Xfce 4.16 doesn't work

I was AFK for 2 weeks (roughly) and just after booting my rpi4 8gb, it’s on the unstable branch, I saw that there were updates available (xfce 4.16 mainly). The last updates were set on 2020-12-18.

I’ve just reboot it and now I have a desktop with only a wallpaper and home icon (no taskbar, no menu).
I cannot run any graphical software and even the terminal doesn’t work : when I right-clic on “open terminal here” I get a window without controls and I cannot write in it.

if needed I have the diff of all the updates…

My system has libxfce4ui 4.16.0-1 and not libxfce4ui-nocsd (formely it was libxfce4ui 4.14.1-3).and I’ve tested with libxfce4ui-nocsd 4.16-0.1 but it doesn’t correct anything… :frowning:

I went to the unstable branch and did a total system upgrade in including the 5.10.4 kernel and I see no issue here.

I’ve similar issue on pi400, black screen with panel but no xfwm4. Rebooting I can get the keyboard to work. Any useful output to troubleshoot this?

What does the ~/.xsession-errors file say

Here it is :slightly_smiling_face:

/usr/bin/iceauth:  creating new authority file /run/user/1000/ICEauthority

    (xfce4-panel:784): garcon-CRITICAL **: 10:10:53.201: garcon_gtk_menu_get_desktop_actions_menu: assertion 'actions != NULL' failed

    (xfce4-panel:784): garcon-CRITICAL **: 10:10:53.220: garcon_gtk_menu_get_desktop_actions_menu: assertion 'actions != NULL' failed

    (wrapper-2.0:804): Gtk-WARNING **: 10:10:54.332: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to allocate widget with width -3 and height 26
    weather-Message: 10:10:54.472: Recupero di https://api.met.no/weatherapi/locationforecast/2.0/classic?lat=41.891899&lon=12.511300&altitude=52

    (wrapper-2.0:810): libnotify-WARNING **: 10:10:54.498: Failed to connect to proxy

    (wrapper-2.0:806): Gtk-WARNING **: 10:10:54.599: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to allocate widget with width -3 and height 26

    (wrapper-2.0:810): Gtk-WARNING **: 10:10:54.600: Negative content width -1 (allocation 1, extents 1x1) while allocating gadget (node button, owner PulseaudioButton)

    (wrapper-2.0:800): Gtk-WARNING **: 10:10:54.599: Negative content width -1 (allocation 1, extents 1x1) while allocating gadget (node button, owner GtkToggleButton)

    (wrapper-2.0:801): Gtk-WARNING **: 10:10:54.859: Negative content width -1 (allocation 1, extents 1x1) while allocating gadget (node button, owner GtkToggleButton)
    sudo: è richiesto un terminale per leggere la password; utilizzare l'opzione -S per leggere dall'input standard o configurare uno strumento askpass

    ** (xfce4-power-manager:861): WARNING **: 10:10:56.108: Failed to get name owner: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner: Could not get owner of name 'org.freedesktop.PowerManagement': no such name

    ** (xfce4-power-manager:861): WARNING **: 10:10:56.110: Failed to get name owner: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner: Could not get owner of name 'org.xfce.PowerManager': no such name


    ** (xfce4-screensaver:860): WARNING **: 10:10:56.492: il salvaschermo è già in esecuzione in questa sessione

    (xfce4-power-manager:861): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: 10:10:56.931: ../glib/gobject/gsignal.c:2613: signal 'Changed' is invalid for instance '0xaaaad84df2f0' of type 'GDBusProxy'

    (xfce4-power-manager:861): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 10:10:57.009: could not map keysym 1008ffa8 to keycode


    ** (xfce4-power-manager:861): WARNING **: 10:10:57.035: No outputs have backlight property

    (xfce4-power-manager:861): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 10:10:57.064: Failed to get keyboard max brightness level : GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod: Interfaccia «org.freedesktop.UPower.KbdBacklight» inesistente sull'oggetto nel percorso /org/freedesktop/UPower/KbdBacklight

    ** (xfce4-power-manager:861): WARNING **: 10:10:57.127: No outputs have backlight property

    (xfce4-power-manager:861): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 10:10:57.158: ../panel-plugins/power-manager-plugin/power-manager-button.c:858: invalid property id 2 for "show-panel-label" of type 'GParamInt' in 'PowerManagerButton'

    (xfce4-power-manager:861): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 10:10:57.159: ../panel-plugins/power-manager-plugin/power-manager-button.c:858: invalid property id 3 for "presentation-mode" of type 'GParamBoolean' in 'PowerManagerButton'

