/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings/ fails to load

What kind of information shall I attach?

Thank you for your bug report. Do other keybinding work? Do you have an active "gsd-media-keys" process when getting the issue?
Does journalctl contains any error about gsd-media-keys?

"Do other keybinding work?" --- YES they do work, only the "custom shortcuts" are affected, but ALL of them (I have only 2 custom shortcuts).

"Does journalctl contains any error about gsd-media-keys?"

journalctl | grep gsd-media-keys gives the following result (I upgraded to 18.04 one days before the first entry, Mar 10):

Mar 10 19:30:35 pc56 dbus-daemon[884]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.hostname1' unit='dbus-org.freedesktop.hostname1.service' requested by ':1.116' (uid=125 pid=8253 comm="/usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys " label="unconfined")

Mar 10 19:58:38 pc56 dbus-daemon[883]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.hostname1' unit='dbus-org.freedesktop.hostname1.service' requested by ':1.127' (uid=125 pid=5326 comm="/usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys " label="unconfined")

Mar 10 19:59:07 pc56 gsd-media-keys[5326]: Error releasing name org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.MediaKeys: The connection is closed

Mar 11 14:39:51 pc56 dbus-daemon[903]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.hostname1' unit='dbus-org.freedesktop.hostname1.service' requested by ':1.115' (uid=125 pid=3011 comm="/usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys " label="unconfined")

Mar 12 08:47:22 pc56 dbus-daemon[884]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.hostname1' unit='dbus-org.freedesktop.hostname1.service' requested by ':1.121' (uid=125 pid=5137 comm="/usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys " label="unconfined")

"Do you have an active "gsd-media-keys" process when getting the issue?"

I had no possibility to check it, because I had only two cold boots since the last "Mar 12 08:47:22" occurence of the problem, and the both vere error free. But I do not find the process in question,

do I test it correctly? : ps auxw | grep gsd-media-keys

No I had a possibility to check the situation for the question:

Do you have an active "gsd-media-keys" process when getting the issue?

I have the /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys ELV binary, but I do NOT see in the linting of "ps auxw", and even the output of "ps acuwx | fgrep gsd" is empty.

Interestingly the output of "journalctl | grep gsd-media-keys" remained exactly the same, as 3 days before, no new entry.

But none of the two user defined shortcuts work, while all the usual system default shortcuts work.

I welcome further test suggestions in order to be prepared if next time the issue appears.

One thing is interesting, that just after updating to 18.04, the frequency of the issue became high for a few days, and as soon as I submitted this issue, I had to wait 3 days (4 booting) in order to get the issue again.

Today I had again a possibility to check the issue.

Tell me please, that what kind of information, what command outputs should I attach, when I face myself to the issue in question?

Output of "dmesg | grep -i gsd" is empty.

Outout of "journalctl | grep -i gsd" has no new items in the last 4 days.

However I found interesting lines in journalctl, hence I try to add the result of "journalctl | grep -i key | grep -i failed > journalctl_key_failed.txt" as an attachment.

[continuing the previous comment]

The the output of "ps acuwx | fgrep gsd" is still empty. Should I see any process containing the substring "gsd"?

Is it possible, that my issue has some connection with the followin issue: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1750846

I wish to provide better diagnostic information, but I do not know what to submit in this particular situation.

I am also ready to install some sort of Watchdog daemon, which can better detect what is going on in this kind of situation. I can imagine a say a small shell script or something alike as well.

Right now I have again a boot resulting no custom keybindings while all the other keybindings work.

Again: "ps acuwx | fgrep gsd" is empty, and "journalctl | grep gsd" has no new entry since "Mar 12 08:47:48".

In the last 9 days, the problem became less common, but today it has started again.

The situation remained the same,as I described at earlier reports.

when you have the issue can you try to start /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys manually? does it output any error? does it make the keybindings work?

Today the problem occurred again, so I could test /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys. Do I understand correctly that in a terminal running bash inside, I simply give this /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys fully qualified path as a command?

