Applications Lens (and apps in the Dash) not immediately available after login

[Christopher Kyle Horton]

When I login to Ubuntu 11.10 on my Toshiba Satellite A505 laptop, the Applications Lens is not immediately available after login for about 10 seconds or so. Also, during this time applications cannot be started through a general search in the Dash until this lens starts.

If I know right away after login what application I want to start, but it's not pinned to the launcher beforehand, then I must wait each time to start that application or any other unpinned app, which can be annoying.

This issue was not present in Ubuntu 11.04 (which this machine was upgraded from).

See attached screenshot, taken shortly after login, for an example.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: unity-lens-applications 0.4.12-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Oct 17 20:38:52 2011
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: unity-lens-applications
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-15 (2 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Sebastian Schlegel (schlegel)]

In my case the applications don't become availiable by itself. I often have to do a "unity --replace" to make the dash work. My machine was also upgraded from Natty.

[Christopher Kyle Horton (christhehorton)]

From further testing, I must say that to a lesser extent this problem also affects some of the other lenses, such as the Gwibber Lens and Files Lens, but those typically come up more quickly. Also, the wait for the Applications Lens to appear can extend to as much as 30 seconds in some cases (or in one extreme case I had while trying to set up my machine for lecture, a whole minute).

[Martin Vysny (vyzivus)]

I'm using unity2d and I am also affected by this problem. Sometimes, the application lense won't even start, or it seem to start 30 minutes or so.

[Alex Lewis (alexlewis-deactivatedaccount)]

I can confirm that I have exactly the same behaviour as described in the original post, matches screenshot. I thought it was just me until I found this bug.

Please let me know if any further information is required.

[John Williams (john-williams43)]

Yup I am in the same boat. The lens works in other user profiles immediately. I have tried reseting user to default settings to no avail. Is there any work around to find apps? Help

[Sebastian Schlegel (schlegel)]

Workaround: Open terminal, type "unity --replace". Apps should be available now. But I have to admit that the bug didn't occur in the last few weeks.

[Marius B. Kotsbak (mariusko)]

Related or the same as bug #872219?

[alkamid (adamkli)]

This bug disappeared on my Ubuntu 11.10 sometime in early March.

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

thanks for your bug report. Is that still an issue in Ubuntu 12.04? Can you please test that and let us know?

[Christopher Kyle Horton (christhehorton)]

I am now on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS on my laptop and I can no longer reproduce this. Thanks!

[Martin Vysny (vyzivus)]

I confirm that I can no longer reproduce this issue on any of my PCs.

[Alex Lewis (alexlewis-deactivatedaccount)]

I too can confirm that 12.04 has resolved the issue for me.