But some problem happens and I can't figure out the reason.
I fail to start gnome session. When I start Ubuntu, error massage appears.
 It says, "/usr/bin/xmodmap: unable to open file '/usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap' for reading
/usr/bin/xmodmap: 1 error encountered, aborting."
I have to change to safemode to start Ubuntu.
After login, I look over the /usr/share/apps folder. But I can find neither "kxkb" folder nor "ubunt.xmodmap ".
Would you help me solve the problem?
Thank you.

The only way to access the desktop is to use the failsafe Gnome session.

[yu2 (shecoyu2)]

same thing here

[Sven Vranckx (sven-vranckx)]

Same happens here, but only for one of the two users on my system. So one user can login without any problem, but the other user can only login using a gnome safe mode session

[Motin (motin)]

I tried the following to no avail:

 - Removed "im-switch"
 - Installed "kdebase-workspace-bin" as it contains the "kxkb" application
 - Created an empty /usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap directory and file

No help...

Please can anyone help us get this sorted out?

[Joseph (shockpaneater)]

Hello,everyone.

I was confronted with the same problem, too.
And, it was solved by the following procedures.

I found a file "80ubuntu-xmodmap" in /etc/X11/Xsession.d/

I moved "80ubuntu-xmodmap" to other directory.

so I can login without using "failsafe gnome" session.

try it and good luck！

[Motin (motin)]

Thanks man! That did the trick!

As for the file, it supposedly has an attempt not to lock up the login routine:

# The "|| true" is to ensure that the Xsession script does not terminate on error
/usr/bin/xmodmap /usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap || true

Apparently, this doesn't work too well... I guess this is the real bug in this matter.

[Motin (motin)]

A better solution than removing this file, is to change:

/usr/bin/xmodmap /usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap || true

Into:

if [ -f /usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap ]; then
        /usr/bin/xmodmap /usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap || true
fi

Maybe this can be done for the Jaunty Xsession scripts?

[Motin (motin)]

Bah, was too quick with the cheering there...

This did get rid of the error message "/usr/bin/xmodmap: unable to open file '/usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap' for reading
/usr/bin/xmodmap: 1 error encountered, aborting."

But I still can't login normally. The remaining ~/.xsession-errors :

/etc/gdm/Xsession: Beginning session setup...
Setting IM through im-switch for locale=sv_SE.
Start IM through /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/default linked to /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/default.

[Dave Gilbert (ubuntu-treblig)]

at least 4 reporters of the same problem.
Changed package to kdebase-workspace-bin since this seems to relate to the missing file ?

[Motin (motin)]

I don't think this is a problem with the kxkb file, as I removed it wholly and the problem persists. More likely this is some bug with the X init script - at least in the aspect of making it seemingly impossible to get a correct error description of what is actually failing.

[Motin (motin)]

Finally I have had time to look at this more.

I compared my install with a chrooted intrepid install with the same packages as my system (so as to get a good reference to default configuration files).

I also did the same with a new user on the system, comparing all user settings directories.

In the end, I removed these three files:
~/.Xauthority
~/.Xscrc
~/.xsession

...logged out and could log back in without problems!

[Motin (motin)]

I have found at least the real bug with my login. .xsession was empty (0 bytes), and the following introduced the bug again:

touch ~/.xsession

Removing it:

rm ~/.xsession

...then enables login again without using the failsafe option.

Is this the same for you others?

[ginoroman (ginoroman)]

SOLVED:

go to: /usr/share/apps/

and create a new folder: kxkb

then go to: /etc/X11/Xsession.d/

copy the file: 80ubuntu-xmodmap

and paste it to: /usr/share/apps/kxkb/

finally change the name of "80ubuntu-xmodmap" to: "ubuntu-xmodmap" or "ubuntu.xmodmap" I didn't remeber very well but i think that is the first option: "ubuntu-xmodmap"

Remember to do all this as root.

[Chad Miller (cmiller)]

Hi all. I have the correct solution for you who find your Compose/Multi key not working. The gist is that KDE put its fingers in the fray, and when you removed some KDE program, it left behind commands in 'conffiles' that empty your modmap additions.

The /etc/X11/Xsession.d/80ubuntu-xmodmap file is created by kdebase-bin . Make sure you can remove 'kdebase-bin' package, and its conf files. Either of:

    $ sudo dpkg -P kdebase-bin
    $ apt-get remove --purge kdebase-bin

If you can rid your system of it, you may continue. If not, then this doesn't apply to you.

(AFAICT) That conffile was somehow orphaned not long ago. Even though you remove the package, the orphaned conffile may still exist. Check. If '/etc/X11/Xsession.d/80ubuntu-xmodmap' still exists and

    $ dpkg -S /etc/X11/Xsession.d/80ubuntu-xmodmap

says nothing owns it, then you may remove it.

After you log in next time, your compose key should work.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automatic notification.]

Hi Motin,

This bug was reported against an earlier version of Ubuntu, can you
test if it still occurs on Lucid?

Please note we also provide technical support for older versions of
Ubuntu, but not in the bug tracker. Instead, to raise the issue through
normal support channels, please see:

    http://www.ubuntu.com/support

If you are the original reporter and can still reproduce the issue on
Lucid, please run the following command to refresh the report:

  apport-collect 300028

If you are not the original reporter, please file a new bug report, so
we can work with you as the original reporter instead (you can reference
bug 300028 in your report if you think it may be related):

  ubuntu-bug xorg

If by chance you can no longer reproduce the issue on Lucid or if you
feel it is no longer relevant, please mark the bug report 'Fix Released'
or 'Invalid' as appropriate, at the following URL:

  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/300028

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter. However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.

[Patrick Welche (prlw1)]

I just saw this bug on natty 11.04, BUT, I also added ppa:gnome3-team/gnome3.

> dpkg -S /etc/X11/Xsession.d/80ubuntu-xmodmap
kdebase-bin: /etc/X11/Xsession.d/80ubuntu-xmodmap