The result is that it does not return to bash prompt, and initially gives no kind of messages. However, when I try any of the custom keystrokes, or any of the usual but overridden keystrokes, then I get the followings:

$ /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:32:43.149: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:32:57.476: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:33:01.756: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:33:02.460: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:33:04.076: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:33:04.500: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:33:04.804: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:33:05.675: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:37:17.075: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2459): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 22:37:26.746: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

OK, I forget to tell, that I use Unity!

and my custom settings are:

$ dconf dump /org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings/
[custom1]
binding='<Primary><Alt>BackSpace'
command='gnome-session-quit --power-off'
name='gnome-session-quit --power-off'

[custom0]
binding='<Primary><Alt>g'
command='gnome-terminal --geometry=80x99-0+0'
name='gnome-terminal --geometry=80x99-0+0'
$

Today I got similar result:

$ /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-media-keys

(gsd-media-keys:2834): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 23:34:21.130: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2834): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 23:34:37.681: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

(gsd-media-keys:2834): GLib-GIO-WARNING **: 23:34:44.777: Dropping signal AcceleratorActivated of type (uuu) since the type from the expected interface is (ua{sv})

DO I EXECUTE THE RIGHT OR SUITABLE TEST?

Tell me what to test next time?

if you are using unity then the issue is rather in unity-settings-daemon and the gsd command I suggested are wrong

> if you are using unity then the issue is rather in unity-settings-daemon
> and the gsd command I suggested are wrong

OK, and can you tell me what kind of test should I do in case of Unity?

The problem is still there.

Can someone tell me what kind of test should I do in case of Unity?

The problem is still there, twice a week approx, today 3 out of the 4
reboots were erratic wrt custom keybindings.

Could anybody tell me, what kind of data and information should I collect,
when next time the error occurs?

The problem is much more frequent in the last few days.

What shall I test or record if this problem occures next?

Will anyone ever tell me what to look for when the problem occurs?

I did a fresh reinstall of the whole 18.04 system from scratch, but the
problem is still there.

I could provide more information if someone tells me what to look for.

The problem is still there, and sometimes I need two reboots in order to
get rid of the situation.

A reboot won't be necessary, it should work after you log out and re-log in. For some reason it is not grabbing the key when a grab is already pending.

Is it possible that some app use same key-binding shortcuts? What is the primary key here? Super? Try some other modifier like CTRL+SHIFT. Have you used gnome-tweak-tool or compiz-config-settings-manager to add custom shortcuts?

Do this on fresh install:

1) Open terminal on unity.
2) Run "unity-settings-daemon -r --debug", keep it open
3) Now Try removing the shortcut from Unity control center -> keyboard -> shortcuts
4) Try re-adding the shortcut.
5) Paste the output from terminal on https://pastebin.ubuntu.com/

First of all, many thanks for your help.

https://pastebin.ubuntu.com/p/nrtyQZMPdB/plain/

Firs I disabled the keystrokes at the two items in question, then I removed the items as well.

Then I re-entered the two items ('gnome-session-quit --power-off' and 'gnome-terminal --geometry=80x99-0+0') and then configured keystrokes for them ('<Primary><Alt>BackSpace' and '<Primary><Alt>g').

The result is, that whenever I do this, the two keystrokes does NOT come back until I logout and login again.

Later I discovered, that as soon as I commit the command "unity-settings-daemon -r --debug", the keystrokes in question disappear.

Even later I discovered, that not only the custom bingins go away with committing the debug command, but the redefined normal bindings: I like the web browser (launchers / launc web browser) at '<Primary><Alt>f', but it is not there anymore if I start the debug command.

An interesting side-effect is, that when the problem during debug command arise, then the decoration of the Unity control center changes from my usual Radiance back to the default Ambiance.

After logging out and back, the decoration and all the redefined or custom bindings come back.

https://pastebin.ubuntu.com/p/nrtyQZMPdB/

In my case the primary key is the ALT, actually the left alt.

As far as I know, no usage collision of alt-ctrl-g, alt-ctrl-backspaces, ...

I do not use any other setting manager. The problem is ther if I do it 'by hand' in Unity control center. However normally I set up almost everything with script, here is the shortcut setting part:

CK='/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings'
DCONFWRITE='dconf write '
DCONFWRITE+="${CK}"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom0/name "'unset'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom0/command "'unset'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom0/binding "'unset'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom0/name "'gnome-terminal --geometry=80x99-0+0'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom0/command "'gnome-terminal --geometry=80x99-0+0'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom0/binding "'<Primary><Alt>g'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom1/name "'unset'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom1/command "'unset'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom1/binding "'unset'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom1/name "'gnome-session-quit --power-off'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom1/command "'gnome-session-quit --power-off'"
${DCONFWRITE}/custom1/binding "'<Primary><Alt>BackSpace'"
${DCONFWRITE} "['${CK}/custom0/','${CK}/custom1/']"
unset DCONFWRITE
unset CK

However, the problem is still there, if I do it by hand, and during the debug command the setting is recorded only and it comes to alive after a logout/login cycle.

