Ubuntu
unity package

Inkscape does not show up in dash or task switcher and does not launch from launcher in Unity

Asked by Jason Rogers

Not entirely sure that this is a Unity issue, but that's my best guess right now.

I'm running a fresh installation of Ubuntu quantal (12.10), updated/upgraded as of today, and using Unity 6.6.0-0ubuntu1 and Inkscape 0.48.3.1-1ubuntu6 (Inkscape is the only software for which I've encountered this problem so far; everything else works as expected).

A few unexpected things are happening:

1. When I open the Dash and search for 'inkscape' (without the quotes), I get no results (it either tells me "Sorry, [etc.]," or it gives me suggestions for online books about Inkscape, but under no circumstances does it actually present Inkscape itself). Inkscape is definitely installed on my system, as I can start it from the command line; it was installed using apt-get and shows up in my installed packages. For example:

$ dpkg --get-selections | grep inkscape
inkscape install

$ apt-cache policy inkscape
inkscape:
  Installed: 0.48.3.1-1ubuntu6
  Candidate: 0.48.3.1-1ubuntu6
  Version table:
 *** 0.48.3.1-1ubuntu6 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

That being so, I'd expect Dash to find Inkscape.

2. After I started Inkscape from the command line, I pinned it to the Unity launcher. If I then try to start it by clicking on its icon on the launcher, the icon simply blinks a few times (the standard activation behavior) and then stops; inkscape doesn't start as expected.

3. When I do manage to start Inkscape from the command line, it doesn't show up in Unity's task-switcher (ALT+TAB). Unity simply seems to have no idea that it's around on my system.

Please let me know if I can provide any further info about this.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: unity 6.6.0-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-15.23-generic 3.5.4
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-15-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.5.2-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
Date: Tue Sep 25 22:08:04 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Beta amd64 (20120925)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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This question was originally filed as bug #1056548.

Revision history for this message
Jason Rogers (jrog) said : 		#1

I decided to restart my system entirely, and Unity is now discovering Inkscape (and launching it from the launcher and showing in the task switcher). So, it may be that this was just a fluke. That being so, I'm changing the bug report to a question, though my question is really whether this is worth looking into any further or is simply best left mysterious. Thoughts?

Revision history for this message
Warren Hill (warren-hill) said : 		#2

If it happens again try running it from inside a terminal.

This way any error messages have somewhere to go and may give us a clue.

Revision history for this message
Jason Rogers (jrog) said : 		#3

@Warren: Thanks for your response. I did run inkscape from the terminal when the issue was occuring, and there were no messages there, unfortunately.

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