Need Plank Help (It looks rough)

General system Applications
1

Timeline: yesteday. did an update or two. worked from home. no problems. shutdown. bed
Today: work away from home. Come back home. Boot Endeavour. Plank would not launch.
Tried it from “Run”, nothing.
Plank --preferences = nothing

sudo pacman -Rn plank
sudo pacman  -S plank

terminal: NADA. no output no launch.
SUDO terminal, on the other hand:

$ plank
$ sudo plank
[WARN 13:59:18.340082] [Environment:165] XDG_SESSION_CLASS not set in this environment!
[WARN 13:59:18.340133] [Environment:196] XDG_SESSION_TYPE not set in this environment!
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.342950] [Wnck] wnck_set_client_type: changing the client type is not supported.
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.364835] [DBusManager:192] Not able to register our interfaces
[WARN 13:59:18.457749] Unable to get org.ayatana.bamf matcher: Error spawning command line “dbus-launch --autolaunch=5266cb68207c49639612d12b1e416a6a --binary-syntax --close-stderr”: Child process exited with code 1
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.462951] [GLib-GIO] g_dbus_proxy_set_default_timeout: assertion 'G_IS_DBUS_PROXY (proxy)' failed
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.462971] [GLib-GObject] invalid (NULL) pointer instance
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.467540] [GLib-GObject] g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.467547] [GLib-GObject] invalid (NULL) pointer instance
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.472137] [GLib-GObject] g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.472144] [GLib-GObject] invalid (NULL) pointer instance
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.476765] [GLib-GObject] g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.476783] [GLib-GObject] invalid (NULL) pointer instance
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.481635] [GLib-GObject] g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.481643] [GLib-GObject] invalid (NULL) pointer instance
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.486352] [GLib-GObject] g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.486369] [GLib-GObject] invalid (NULL) pointer instance
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.491017] [GLib-GObject] g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.497735] [GLib-GIO] g_dbus_proxy_call_sync_internal: assertion 'G_IS_DBUS_PROXY (proxy)' failed
[WARN 13:59:18.498163] Failed to get running applications: 
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.499062] [GLib] g_error_free: assertion 'error != NULL' failed
[WARN 13:59:18.505401] (Services/Matcher.c:299):plank_matcher_active_launchers: runtime check failed: (_tmp3_ != NULL)
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.509531] [GLib-GIO] g_dbus_proxy_call_sync_internal: assertion 'G_IS_DBUS_PROXY (proxy)' failed
[WARN 13:59:18.509837] Failed to register favorites: 
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.510755] [GLib] g_error_free: assertion 'error != NULL' failed
[WARN 13:59:18.513601] [Unity:92] Error spawning command line “dbus-launch --autolaunch=5266cb68207c49639612d12b1e416a6a --binary-syntax --close-stderr”: Child process exited with code 1
[WARN 13:59:18.515944] [Unity:92] Error spawning command line “dbus-launch --autolaunch=5266cb68207c49639612d12b1e416a6a --binary-syntax --close-stderr”: Child process exited with code 1
[CRITICAL 13:59:18.519266] [DockWindow:298] Retry #1 update_size_and_position() to force requested values!

(plank:2379): dconf-WARNING **: 13:59:21.519: failed to commit changes to dconf: Error spawning command line “dbus-launch --autolaunch=5266cb68207c49639612d12b1e416a6a --binary-syntax --close-stderr”: Child process exited with code 1

Two quick questions: 1) what the he** does all this mean?
and 2) how do I rise Plank from the dead?
thank you

2

Does it launch when you use sudo in the terminal? Or does it just give a bunch of errors?

Also, you probably need to delete/rename your plank config directory at .config/plank and try launching it with your regular user again.

1 Like
3

no launch from sudo.

will try that, thank you

4

there is no config file for plank, just launch stuff text items. let me look in filesystem

5

Other locations are .cache/plank and .local/share/plank.

1 Like
6

both those folders eerily empty. nothing in trash.
worked til about 10. sober. no poking around more than normal (I am the curious cat).

surprised a uninstall/reinstall did not repopulate these folders…

lemme look in ~/xdg folder. and dconf for kicks.

7

HOLY CRAP I tried a ton of stuff and got nowhere.

but idly double-clicking where dock was….launches all the apps…

PLANK IS INVISIBLE. and in its usual position. that’s why plank --preferences also invisible.

What fresh hell is this?

edit: is there a pacman check broken packages command?

8

What’s your DE/WM? And do you have a compositor running?

9

in lxde and using picom by necessity. I amend the picom.conf every other day because changes never stick. we both had that sinking compositor feeling at the same time now. this is likely self-inflicted then. lemme double check all the opactiy stuff. I never made any change in any category (fade, shadows, etc etc) except opacity so maybe this will be easy…

10

So, I know you said there is nothing in the three folders plank folders mentioned before, but try killing plank fully, then delete/rename the three folders and launch plank again.

11

I will try that.
In the meantime, FRESH HELL A BEDTIME STORY:

opened /.config version of plank.conf and chaged the 0 (it’s ALWAYS IN 0 why the problem now?) to 100:

pi
pi741×126 15.5 KB

poof! Plank is back except that awful background is back, that’s why we have picom and we set opacity to 0. Never been a problem before:
pi2

so back to .conf file. Put the 0 back in:
pi3

then glory:
pi4

then reboot:
INVISIBLE PLANK AGAIN.
This is an LXDE ulcer or a PICOM or XDG headache. I need a drink then I will try your remedy :slight_smile:

12

this is the folder:

pl5
pl5822×603 84.5 KB

so trash all this and reboot? I will after dinner.

13

This isn’t Windoze. You don’t need to reboot.

Just delete/rename the three (3) directories *after fully killing plank*, then restart plank.

14

you mean the 3 in the pic: /.config plank and dock1 and launchers?

ccl

edit/or you mean the three in .cache, .config, and .local?

15

The folder .config/plank and

1 Like
16

SOLVED.

am restored. rebooted anyway. have --prefs back as well.
Picom as it should be at 0…

conclusion: there was no picom problem per se, no plank.conf at all…gut says LXDE session buggery–that controls everything.

@anon93652015 This is the second time, at least, that your patience and goodwill helped me out of a jam. I thank you very much.

1 Like
17

I’m always patient, so long as the person I’m trying to help is actually trying. So thanks for being you man. :handshake:

1 Like
18

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