[SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

eppurSiMuove · 2025-11-09 02:23:09

Hi! First I want to you I'm grateful for this work, that's a really good and complete DE.

I need some help to debug my environment since I tried a lot of things but I couldn't find out why themes is not being applied on my XFCE installation. I think this installation has about two years, but since begin the DE presented this problem, it doesn't apply a theme when choose one from Appearence settings. It stucked in the Arc theme and doesn't change anymore.

I'm absolutely sure it is some mistake or misconfiguration on my environment since a do have a functional and working notebook with the same GNU/Linux distro (Void Linux), same system services, same applications to startup with system (Session), almost same packages installed in general, same XFCE packages and same XFCE config, but yet, changing themes on my computer doesn't take any effects.

Here is what I have already tried:

-> unninstalled all xfce4 packages wih -oORf flags (clean cache, orphans, checking recursion / dependency) and installed everything again;
-> logged as root and tried change its XFCE theme;
-> created new user

None of them worked. This is first-lines of .xsession-errors. If want to:

{------ xsession-errors

libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to fetch _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS; assuming 1
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to get _NET_WORKAREA; using full screen dimensions
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
/usr/bin/iceauth: creating new authority file /run/user/1000/ICEauthority
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.346: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0

(xfdesktop:15061): Gtk-WARNING **: 22:17:15.903: Theme parsing error: gtk-contained-dark.css:2871:228: Missing closing bracket for :not()
2025-11-08T22:17:16 exception: Default TCP listener setup failed, but this is okay because we have a $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR listener: Failed to bind to '[::]:6600'; Failed to bind socket: Address already in use

(xfwm4:15129): xfwm4-WARNING **: 22:17:16.380: Could not find a screen to manage, exiting
xfdesktop is already running
blueman-applet 22.17.16 ERROR PluginManager:91 load_plugin: Unable to load plugin module NMPANSupport
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/blueman/main/NetworkManager.py", line 9, in <module>
gi.require_version('NM', '1.0')
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/gi/__init__.py", line 132, in require_version
raise ValueError(f"Namespace {namespace} not available")
ValueError: Namespace NM not available

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/blueman/main/PluginManager.py", line 89, in load_plugin
importlib.import_module(self.module_path.__name__ + f".{plugin}")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/importlib/__init__.py", line 88, in import_module
return _bootstrap._gcd_import(name[level:], package, level)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1387, in _gcd_import
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1360, in _find_and_load
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1331, in _find_and_load_unlocked
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 935, in _load_unlocked
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1027, in exec_module
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 488, in _call_with_frames_removed
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/blueman/plugins/applet/NMPANSupport.py", line 8, in <module>
from blueman.main.NetworkManager import NMPANConnection, NMConnectionError
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/blueman/main/NetworkManager.py", line 11, in <module>
raise ImportError('NM python bindings not found.')
ImportError: NM python bindings not found.
blueman-applet 22.17.16 ERROR PluginManager:91 load_plugin: Unable to load plugin module NMDUNSupport
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/blueman/main/NetworkManager.py", line 9, in <module>
gi.require_version('NM', '1.0')
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/gi/__init__.py", line 132, in require_version
raise ValueError(f"Namespace {namespace} not available")
ValueError: Namespace NM not available
-----------------------------------------------------}

These are my system services:

