Caja

[johnh009]

After initial installation of Sparkylinux Mate (64 bit) edition (downloaded a few days ago), caja worked fine. After upgrading the system, caja no longer does. When invoked from a terminal, the following is reported:

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:3717:14: not a number

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:3717:14: Expected a string.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:3744:65: Using one color stop with linear-gradient() is deprecated.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:4370:56: Using one color stop with linear-gradient() is deprecated.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:4403:62: Using one color stop with linear-gradient() is deprecated.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:4420:62: Using one color stop with linear-gradient() is deprecated.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:4436:59: Using one color stop with linear-gradient() is deprecated.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:4450:62: Using one color stop with linear-gradient() is deprecated.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:5793:17: Not using units is deprecated. Assuming 'px'.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:5793:17: Expected a string.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:5798:11: Not using units is deprecated. Assuming 'px'.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:5798:11: Expected a string.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:5833:17: Not using units is deprecated. Assuming 'px'.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:5833:17: Expected a string.

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: mate-applications.css:528:16: not a number

(caja:3171): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: mate-applications.css:528:16: Expected a string.
cab@hp6735b:~$

I have rebooted several times, and carried out a further 'upgrade-system'.

Any suggestions would be great, as a file manager is fairly fundamental!

Thank you.

[johnh009]

The same problem has also occurred on my desktop machine. Additionally, the Mate Terminal, although it launches, will not allow input. On both machines, there appears to be constant errors being reported for the sparky clock-applet, see Kern error messages (from the desktop machine) below:

Sep  8 17:15:48 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child GtkLabel 0x81d09c48. Allocation is 113x20, but minimum required size is 113x21.
Sep  8 17:15:49 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate toplevel GtkPlug 0x81c2b1b8. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:49 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkPlug's child MatePanelApplet 0x81b09168. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:49 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate MatePanelApplet's child GtkToggleButton 0x81cac888. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:49 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkToggleButton's child ClockBox 0x81d0d498. Allocation is 143x20, but minimum required size is 143x21.
Sep  8 17:15:49 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child ClockBox 0x81d0d588. Allocation is 18x20, but minimum required size is 18x21.
Sep  8 17:15:49 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child GtkLabel 0x81d09c48. Allocation is 113x20, but minimum required size is 113x21.
Sep  8 17:15:50 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate toplevel GtkPlug 0x81c2b1b8. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:50 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkPlug's child MatePanelApplet 0x81b09168. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:50 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate MatePanelApplet's child GtkToggleButton 0x81cac888. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:50 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkToggleButton's child ClockBox 0x81d0d498. Allocation is 143x20, but minimum required size is 143x21.
Sep  8 17:15:50 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child ClockBox 0x81d0d588. Allocation is 18x20, but minimum required size is 18x21.
Sep  8 17:15:50 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child GtkLabel 0x81d09c48. Allocation is 113x20, but minimum required size is 113x21.
Sep  8 17:15:51 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate toplevel GtkPlug 0x81c2b1b8. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:51 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkPlug's child MatePanelApplet 0x81b09168. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:51 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate MatePanelApplet's child GtkToggleButton 0x81cac888. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:51 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkToggleButton's child ClockBox 0x81d0d498. Allocation is 143x20, but minimum required size is 143x21.
Sep  8 17:15:51 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child ClockBox 0x81d0d588. Allocation is 18x20, but minimum required size is 18x21.
Sep  8 17:15:51 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child GtkLabel 0x81d09c48. Allocation is 113x20, but minimum required size is 113x21.
Sep  8 17:15:52 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate toplevel GtkPlug 0x81c2b1b8. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:52 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkPlug's child MatePanelApplet 0x81b09168. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:52 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate MatePanelApplet's child GtkToggleButton 0x81cac888. Allocation is 153x30, but minimum required size is 153x31.
Sep  8 17:15:52 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate GtkToggleButton's child ClockBox 0x81d0d498. Allocation is 143x20, but minimum required size is 143x21.
Sep  8 17:15:52 sparky clock-applet[2884]: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to underallocate ClockBox's child ClockBox 0x81d0d588. Allocation is 18x20, but minimum required size is 18x21.

This is using system resources, obviously more critical on the laptop.

It would appear as though a recent update has introduced these problems, as 'googling' them provides little to no useful information.

