Xfce Forum

tb0ne24

Member

Registered: 2024-05-21

Posts: 19

Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Hello everyone! o)

I have trouble running Thunar after compiling and installing required dependencies.
Do you have any advice on how to resolve this problem?

I successfully compiled Thunar on my own before (v4.18+ e.g.).
Some things seem to have changed (using meson now instead of gmake etc.?).

I just get this error when I try to run Thunar:
/usr/local/bin/Thunar: symbol lookup error: /usr/local/bin/Thunar: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Thank you in advance! o)

Version information:
    - Latest "git pull" and Debian 12 (stable).

What I did:
    - I followed compilation steps for all dependencies, like libxfce4ui_v4.21.2
    - I followed compilation steps on thunar
    - All compilation and installation works fine (it seems)
    - I then try to run /usr/local/bin/Thunar
    - I get the error "undefined symbol"

A little screenshot of how things look on my system:
    - top right compilation / installation result of libxfce4ui (did all the other required dependencies as well, I hope at least!)
    - bottom right compilation / installation result of thunar
    - left bottom output of running "thunar"

hotnuma

Member

Registered: 2025-04-12

Posts: 13

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Not sure... but maybe you need to run ldconfig ?

https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-polic … l#ldconfig

sudo /sbin/ldconfig -v

tb0ne24

Member

Registered: 2024-05-21

Posts: 19

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

You're the man! It works now, I just ran the command you suggested and boom! Thunar now launches as expected. Nice.. o)

1) That "ldconfig" command, is it common practice to run this? How did you make such a perfect guess? o)
I read through the link you provided, lot's of stuff in there, will take the time to read it carefully, thank you!

2) If this command is required to get the self compiled Thunar running, could it be it is missing in that "meson install -C build" step of that library or Thunar? The developers instantly closed my ticket regarding this "undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new" problem, because of "This is not a support forum". It could also be an "issue" in the compilation instructions they provide, if this command is required to make this work?

Thank you! Now I can use my Debian as usual again.. it's a hard time without my slightly customized Thunar! o)

hotnuma

Member

Registered: 2025-04-12

Posts: 13

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

It's great to customize a few programs you are right. :-D

I had the same problem some time ago and found the solution on Stack Overflow I think.

My understanding is that ldconfig creates symlinks and a cache for installed libraries, so it's very likely needed when installing or uninstalling libraries from source code.

https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man8/ldconfig.8.html

ldconfig creates the necessary links and cache to the most recent shared libraries...
The cache is used by the run-time linker...

tb0ne24

Member

Registered: 2024-05-21

Posts: 19

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

I compiled maybe two handful software packages myself over the recent years, I never needed to run "ldconfig" afterwards.
I will surely remember this for the next time, so I learned something new! o)

I added this "ldconfig" information to the issue I created on the Thunar Gitlab page (with a reference to you / this thread). Maybe the developer(s) will add some more background on why this is required or even update the "how to compile" section if needed. There has been no more response though, after my ticket was closed instantly.. o(

Thank you again! o)

tb0ne24

Member

Registered: 2024-05-21

Posts: 19

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Small update, Mr. Schwinn added a little notice for "ldconfig" in the Thunar Wiki. As a Thunar developer, he does not actually run "ldconfig" when working on Thunar. Of course I wonder why I need to run it, but anyway. Your superb advice can now be found in the Thunar Wiki as well. o)

https://wiki.xfce.org/thunar/dev/build_ … ing_thunar

Did you know there is a Thunar "build and debug" Wiki? o) I never noticed it before.
It is mentioned way down on the Thunar GitLab page, after the "Uninstall" section.

hotnuma

Member

Registered: 2025-04-12

Posts: 13

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Ah great, very well, many thanks to Alexander Schwinn and to you.

Yes, I knew about the different wikis.

chang-zhao

Member

Registered: 2023-11-20

Posts: 45

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

I have the same problem (Arch Linux), but the solution with ldconfig doesn't work.

I have the "regular" Thunar that runs OK:
/usr/bin/thunar

But the compiled Thunar gives that error
/usr/local/bin/thunar

/usr/local/bin/thunar: symbol lookup error:
/usr/local/bin/thunar: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

(There was no problem in July, before moving to meson from autogen).