sudo sv status /var/service/*
run: /var/service/acpid: (pid 778) 11025s; run: log: (pid 772) 11025s
run: /var/service/agetty-hvc0: (pid 20297) 6s
run: /var/service/agetty-hvsi0: (pid 20295) 6s
run: /var/service/agetty-tty1: (pid 14927) 3567s
run: /var/service/agetty-tty2: (pid 792) 11025s
run: /var/service/agetty-tty3: (pid 774) 11025s
run: /var/service/agetty-tty4: (pid 827) 11025s
run: /var/service/agetty-tty5: (pid 770) 11025s
run: /var/service/agetty-tty6: (pid 837) 11025s
run: /var/service/bluetoothd: (pid 793) 11025s; run: log: (pid 790) 11025s
run: /var/service/containerd: (pid 776) 11025s; run: log: (pid 773) 11025s
run: /var/service/cronie: (pid 780) 11025s; run: log: (pid 777) 11025s
run: /var/service/dbus: (pid 820) 11025s; run: log: (pid 816) 11025s
run: /var/service/dhcpcd: (pid 787) 11025s; run: log: (pid 784) 11025s
run: /var/service/docker: (pid 802) 11025s; run: log: (pid 798) 11025s
run: /var/service/libvirtd: (pid 828) 11025s; run: log: (pid 825) 11025s
run: /var/service/lightdm: (pid 824) 11025s; run: log: (pid 823) 11025s
run: /var/service/nfs-server: (pid 805) 11025s; run: log: (pid 803) 11025s
run: /var/service/ntpd: (pid 788) 11025s; run: log: (pid 785) 11025s
run: /var/service/rpcbind: (pid 812) 11025s; run: log: (pid 810) 11025s
run: /var/service/sshd: (pid 833) 11025s; run: log: (pid 832) 11025s
run: /var/service/statd: (pid 835) 11025s; run: log: (pid 834) 11025s
run: /var/service/udevd: (pid 841) 11025s; run: log: (pid 840) 11025s
run: /var/service/uuidd: (pid 844) 11025s; run: log: (pid 843) 11025s
run: /var/service/virtlockd: (pid 822) 11025s; run: log: (pid 818) 11025s
run: /var/service/virtlogd: (pid 839) 11025s; run: log: (pid 836) 11025s
run: /var/service/wpa_supplicant: (pid 804) 11025s; run: log: (pid 800) 11025s

Under some guidance I can provide olthers config and/or logs files.

Last edited by eppurSiMuove (2025-11-09 22:22:38)

ToZ · 2025-11-09 11:12:29

What version of Xfce are you running?

Also, do you have a "settings.ini" file in ~/.config/gtk-3.0, or in /etc/gtk-3.0? If so, post back the contents for review, but you could try renaming it and logging out and back in again. Directives in that file, like gtk-theme-name, will take precedence.

eriefisher · 2025-11-09 11:30:11

libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to fetch _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS; assuming 1
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to get _NET_WORKAREA; using full screen dimensions
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.231: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
/usr/bin/iceauth: creating new authority file /run/user/1000/ICEauthority
libxfce4windowing-Message: 22:17:15.346: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0

Is this with Wayland? I used to get these messages with only one desktop in the panel. Labwc actually provided multiple desktops but didn't work in the panel plugin. Fixed now.
Same with the themes, Xfce's utility wasn't working but you could convert the theme so Labwc would display it.

eppurSiMuove · 2025-11-09 14:39:59

ToZ wrote:

What version of Xfce are you running?

xfce4-about --version
xfce4-about 4.20.2 (Xfce 4.20)
GTK version: 3.24.50

ToZ wrote:

Also, do you have a "settings.ini" file in ~/.config/gtk-3.0, or in /etc/gtk-3.0? If so, post back the contents for review, but you could try renaming it and logging out and back in again. Directives in that file, like gtk-theme-name, will take precedence.

I do have a "settings.ini" file in ~/.config/gtk-3.0, but this one is new as I have manually removed that folder after complete XFCE uninstall. In /etc/gtk-{2,3}.0 there is no "settings.ini". This is the contents of ~/.config/gtk-3.0/settings.ini, which reflects my actual Appearence settings (but Adapta-Eta-Nokto is not being applied x.x):

{ ------------------------
[Settings]
gtk-theme-name=Adapta-Nokto-Eta
gtk-icon-theme-name=Qogir-Dark
gtk-font-name=Source Sans Pro 10
gtk-cursor-theme-name=Qogir-Dark
gtk-cursor-theme-size=0
gtk-toolbar-style=GTK_TOOLBAR_BOTH_HORIZ
gtk-toolbar-icon-size=GTK_ICON_SIZE_LARGE_TOOLBAR
gtk-button-images=1
gtk-menu-images=1
gtk-enable-event-sounds=0
gtk-enable-input-feedback-sounds=0
gtk-xft-antialias=1
gtk-xft-hinting=1
gtk-xft-hintstyle=hintnone
gtk-xft-rgba=none
----------------------- }

eriefisher wrote:

Is this with Wayland? I used to get these messages with only one desktop in the panel. Labwc actually provided multiple desktops but didn't work in the panel plugin. Fixed now. Same with the themes, Xfce's utility wasn't working but you could convert the theme so Labwc would display it.