    (xfce4-power-manager:861): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 10:10:57.159: ../panel-plugins/power-manager-plugin/power-manager-button.c:858: invalid property id 4 for "show-presentation-indicator" of type 'GParamBoolean' in 'PowerManagerButton'

    (xfce4-power-manager:861): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 10:10:57.167: ../panel-plugins/power-manager-plugin/power-manager-button.c:858: invalid property id 3 for "presentation-mode" of type 'GParamBoolean' in 'PowerManagerButton'
    sudo: è necessaria una password

    (pamac-tray:847): Gdk-CRITICAL **: 10:11:00.404: gdk_window_thaw_toplevel_updates: assertion 'window->update_and_descendants_freeze_count > 0' failed
    blueman-applet 10.11.00 WARNING  PluginManager:148 __load_plugin: Not loading DhcpClient because its conflict has higher priority
    blueman-applet 10.11.00 WARNING  PluginManager:148 __load_plugin: Not loading PPPSupport because its conflict has higher priority

    (wrapper-2.0:812): libsystray-CRITICAL **: 10:11:02.842: sn_item_invalidate: assertion 'item->properties_proxy != NULL' failed
    ** Message: 10:11:27.245: updates_checker.vala:64: check updates
    ** Message: 10:11:29.229: updates_checker.vala:94: 0 updates found

    (xfce4-session-settings:1836): Gtk-WARNING **: 10:50:43.219: Content added to the action area of a dialog using header bars

    (xfce4-session-settings:1836): Gtk-WARNING **: 10:50:43.220: Content added to the action area of a dialog using header bars

Same problem and quick workaround : ctl alt f2 et remove xfce4 in .cache and .config and reboot.

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I’ve lost my wallpaper and some configs but I Can use my desktop.

/usr/share/wallpapers/manjaro-arm/generic/manjaro-arm.png
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Unfortunately, I cannot set it permanently because I have to delete all my .config/xfce4 and .cache/xfce4 everytime I reboot… :frowning:

Doing some research there was a issue that looks like the errors what @verender posted above involving the xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin. Try this and see if it the issue gets better:

sudo pacman -R xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin
Remove your ~/.cache & .config again to start out fresh
reboot

Once rebooted:

right-click on your taskbar
Panel --> Add New Items and add Applications Menu

It will put the new Menu all the way to the right on the taskbar. Right click on the new Menu and choose move and follow the task bar all the way to the left and click.

Hi Darksky, i tried but after the reboot the menu was still there. And rebooting again still black screen.

Hard to believe the whiskers menu was still there after uninstalling it unless xfce replaced it with the one I told you to install above as I did not delete my configs as they work here.

I don’t know if that was it, but upgrading Mesa (20.3.1-0.1 -> 20.3.2-2) seems to have fixed the issue.

@Darksky @Strit I can now set the manjaro wallpaper and it stays after a reboot but how can I get a normal manjaro xfce desktop back ?
I mean normal icon for the menu and a normal place for the taskbar and so on ?
Do I have to reinstall the all distro ?

I am not at my xfce install right now but going from memory I believe you can place the taskbar position by right clicking on the taskbar and properties and change the placement there. With the manjaro icon I believe right click on the Menu on the taskbar and properties and change the icon to:

/usr/share/icons/manjaro-logo.svg

Thanks, I’ve dug a bit on the icon it’s ok now.
It doesn’t bother me if the taskbar is on top but for those who have it on the bottom (everyone but me I guess) don’t you have the small menu bar elsewhere ?

I have currently the following in my .xsession-errors:

** (xfce4-clipman:561): WARNING **: 14:54:11.165: Unable to register GApplication: Für die Schnittstelle org.gtk.Application auf /org/xfce/clipman wurde bereits ein Objekt exportiert

(xfce4-clipman:561): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 14:54:11.165: g_application_get_is_remote: assertion 'application->priv->is_registered' failed

(xfce4-clipman:561): GLib-WARNING **: 14:54:11.165: g_set_application_name() called multiple times

Is clipman functional? Some times it is normal get warnings as programs try to load up.

Yes, indeed, I do not see any errors using clipman. Seems to be working as intended. I was only concerned by the CRITICAL state there.

Icons are gone:
image

Moreover: I’m using the old but reliant “cairo dock”. All xfce4 related icons can’t be found.
The new icons are named “org.xfce.xxx” They exist, but can’t be found… :
image

Changing icon theme does not help