How to prevent xfce4-panel loss?

jesus2099 · 2021-11-03 16:57:45

Hello,

Today, after having suddenly lost my panels (task bar, start menu, dock), I have reboot my PC and now each time I log in, I see:

> Aucune instance de xfce4-panel n’a été trouvée
> (No instance of xfce4-panel was found)

A new such popup pops out every 2 or so seconds, until I clickon Exécuter (Execute) (for each popup) and I get a new message:

> Modification du tableau de bord interdite
> (Modifications on dashboard forbidden)

Then I see my menus back.

No matter what, this happens each time I reboot
I remember having a similar problem once

Even if I delete ~/.cache/sessions folder content (a solution I remember because a similar issue already happened to me) it keeps coming back at each reboot.

Do you know how to prevent losing panels? (deactivate session saves?)

Last edited by jesus2099 (2021-11-03 16:58:00)

ToZ · 2021-11-03 17:11:36

Can you post the contents of your ~/.xsession-errors file?

jesus2099 · 2021-11-04 15:22:07

Of course, here it is.
I have had many such popups (because I switched on the PC and went away for a while).
I clicked on execute xfce4-panel on the first one, I got that dashboard-edit-fobidden warning, and then I just clicked red-cross-close on all the others.
I see no xfce4-panel related messages in the logs:

~/.xsession-errors

Xsession: X session started for bob at jeudi 4 novembre 2021, 16:10:29 (UTC+0100)
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DISPLAY=:0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XAUTHORITY=/home/bob/.Xauthority
localuser:bob being added to access control list
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GTK_MODULES=gail:atk-bridge
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT_ACCESSIBILITY=1
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting USER=bob
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting HOME=/home/bob
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT4_IM_MODULE=fcitx
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DESKTOP_SESSION=lightdm-xsession
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SEAT_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GTK_MODULES=gail:atk-bridge
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting IM_CONFIG_PHASE=1
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LOGNAME=bob
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GTK_IM_MODULE=fcitx
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SESSION_CLASS=user
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SESSION_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DISPLAY=:0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=lightdm-xsession
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XAUTHORITY=/home/bob/.Xauthority
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XMODIFIERS=@im=fcitx
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_GREETER_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/lightdm/data/bob
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting SHELL=/bin/bash
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GDMSESSION=lightdm-xsession
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT_ACCESSIBILITY=1
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GPG_AGENT_INFO=/run/user/1000/gnupg/S.gpg-agent:0:1
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT_IM_MODULE=fcitx
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting PWD=/home/bob
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/share/xfce4:/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting CLUTTER_IM_MODULE=fcitx
/usr/bin/x-session-manager: X server already running on display :0
xfce4-session-Message: 16:10:30.076: SSH authentication agent is already running
gpg-agent[1410]: Attention : « --write-env-file » est une option obsolète — non prise en compte
gpg-agent: une instance de gpg-agent fonctionne déjà —
pas de démarrage d'une nouvelle instance

(xfce4-session:1383): xfce4-session-WARNING **: 16:10:30.088: gpg-agent returned no PID in the variables

(xfce4-session:1383): xfce4-session-WARNING **: 16:11:19.060: Unable to launch "solaar" (specified by autostart/solaar.desktop): L’exécution du processus fils « solaar » a échoué (Aucun fichier ou dossier de ce type)
(uint32 1,)

** (xfce4-clipman:1548): WARNING **: 16:11:19.530: Unable to register GApplication: Un objet est déjà exporté pour l’interface « org.gtk.Application » en « /org/xfce/clipman »

(xfce4-clipman:1548): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 16:11:19.530: g_application_get_is_remote: assertion 'application->priv->is_registered' failed

(xfce4-clipman:1548): GLib-WARNING **: 16:11:19.530: g_set_application_name() called multiple times

(wrapper-2.0:1692): Gtk-WARNING **: 16:12:14.811: Negative content width -3 (allocation 1, extents 2x2) while allocating gadget (node button, owner PulseaudioButton)

(wrapper-2.0:1695): Gtk-WARNING **: 16:12:14.831: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to allocate widget with width -3 and height 26

ToZ · 2021-11-04 20:08:10

There doesn't seem to be anything in that log file related to "no instance of xfce4-panel". Did it include a time when the message popped up? Is it the complete contents of the log file?

jesus2099 · 2021-11-04 23:31:29

Yes it was complete logs.

Here maybe something interesting from another log file?