Although wayland is installed in my machine, this just because libxfce4windowing (and others) has it as dependency on Void Linux:

sudo xbps-query -Rs wayland | grep -i '\[\*'
*] gtk-layer-shell-0.9.2_1 Library to create panels and other desktop components for Wayland
*] libdecor-0.2.4_1 Client-side decorations library for Wayland client
*] libinput-1.28.1_1 Provides handling input devices in Wayland compositors and X
*] libxfce4windowing-4.20.4_1 Windowing concept abstraction library for X11 and Wayland
*] qt5-wayland-5.15.11+20231124_5 Cross-platform application and UI framework (QT5) - Wayland component
*] qt6-wayland-6.10.0_1 Cross-platform application and UI framework - Wayland
*] qt6-wayland-client-6.10.0_3 Cross-platform application and UI framework (QT6) - WaylandClient
*] wayland-1.24.0_1 Core Wayland window system code and protocol

ToZ · 2025-11-09 20:13:06

I do have a "settings.ini" file in ~/.config/gtk-3.0

Rename the file to something like "settings.ini.bak" and re-login, then try changing the settings.

eppurSiMuove · 2025-11-09 21:23:08

I did as you said and reboot my PC, but themes still not applying. As you can see above, only XFWM themes are being applied:

ToZ · 2025-11-09 21:27:57

Try running xfsettingsd in debug mode:

XFSETTINGSD_DEBUG=1 xfsettingsd --replace --no-daemon

...then try changing the appearance theme and then post back the output.

Also, can you post back your environment variables?

printenv

eppurSiMuove · 2025-11-09 22:20:39

This is my xfsettingsd debug mode output:

{ ---------
XFSETTINGSD_DEBUG=1 xfsettingsd --replace --no-daemon
xfce4-settings(xsettings): _XSETTINGS_S0 registered on screen 0
xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=0, len=1212)
xfce4-settings(xsettings): resource manager (xft) changed (len=1949)
xfce4-settings(pointers): initialized xi 2.4
xfce4-settings(keyboards): initialized xkb 1.0
xfce4-settings(keyboards): set auto repeat on
xfce4-settings(keyboards): set key repeat (delay=300, rate=20)
xfce4-settings(keyboards): set numlock off
xfce4-settings(accessibility): AccessXKeys disabled
xfce4-settings(accessibility): stickykeys disabled
xfce4-settings(accessibility): slowkeys disabled
xfce4-settings(accessibility): bouncekeys disabled
xfce4-settings(accessibility): mousekeys disabled
xfce4-settings(keyboard-shortcuts): 18 shortcuts loaded
xfce4-settings(displays): Detected CRTC 78.
xfce4-settings(displays): Detected CRTC 79.
xfce4-settings(displays): Detected CRTC 80.
xfce4-settings(displays): Detected CRTC 81.
xfce4-settings(displays): Detected CRTC 82.
xfce4-settings(displays): Detected output 83 HDMI-A-0.
xfce4-settings(displays): No matching display profiles found.
xfce4-settings(displays): Total 1 active output(s).
xfce4-settings(displays): Normalized CRTC 78: size=1920x1080, pos=0x0.
xfce4-settings(displays): min_h = 200, min_w = 320, max_h = 16384, max_w = 16384, prev_h = 1080, prev_w = 1920, prev_hmm = 286, prev_wmm = 509, h = 1080, w = 1920, hmm = 286, wmm = 509.
xfce4-settings(displays): Configuring CRTC 78.
xfce4-settings(displays): Configuring CRTC 79.
xfce4-settings(displays): Configuring CRTC 80.
xfce4-settings(displays): Configuring CRTC 81.
xfce4-settings(displays): Configuring CRTC 82.
xfce4-settings(fontconfig): monitoring 130 paths
xfce4-settings(workspaces): 10 desktop names set from xfconf
xfce4-settings(keyboard-shortcuts): activated "<Super>space" (command="xfce4-appfinder", snotify=1, stamp=40472264)
xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=1, len=1208) <<-- tried change theme to Arc-dark
xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=2, len=1204) <<-- tried change theme to Adwaita-dark
xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=3, len=1212) <<-- tried back to the theme Adapta-Nokto-Eta
xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=4, len=1204) <<-- tried change theme to Adapta
xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=5, len=1212) <<-- back to Adapta-Nokto-Eta
----------------- }