I understand that the compiled Thunar must look for its libraries (development versions) here:
/usr/local/lib

but instead it looks in
/usr/lib
where the libraries have older versions (libxfce4ui 4.20.2-1 instead of 4.21.2-dev).

4.21.2-dev is found by meson during the build process:

$ meson setup build
...
Run-time dependency libxfce4ui-2 found: YES 4.21.2-dev
...

But ldd shows

ldd /usr/local/bin/thunar
	...
	libxfce4ui-2.so.0 => /usr/lib/libxfce4ui-2.so.0 (...)

Can anyone please tell me what to do?
(I don't know much about building or libraries).
Thank you!

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,136

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Arch doesn't set, by default, /usr/local/lib in the ld cache like debian does. You can either add an entry in /etc/ld.so.conf (then run ldconfig as root), or simply run the new thunar and prepend the library path like:

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib thunar

pmap -p <THUNAR_PID>

...will show which library files are loaded.

Its strange that this worked for you before the transition to meson though.

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chang-zhao

Member

Registered: 2023-11-20

Posts: 45

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Arch doesn't set, by default, /usr/local/lib in the ld cache like debian does. You can either add an entry in /etc/ld.so.conf (then run ldconfig as root)

Thank you ToZ, this works,obviously:
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib /usr/local/bin/thunar

But to use the custom Thunar as the default File Manager, I want it to find libraries automatically,

like, in /usr/local/lib for /usr/local/bin/*

I guess autogen.sh was linking them properly somehow, which meson doesn't do?

So what exactly should I write in /etc/ld.so.conf?

I tried to add there lines like
$ORIGIN/../lib
or
'$ORIGIN/../lib'

but obviously I get

ldconfig: Can't stat $ORIGIN/../lib: No such file or directory

I'm afraid if I write just
/usr/local/lib
then all versions of all programs would try to use the development versions of libraries first (= the wrong ones for standard installed programs)?

I probably could set

LD_LIBRARY_PATH='$ORIGIN/../lib'

in .bashrc, but still, is there the proper way to use ld.so.conf for that?

Thanks .

Added later 33 min 28 s:
PS. I tried to put

../lib

in /etc/ld.so.conf, but after running ldconfig the error still the same, and the computer hung up on reboot with some gibberish messages:

https://limewire.com/d/8SrFr#NWJeVvnW00

Added later 56 min 24 s:
PPS. Another thing that makes me think there's something lacking in the new building process is that when I do
"Help -> About" in the custom Thunar it shows its version as
4.21.2-dev-UNKNOWN

Before, it always had some git commit ID.

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,136

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

PS. I tried to put

../lib

in /etc/ld.so.conf, but after running ldconfig the error still the same, and the computer hung up on reboot with some gibberish messages:

Try adding to the full path:

/usr/local/lib

...then running:

sudo ldconfig -V

PPS. Another thing that makes me think there's something lacking in the new building process is that when I do
"Help -> About" in the custom Thunar it shows its version as
4.21.2-dev-UNKNOWN

Before, it always had some git commit ID.

I build all Xfce components from git using meson now and I don't have this issue. Perhaps its related to the fact that you have a split install. You might want to try installing the git version of xfce4-dev-tools into /usr/local as well to see if that helps.

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chang-zhao

Member

Registered: 2023-11-20

Posts: 45

Re: Self compiled Thunar won't start: undefined symbol: xfce_notebook_new

Try adding to the full path:

/usr/local/lib

...then running:

sudo ldconfig -V

It doesn't seem to work.

You might want to try installing the git version of xfce4-dev-tools into /usr/local as well to see if that helps.

Already did that.

Mystery!

I tried to install from git all of the following:

exo
libxfce4ui
libxfce4util
libxfce4windowing
thunar
thunar-archive-plugin
thunar-media-tags-plugin
tumbler
xfce4-dev-tools

though some of those, like "libxfce4windowing", are probably not necessary there (I was just kinda desperate).

Added later 58 min 59 s:
PS. I also installed developers' xfconf, and now the custom Thunar works.

(Still version 4.21.2-dev-UNKNOWN, but whatever).

Last edited by chang-zhao (2025-08-19 14:50:57)