[paxmark1]

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=832077

Do you have apt-listbugs installed? 


edited.  The above bug is probably the overall culprit  however

I spent 90 seconds on duckduckgo on debian package caja  - and voila. 

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/pkgreport.cgi?pkg=caja;dist=unstable

If you are going to be in Debian testing, installing apt-listbugs and searching the Debian BTS are quite helpful.   

[johnh009]

Thank you for your response, paxmark1, though I'm still no further forward in solving this problem.

The link you provided for Debian Bug report log #832077, as far as I can determine, is not relevant.

I hadn't installed 'apt-listbugs', but have done so now and run it. It lists a couple of bugs that are listed within the second link you provided. However, while #836669 appears to be a similar problem, the errors produced are different, and no solution proposed.

Yes, very remiss of me to have forgotten the Debian Bug Reports - didn't come up with google, but does, as you say, with Duckduckgo. I'm thinking also, as you suggested, that the problem may not be with caja itself, but maybe the wnck-applet and/or the clock-applet.

Any further hints or suggestions from anyone would be much appreciated.

PS One of the main reasons for me using SparkyLinux is the fact I've had so few problems with it. It's been great, and this is the first real issue I've had, so I'm hoping that some one can  point me in the direction of a solution so I can restore my system back to its usually reliable self.

[ckc]

Hi johnh009.

836669 is the bug report you're after. The extra errors are down to the fact that you use an additional applet, whereas others who use plain Debian or who don't use those applets won't have those errors.

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=836669

Debian has updated GTK 3.21.5, but still uses MATE 1.14, which is not compatible. The MATE team have advised the Debian maintainers to update to 1.15, but that hasn't happened in Sid yet, let alone Testing. Until then, the workarounds listed in the final post are that you'll either have to install the .deb packages listed in the final message, or downgrade GTK to 3.20 (which will uninstall GNOME, and at that point GNOME might try to pull out all of its core components and cause a complete breakage).

As you can see it was migrated to testing a few days ago, after only a week in unstable, which was probably a bit premature.

https://packages.qa.debian.org/g/gtk+3.0.html

https://archive.org/details/DebianPackagesForMate-desktopWityGtk3AndCustomPanelTheme

Confirm your GTK version with:

Code Select Expand

gtk-launch --version

and then choose one of the above options.

Downgrading might be a pain. They both have their drawbacks, but I think the preferable option would be to upgrade those components of MATE.

[johnh009]

Hello ckc,

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately, neither will will install, each giving the following messages:

mate-settings-daemon-gtk3.22:

Error: existing package 'mate-settings-daemon' that conflict: 'mate-settings-daemon'. But the '/home/cab/Downloads/mate-settings-daemongtk3.22_1.15.1git20160804-1luke1_amd64.deb' provides it via: 'mate-settings-daemon,mate-settings-daemon-common,mate-settings-daemon-dev,mate-settings-daemon-gtk3'

caja-gtk3.22:

Error: Breaks existing package 'caja that conflict: 'caja'. But the '/home/cab/Downloads/caja-gtk3.22_1.15.4-1luke1_amd64.deb' provides it via: 'caja,caja=gtk3,libcaja-extension,libcaja-extension-dev,girl1.2-caja'

Do I need to manually remove the packages named in the error messages before running the 2 updated packages?

Also, do 32 bit versions of the above packages exist?

[py-thon]

I would suggest not installing the mentioned deb-packages. They are packaged differently from Debian (each substitutes several packages) which results in the error messages you got. It is therefore probably somewhat tricky to install them (and get rid of them later), you might end up in dependency hell.

Another possibility is to downgrade the gtk+3-packages (which caused the problem) instead.

I decided to go a third way and not to up- or downgrade anything. Instead I installed the gnome-commander (a small package which needed just one dependency on my system) as a temporary substitute for caja and live with it and the flaws of the desktop (icons are not redrawn when moved, deleted or unmounted) for a few weeks. MATE 1.16 (which will solve #836669) is going to be published this month and should be in Debian's repos shortly after (according to https://sunweavers.net/blog/node/45 ).

[paxmark1]

From Planet Debian   -an aggregated blog of posts by Debian Maintainers and Developers

https://sunweavers.net/blog/node/45

sunweaver (who is already scared of the 3.22 GTK+ release, luckily the last development release of the GTK+ 3-series)

I believe he is the Mate maintainer for Debian.

