Variety fails to start without libappindicator, even though it should be optional

[mookey41]

Variety 0.6.1 cannot be installed on Fedora 25 Gnome (x64), since there is no rpm package. I enabled some of other repositories, with no luck.

I have tried compiling it from the latest source, with all the python extensions, but even after it's successfully installed (or with errors), Variety appears in the system but it doesn't run.

[James Lu (jlu5)]

Firstly, I'm not sure why you're interested in Variety 0.6.1 in particular: the newest version is 0.6.4? Also, which errors are particular are you getting on install?

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

Tried the newest, same thing.

[James Lu (jlu5)]

Yes, but what errors specifically are you getting? Paste what you're getting on your terminal here, for example.

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

I am able to compile from source, I:

Downloaded the tar.gz
Extracted
Ran python setup.py install
Installed with errors, does not run.
(as instructed on: https://ask.fedoraproject.org/en/question/52979/how-to-install-variety-on-fedora-20/

There were some dependecies issues, but this way I installed all of them, and the isntallation went through.

Variety is listed in Gnome, but I cannot start it. Running it from terminal lists:

usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/__init__.py:108: PyGIWarning: Gtk was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk, GObject # pylint: disable=E0611
/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/VarietyWindow.py:27: PyGIWarning: Notify was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Notify', '0.7') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk, GdkPixbuf, GObject, Gio, Notify # pylint: disable=E0611
/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/AddPanoramioDialog.py:19: PyGIWarning: WebKit was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('WebKit', '3.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import Gtk, WebKit, GObject # pylint: disable=E0611
/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/QuoteWriter.py:19: PyGIWarning: PangoCairo was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('PangoCairo', '1.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import Gdk, Pango, PangoCairo, GdkPixbuf, GObject
This version of Variety is outdated and unsupported. Please upgrade. Quitting.

[Peter Levi (peterlevi)]

Hm, where did you download the tar.gz from?

You are trying to run version 0.6.3, it had a time bomb (stupid idea, you were right all along, James :). The error is the last line in the log. This time bomb is not present in 0.6.4.

Please use that - either checkout trunk (bzr branch lp:variety), or get the tar from https://launchpad.net/variety/trunk/0.6.4/+download/variety_0.6.4-0-589-201704290523.tar.gz

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

Same result.

This is the attempt to install from setup.py

# python setup.py install
No protocol specified

** (setup.py:3968): WARNING **: Could not open X display
/home/gtomas/Pictures/variety-0.6.4/variety_lib/Builder.py:19: PyGIWarning: Gtk was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import GObject, Gtk # pylint: disable=E0611
running install
running build
running build_py
copying variety_lib/varietyconfig.py -> build/lib/variety_lib
running build_scripts
running build_i18n
intltool-update -p -g variety
running build_icons
running build_help
running install_lib
copying build/lib/variety_lib/varietyconfig.py -> /usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety_lib
byte-compiling /usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety_lib/varietyconfig.py to varietyconfig.pyc
running install_scripts
changing mode of /usr/bin/variety to 755
running install_data
running install_egg_info
Removing /usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety-0.6.4-py2.7.egg-info
Writing /usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety-0.6.4-py2.7.egg-info
WARNING: the following files are not recognized by DistUtilsExtra.auto:
  Variety.iml

[Peter Levi (peterlevi)]

No errors here, only warnings.
If you install the dependencies, Variety will work (hopefully...).
You might be able to run "python setup.py bdist" to build an rpm, but this is not needed.
You may just run it directly from wherever you checked it out, without running setup.py at all.

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

However, when I try to run it:

Could not open X display
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/variety", line 38, in <module>
    import variety
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/__init__.py", line 111, in <module>
    from variety import VarietyWindow
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/VarietyWindow.py", line 73, in <module>
    from variety import indicator
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/indicator.py", line 31, in <module>
    gi.require_version('AppIndicator3', '0.1')
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/gi/__init__.py", line 118, in require_version
    raise ValueError('Namespace %s not available' % namespace)
ValueError: Namespace AppIndicator3 not available

[James Lu (jlu5)]

This issue is not related to Fedora (no official .rpm exists)

[Peter Levi (peterlevi)]

This still needs to be fixed. It's introduced in 0.6.4. Previous version
did not have these require calls. Until I fix this, you may try version
0.6.2, it does not have the time bomb and does not have this hard
requirement. Ignore the gtk-related warnings you'll get.

On May 15, 2017 7:16 PM, "James Lu" <email address hidden> wrote:

> This issue is not related to Fedora (no official .rpm exists)
>
> ** Changed in: fedora
> Status: New => Invalid
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to
> Variety.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1690763
>
> Title:
> Variety cannot be installed on Fedora 25 even after following
> instructions on compiling
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/variety/+bug/1690763/+subscriptions
>

[James Lu (jlu5)]

Or, perhaps try installing libappindicator-gtk3 if you're on Fedora?

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

Maybe there's issues with dependecies, although I believe I have resolved all of them. I've tried the 0.6.2 version and I get the following, when trying to run it. I will try to dig in once i have time, must be a python issue.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/variety", line 38, in <module>
    import variety
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/__init__.py", line 111, in <module>
    from variety import VarietyWindow
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/VarietyWindow.py", line 73, in <module>
    from variety import indicator
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/indicator.py", line 31, in <module>
    gi.require_version('AppIndicator3', '0.1')
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/gi/__init__.py", line 118, in require_version
    raise ValueError('Namespace %s not available' % namespace)
ValueError: Namespace AppIndicator3 not available

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

James, thank you, the solution helped and I got it running. Only the indicator is missing.

Maybe related to:

73, in <module>
    from variety import indicator
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/variety/indicator.py", line 31, in <module>
    gi.require_version('AppIndicator3', '0.1')

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

OK I installed the AppIndicator extension for Gnome, and everything appears to be solid now.

I appreaciate the prompt comments and help in dealing with this matter. I am extremely satisfied will Variety, as it goes unmatched with anything related in the Linux world. I will be making a donation, if possible.

CHeers!

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

Another issue is that the images are set to be zoomed, the background, not centred. I cannot fix this through Fedora.

[mookey41 (redguy41)]

I got that fixed through Gnome.
At times Variety crashes, the indicator disapperas, and it does not load on startup despite the tick. What output can I provide?

[James Lu (jlu5)]

> Another issue is that the images are set to be zoomed, the background, not centred. I cannot fix this through Fedora.

This issue relates to GNOME, not Fedora. Try installing GNOME Tweak Tool for extra wallpaper options.

> I got that fixed through Gnome.
> At times Variety crashes, the indicator disapperas, and it does not load on startup despite the tick. What output can I provide?

For starters, look at ~/.config/variety/variety.log for clues or try to reproduce the crash via the command line. Either way, any specific crashes should be opened as new issues.

[James Lu (jlu5)]

The AppIndicator error from 0.6.4 is fixed in http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~variety/variety/trunk/revision/611, and will be available in the next release