.xfce4-session.verbose-log

TRACE[sm-layer.c:213] sm_register_client(): ICE connection fd = 17, received REGISTER CLIENT [Previous Id = 2339f0e49-3f18-44e2-86ba-7883f8344002]

TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (Program, xfce4-panel)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (UserID, bob)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:555] xfsm_properties_set_uchar(): -> Set uchar (RestartStyleHint, 2)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (ProcessID, 1335)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (CurrentDirectory, /home/bob)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:555] xfsm_properties_set_uchar(): -> Set uchar (_GSM_Priority, 25)
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1147] xfsm_startup_timeout(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f failed to register in time
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb, PID 1334 exited with status 256
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f, PID 1434 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb, PID 1435 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb, PID 1475 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f, PID 1474 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f, PID 1477 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb, PID 1476 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f, PID 1478 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb, PID 1479 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:404] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb disconnected, restarting
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f, PID 1480 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:397] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 23b7e656d-6324-482c-81b2-4996e554f90f, reached maximum attempts [Restart attempts = 6]
   Will be re-scheduled for run on next startup
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb, PID 1481 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:397] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id = 24ca0f29e-e342-4393-a6ea-fd222443fdeb, reached maximum attempts [Restart attempts = 6]
   Will be re-scheduled for run on next startup
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1040] xfsm_startup_session_next_prio_group(): Starting apps in prio group 35
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1089] xfsm_startup_session_next_prio_group(): client id 2e5003385-b63d-4f89-83a2-e2dceb14e323 started
TRACE[sm-layer.c:162] sm_new_client(): ICE connection fd = 18, received NEW CLIENT

TRACE[sm-layer.c:213] sm_register_client(): ICE connection fd = 18, received REGISTER CLIENT [Previous Id = 2e5003385-b63d-4f89-83a2-e2dceb14e323]

TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1040] xfsm_startup_session_next_prio_group(): Starting apps in prio group 50
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1089] xfsm_startup_session_next_prio_group(): client id 265e5a461-ca7f-4677-bdc0-2b3264529d9d started
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (Program, xfdesktop)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (UserID, bob)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:555] xfsm_properties_set_uchar(): -> Set uchar (RestartStyleHint, 2)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (ProcessID, 1482)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:489] xfsm_properties_set_string(): -> Set string (CurrentDirectory, /home/bob)
TRACE[xfsm-properties.c:555] xfsm_properties_set_uchar(): -> Set uchar (_GSM_Priority, 35)
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1120] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 265e5a461-ca7f-4677-bdc0-2b3264529d9d, PID 1485 exited with status 0
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1129] xfsm_startup_child_watch(): Client Id = 265e5a461-ca7f-4677-bdc0-2b3264529d9d died while starting up
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1162] xfsm_startup_handle_failed_startup(): Client Id = 265e5a461-ca7f-4677-bdc0-2b3264529d9d failed to start
TRACE[xfsm-manager.c:428] xfsm_manager_handle_failed_properties(): Client Id 265e5a461-ca7f-4677-bdc0-2b3264529d9d exited, removing from session.
TRACE[xfsm-startup.c:1017] xfsm_startup_session_continue(): Nothing started and nothing to start, moving to autostart items

Well no it might not be related, as I read reached maximum attempts [Restart attempts = 6]
but the amount of Aucune instance de xfce4-panel n’a été trouvée I get at startup is unlimited, one new each 1 or 2 seconds.

Last edited by jesus2099 (2021-11-04 23:34:56)

jesus2099 · 2021-11-04 23:39:34

I remember I should delete ~/.cache/sessions folder content to solve this kind of weird issues.
But it didn't work this time.
Do I have to do it a special way?
Not being logged-in, as I read somewhere?
How to do that?

Last edited by jesus2099 (2021-11-04 23:40:08)

ToZ · 2021-11-05 00:18:38

Reboot your computer. Before you login, press Ctrl+Alt+F2. Log in to the text console. Type in the following commands:

cd .cache
rm -rf session

Then go back you your graphical login (probably Ctrl+Alt+F7) and login. See if it makes a difference.

jesus2099 · 2021-11-05 14:54:26

Thanks very much, ToZ, you are so helpful, as always!
I was afraid of loosing my panel settings, but I went for it and it fixed the problem with no settings lost.

I had added some steps, I don't know if they were necessary:

Logged out.
Ctrl+Alt+F2
Logged in as root. It took me a great while to find its password back!
I changed folder because I was then in the wrong /home/root/ folder.

cd /home/bob/.cache
rm -rf session
exit

Then Ctrl+Alt+F7 indeed to re-log in as bob.

No more issues!

But I come back to my first question, how to avoid this kind of xfce4-panel crashes, in the first place?
I think there is an option to not save settings at each shutdown (I cannot find it back, though).
Do you think it could prevent such issues, in the future?

I am still in Debian 10 because I have just learnt today that there is Debian 11 now, with a newer Xfce.

ToZ · 2021-11-05 15:04:25

jesus2099 wrote:

But I come back to my first question, how to avoid this kind of xfce4-panel crashes, in the first place?
I think there is an option to not save settings at each shutdown (I cannot find it back, though).
Do you think it could prevent such issues, in the future?

Without knowing the cause, it would be difficult to suggest a method of avoiding the issue. By clearing the sessions directly you are basically deleting all Xfce cached information - so it is quite likely that something was corrupt there that was causing the issue.

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#1 2021-11-03 16:57:45