[ckc]

Hello ckc,

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately, neither will will install, each giving the following messages:

mate-settings-daemon-gtk3.22:

Error: existing package 'mate-settings-daemon' that conflict: 'mate-settings-daemon'. But the '/home/cab/Downloads/mate-settings-daemongtk3.22_1.15.1git20160804-1luke1_amd64.deb' provides it via: 'mate-settings-daemon,mate-settings-daemon-common,mate-settings-daemon-dev,mate-settings-daemon-gtk3'

caja-gtk3.22:

Error: Breaks existing package 'caja that conflict: 'caja'. But the '/home/cab/Downloads/caja-gtk3.22_1.15.4-1luke1_amd64.deb' provides it via: 'caja,caja=gtk3,libcaja-extension,libcaja-extension-dev,girl1.2-caja'

Do I need to manually remove the packages named in the error messages before running the 2 updated packages?

Also, do 32 bit versions of the above packages exist?

I think if you want i386 you'd have to build them from source.

You need to uninstall caja, yes, because like it says on the dev site, Debian packages them individually, while the binaries there are provided as one large package. So everything they replace needs to go. And you also need to force the install and ignore dependency complaints, and pin the package so it's not updated later and you get no dependency complaints. But if you don't know how to do this, I wouldn't do it. :)

The alternative of downgrading gtk3 will also require you to pin a package, and apt will also complain about unresolved dependencies. But when I was testing these just downgrading libgtk3 to a previous version and rebooting meant I had a working caja. It seemed to be fine with the newer components of gtk3 but the older libgtk3. If you don't have the package in your cache it's on the snapshot archive.

If you also run GNOME, then the first one if the better option. If you don't have GNOME, the second one is easier.

Or like py-thon suggested, you could just use a different file manager in the interim.

[johnh009]

Thank you one and all for the advice and suggestions. I think, after weighing up the downside of both the options available, I'll take py-thons advice and wait for the updates to come through the system, pain though it is in the meantime

Anyone any idea how I can recover items from the wastebasket? Obviously the wastebasket on the desktop won't open and Gnome Commander (good though it is) shows nothing in/on the Desktop (directory). When I right-click on Dockys' wastebasket, it lists the contents, but I'm unable to do anything with them. Trying to list the contents of Desktop via xterm also shows nothing.

[paxmark1]

Anyone any idea how I can recover items from the wastebasket

command line
.local/share /Trash          ##it is in the "dot" files

edited.  Yeah, you could used mc or gnome-commander   For gnome-commander Settings Options Filters Hidden

[johnh009]

Thank you paxmark1.

[py-thon]

Today I read this
https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/mate-desktop-1-16-will-land-in-ubuntu-mate-16-10/8877
which sounds as if we have to wait a bit longer for 1.16. Sounds more like mid-October than end of September.

So, annoyed by the shortcomings of gnome-commander (it doesn't mount pendrives automatically) and mate-menu changing size all the time (some programs are hard to start that way), I decided to downgrade gtk+3.
Took me five minutes, encountered no problems. I just copied all the necessary packages I still had in var/cache/apt/archives to a temporay folder in my home directory and then ran

Code Select Expand

sudo dpkg --install *.deb from there. I restarted and everything's seems fine.

[jidan]

There are some compiled MATE 1.16 64bit packets for Debian testing/unstable here: https://archive.org/details/DebianPackagesForMate-desktopWityGtk3AndCustomPanelTheme
There are instructions (you have to extract the files and replace existed ones manually). I've checked and they are working, there are still some issues with caja (selecting "Properties" on any file will make caja unstable) but you can use your mate desktop while waiting for the official repos to update to 1.16.
There are more compiled mate packets in the same directory (https://archive.org/download/DebianPackagesForMate-desktopWityGtk3AndCustomPanelTheme/) but I haven't checked them all.
I'm using Sparky 64bit full upgraded.

Edit: Its version appears to be 1.14.1-1 (but it's acctually 1.16) so you can return anytime to repository provided packets (now its version 1.14.2*) simply by updating your system.

[py-thon]

MATE 1.16 has arrived in sid, so it probably will reach stretch within a week.