Pamac GUI - Authentication window disappears

Support
1

I have a strange issue since, I would say last big stable update.

I open Pamac-GUI and say ok to install updates. Then as usual the window for the admin password comes and as I wright the window closes/disappears. Leaving behind the waiting Pamac-Gui main window. It doesn’t react or can be closed. I must kill the process.

Unfortunately I can’t open a ticket at Issues · Applications / pamac · GitLab , because I can’t login with my github account. This was possible in the past.

Manjaro 24.0.2
Cinnamon 6.0.4 /X11
Kernel 6.6.32

3 Likes
2

Best practise is to use console to sync your system.

1 Like
3

I wonder if the password dialogue is getting hidden behind Pamac’s main window? I’ve sometimes had this problem with the KDE partition manager.

The password dialogue would still have an entry in your taskbar if this is the case, so you could click on that to bring it forward.

1 Like
4

I know I could do this and right now thats the only way, but I like pamac-gui!

5

Unfortunately no

6

Pity. You could try running the GUI from a terminal and see if any informative messages show up.

1 Like
7

Out of curiosity, does this also happen with other programs which pop-up that Polkit* authentication window, e.g. the one for Firefox (Master Password), your Partition Manager, etc.?

I agree with @linux-aarhus … my preference is to always use Pacman and then, for any AUR stuff, Pamac (after upgrading with Pacman).

… Maybe also try reinstalling Pamac?

*I assume that’s what these are.

EDIT: Typo

1 Like
8

I can confirm that, for me, it rarely happens, but it does. Since plasma 6 update (ok is not cinamon), polkit bugs. Bug with systemd, pamac and other

1 Like
9

Running from terminal didn’t reveal any error messages.

I don’t have that much programs which use polkit and are standalone. Corectrl is one and I tested it. Same result. So indeed polkit must be the culprit.

Terminal or not terminal… I must say, pamac-gui is one of the most beautiful/convenient GUI package managers out there, but that’s of course a matter of opinion :smile:

Talking about polkit… it’s strange to see projects hopping from one git provider to an other. Seeing more changing from github to gitlab, but here with polkit it’s the other way round.

10

I have another issue with Pamac GUI. As soon as I start searching for something, Pamac crashes, opening it a second time, searching works. Searching for software is the only thing I use the GUI for, I think it’s kind of handy.

11

Confirming this problem

KDE Plasma v: 6.0.5 /X11
Kernel: 6.9.5-1-MANJARO

The time until (or if) the window closes/disappears doesn’t seem to be consistent

12

Same problem here, it is not random it always happens if I update aur, flatpak only updates don’t do that.

Kernel: 6.9.9-1-MANJARO
DE: Plasma 6.0.5

13

Same problem here on latest Pamac. When pressing the update button it shows the UI password prompt and then it disappears leaving Pamac unresponsive.

Kernel: 6.6.41-1-MANJARO
Plasma 6.0.5

14

It is easy to replicate.

  • Click the apply update button
  • The dialog appear
  • Click on pamac window - pamac will cover the dialog.
  • Click the minimize in the pamac window - you can see the dialog
15

Except that’s not the issue being described. What actually happens:

  • Click apply update button
  • The dialogue appears
  • The dialogue disappears without any interaction from the user and is not under anything, and there is no task bar entry for it
  • Pamac GUI is stuck waiting for a password you can’t give it, and needs to be killed as a result.

Issue present with:
Kernel: 6.10.0-3-MANJARO
Plasma: 6.0.5 Wayland

Some logs:

 sudo journalctl -xe | grep polkit                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ✔  base Py
Aug 06 01:25:27 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: New PolkitAgentListener  0x6271c1ae3900
Aug 06 01:25:27 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Adding new listener  PolkitQt1::Agent::Listener(0x6271c1ae3140) for  0x6271c1ae3900
Aug 06 01:25:27 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Listener online
Aug 06 01:25:27 sidesktop polkitd[1201]: Registered Authentication Agent for unix-session:1 (system bus name :1.40 [/usr/lib/polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1], object path /org/kde/PolicyKit1/AuthenticationAgent, locale en_GB.UTF-8)
Aug 06 01:25:27 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Authentication agent result: true
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Listener adapter polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: GSimpleAsyncResult: 0x6271c1a595f0
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication callback for  0x6271c1ae3900
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Initiating authentication
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Action description has been found
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: User:  "unix-user:simon"
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Trying again
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-agent-helper-1[5536]: pam_systemd_home(polkit-1:auth): New sd-bus connection (system-bus-pam-systemd-home-5536) opened.
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: REQUEST
Aug 06 01:27:41 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Request:  "Password: "
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: cancelled_cb for  0x6271c1ae3900
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Cancelling authentication
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Finishing obtaining privileges
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkitd[1201]: Operator of unix-session:1 FAILED to authenticate to gain authorization for action org.manjaro.pamac.commit for system-bus-name::1.82 [/usr/bin/pamac-manager --updates] (owned by unix-user:simon)
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Listener adapter polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication_finish
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication_finish callback for  0x6271c1ae3900
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Finish obtain authorization: false
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Dialog cancelled
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Finishing obtaining privileges
Aug 06 01:27:42 sidesktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1890]: Finish obtain authorization: false
16

Polkit issue, I think may be fixable by reinstalling it? What does pacman Ss polkit show?
I’d recommend using sudo pacman -Syu first, anyway, to make sure your core system is up to date.

Is the issue present with other kernels?

17

The only time I’ve seen that happen was on my partner’s computer. It was hidden behind the main Window, but the only way to see that it was there, was to use Overview or Present Windows.

18

I can confirm the bug. And I can confirm that authentication window was not hidden anywhere. It disappeared like a second after showing up in front of my eyes. And it was indeed an AUR package.

I have to admit that i was a little confused about the thing, but I just went and updated from the terminal without too much thinking. And then I saw this thread. If it happens again, I will try to do more tests.

And before anyone calls me out on this… I always update the system with pacman from the text console. I only use graphic pamac occasionally for non-important packages.

19

So here is what we know

  • the authorization dialog is non modal
    • the authorization dialog may hide
  • the authorization dialog appears but disappears in the blink of an eye
  • both Gnome and Plasma is affected
  • having AUR enabled could cause it IF
    • check for updates on 3rd party is enabled

With the above comment byu @cfinnberg in mind - I request the affected members to disable the AUR update check - and verify if the issue persists.

1 Like
20

I’m sure there was another thread about just this problem within the past few months. Perhaps there’s some useful info there?