... and this is my printenv output:

{ ----------------
SHELL=/bin/bash
SESSION_MANAGER=local/am4void.homedev.net:@/tmp/.ICE-unix/15768,unix/am4void.homedev.net:/tmp/.ICE-unix/15768
WINDOWID=8388622
COLORTERM=truecolor
GTK_THEME=Arc-Dark <<-- loook at this! That's in /etc/environment and that was the culprit
XDG_CONFIG_DIRS=/etc/xdg
XDG_SESSION_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session1
HISTCONTROL=ignoreboth:erasedups
XDG_MENU_PREFIX=xfce-
GTK_IM_MODULE=ibus
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/default-jdk
SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/home/epsm/.ssh/agent/s.hPZfIOpN3t.agent.UFSCOK2A0z
HISTTIMEFORMAT=%F | %T
XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/home/epsm/.config
XMODIFIERS=@im=ibus
GNUPGHOME=/home/epsm/.local/gnupg
DESKTOP_SESSION=xfce
SSH_AGENT_PID=15823
KITTY_PID=16295
GPG_TTY=/dev/pts/8
EDITOR=nvim
XDG_SEAT=seat0
PWD=/home/epsm
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=xfce
LOGNAME=epsm
QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=gtk2 <<-- this also was in /etc/environment and was removed
XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
MANPATH=:/usr/lib/jvm/default-jdk/man:/usr/lib/jvm/default-jre/man
XAUTHORITY=/home/epsm/.Xauthority
KITTY_PUBLIC_KEY=1:7?m?hh_OC^I=`{o?1}FGOZ=Yys>=~K0V3}1I&<iB
XDG_GREETER_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/lightdm-data/epsm
HOME=/home/epsm
LANG=pt_BR.UTF-8
LS_COLORS=rs=0:di=01;34:ln=01;36:mh=00:pi=40;33:so=01;35:do=01;35:bd=40;33;01:cd=40;33;01:or=40;31;01:mi=00:su=37;41:sg=30;43:ca=00:tw=30;42:ow=34;42:st=37;44:ex=01;32:*.tar=01;31:*.tgz=01;31:*.arc=01;31:*.arj=01;31:*.taz=01;31:*.lha=01;31:*.lz4=01;31:*.lzh=01;31:*.lzma=01;31:*.tlz=01;31:*.txz=01;31:*.tzo=01;31:*.t7z=01;31:*.zip=01;31:*.z=01;31:*.dz=01;31:*.gz=01;31:*.lrz=01;31:*.lz=01;31:*.lzo=01;31:*.xz=01;31:*.zst=01;31:*.tzst=01;31:*.bz2=01;31:*.bz=01;31:*.tbz=01;31:*.tbz2=01;31:*.tz=01;31:*.deb=01;31:*.rpm=01;31:*.jar=01;31:*.war=01;31:*.ear=01;31:*.sar=01;31:*.rar=01;31:*.alz=01;31:*.ace=01;31:*.zoo=01;31:*.cpio=01;31:*.7z=01;31:*.rz=01;31:*.cab=01;31:*.wim=01;31:*.swm=01;31:*.dwm=01;31:*.esd=01;31:*.avif=01;35:*.jpg=01;35:*.jpeg=01;35:*.mjpg=01;35:*.mjpeg=01;35:*.gif=01;35:*.bmp=01;35:*.pbm=01;35:*.pgm=01;35:*.ppm=01;35:*.tga=01;35:*.xbm=01;35:*.xpm=01;35:*.tif=01;35:*.tiff=01;35:*.png=01;35:*.svg=01;35:*.svgz=01;35:*.mng=01;35:*.pcx=01;35:*.mov=01;35:*.mpg=01;35:*.mpeg=01;35:*.m2v=01;35:*.mkv=01;35:*.webm=01;35:*.webp=01;35:*.ogm=01;35:*.mp4=01;35:*.m4v=01;35:*.mp4v=01;35:*.vob=01;35:*.qt=01;35:*.nuv=01;35:*.wmv=01;35:*.asf=01;35:*.rm=01;35:*.rmvb=01;35:*.flc=01;35:*.avi=01;35:*.fli=01;35:*.flv=01;35:*.gl=01;35:*.dl=01;35:*.xcf=01;35:*.xwd=01;35:*.yuv=01;35:*.cgm=01;35:*.emf=01;35:*.ogv=01;35:*.ogx=01;35:*.aac=00;36:*.au=00;36:*.flac=00;36:*.m4a=00;36:*.mid=00;36:*.midi=00;36:*.mka=00;36:*.mp3=00;36:*.mpc=00;36:*.ogg=00;36:*.ra=00;36:*.wav=00;36:*.oga=00;36:*.opus=00;36:*.spx=00;36:*.xspf=00;36:*~=00;90:*#=00;90:*.bak=00;90:*.crdownload=00;90:*.dpkg-dist=00;90:*.dpkg-new=00;90:*.dpkg-old=00;90:*.dpkg-tmp=00;90:*.old=00;90:*.orig=00;90:*.part=00;90:*.rej=00;90:*.rpmnew=00;90:*.rpmorig=00;90:*.rpmsave=00;90:*.swp=00;90:*.tmp=00;90:*.ucf-dist=00;90:*.ucf-new=00;90:*.ucf-old=00;90:
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=XFCE
KITTY_WINDOW_ID=2
XDG_SEAT_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0
XDG_CACHE_HOME=/home/epsm/.cache
XDG_SESSION_CLASS=user
ANDROID_HOME=/home/epsm/Android/Sdk
TERMINFO=/usr/lib/kitty/terminfo
TERM=xterm-kitty
USER=epsm
DISPLAY=:0.0
SHLVL=1
QT_IM_MODULE=ibus
XDG_VTNR=7
XDG_SESSION_ID=c4
MOZ_PLUGIN_PATH=/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/local/share:/usr/share
PATH=/home/epsm/.local/node_modules/bin:/home/epsm/.local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/lib/jvm/default-jdk/bin:/usr/lib/jvm/default-jre/bin:/home/epsm/Android/Sdk/emulator:/home/epsm/Android/Sdk/plataform-tools
HISTIGNORE=ls:ls -lah:history:n:nnn:pwd:htop:bg:fg:clear:exit:cd
GDMSESSION=xfce
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/tmp/dbus-RwOjAjdpss,guid=9499daff8314e76f7084af366911013c
PASSWORD_STORE_DIR=/home/epsm/.local/password-store
KITTY_INSTALLATION_DIR=/usr/lib/kitty
_=/usr/bin/printenv
---------------- }

That GTK_THEME was causing themes not chaging in Appearence settings. I did a text search in /etc/, found the file, removed that variable (and other one listed above) and rebooted my PC.
After that themes are changing flawlessly.

sudo rg -e 'GTK_THEME=Arc-Dark' /etc/ > which-file-has-it.txt
cat which-file-has-it.txt
/etc/environment:GTK_THEME=Arc-Dark

Thank you very much for your help!

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#1 2025-11-09 02:23:09

[SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

#2 2025-11-09 11:12:29

Re: [SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

#3 2025-11-09 11:30:11

Re: [SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

#4 2025-11-09 14:39:59

Re: [SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

#5 2025-11-09 20:13:06

Re: [SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

#6 2025-11-09 21:23:08

Re: [SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

#7 2025-11-09 21:27:57

Re: [SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

#8 2025-11-09 22:20:39

Re: [SOLVED] Theme is not being applied [Void Linux]

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