I am ready to make further experiments, no comes the CTRL+SHIFT instead of CTRL+ALT, how you have just suggested, ... many thanks.

Exactly the same symptoms with SHIFT instead of ALT.

When I run `G_MESSAGES_DEBUG=all unity-settings-daemon --replace` and try to change/add shortcuts all I get

(unity-settings-daemon:483291): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_dbus_proxy_call_internal: assertion 'G_IS_DBUS_PROXY (proxy)' failed

Also it can't grab a key when previous invocation still pending. This multiple times grab/ungrab simply doesn't work.

I believe it is fixed in g-s-d but u-s-d never updated, still using legacy_key-grabber code.

See bug 1435020

In my case, I have the following result:

prohlep@pc56:~$ G_MESSAGES_DEBUG=all unity-settings-daemon --replace &
[1] 2773
prohlep@pc56:~$
(unity-settings-daemon:2773): Gtk-WARNING **: 09:06:24.599: Theme parsing
error: gtk-main.css:73:38: Failed to import: Error opening file
/usr/share/themes/Radiance/gtk-3.20/apps/gnome-builder.css: No such file
or directory

** (unity-settings-daemon:2773): WARNING **: 09:06:24.746: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

** (unity-settings-daemon:2773): WARNING **: 09:06:24.849: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

** (unity-settings-daemon:2773): WARNING **: 09:06:24.849: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

(unity-settings-daemon:2773): media-keys-plugin-WARNING **: 09:06:24.938:
Grab failed for some keys, another application may already have access the
them.

** (unity-settings-daemon:2773): WARNING **: 09:06:24.942: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

(unity-settings-daemon:2773): Gtk-WARNING **: 09:06:24.960: Theme parsing
error: gtk-main.css:73:38: Failed to import: Error opening file
/usr/share/themes/Radiance/gtk-3.20/apps/gnome-builder.css: No such file
or directory

(usd-locate-pointer:2785): Gtk-WARNING **: 09:06:24.991: Theme parsing
error: gtk-main.css:73:38: Failed to import: Error opening file
/usr/share/themes/Radiance/gtk-3.20/apps/gnome-builder.css: No such file
or directory

Now I am just reading the referred similar bug:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity-settings-daemon/+bug/1435020
I have the very similar problems.

In addition to that, when I applied the suggested "unity-settings-daemon
--replace" command, then not only my custon settings, but the usual
Ctrl-Alt-T terminal short cut also went away. But interestingly not
everything went away, for example the Alt-` is still working (switch
between the windows of the same binary), this is not in the custom
section, and formerly it was a default setting.

prohlep@pc56:~$ ps ax | grep settings-daemon
  1934 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/lib/unity-settings-daemon/unity-fallback-mount-helper
  3287 pts/0 Sl+ 0:00 unity-settings-daemon --replace
  3296 pts/0 Sl+ 0:00 /usr/lib/unity-settings-daemon/usd-locate-pointer
  3340 pts/1 S+ 0:00 grep settings-daemon
prohlep@pc56:~$ unity-settings-daemon --replace

** (unity-settings-daemon:3287): WARNING **: 09:12:51.381: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

(unity-settings-daemon:3287): Gtk-WARNING **: 09:12:51.462: Theme parsing
error: gtk-main.css:73:38: Failed to import: Error opening file
/usr/share/themes/Radiance/gtk-3.20/apps/gnome-builder.css: No such file
or directory

** (unity-settings-daemon:3287): WARNING **: 09:12:51.539: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

** (unity-settings-daemon:3287): WARNING **: 09:12:51.539: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

(unity-settings-daemon:3287): media-keys-plugin-WARNING **: 09:12:51.552:
Grab failed for some keys, another application may already have access the
them.

(usd-locate-pointer:3296): Gtk-WARNING **: 09:12:51.559: Theme parsing
error: gtk-main.css:73:38: Failed to import: Error opening file
/usr/share/themes/Radiance/gtk-3.20/apps/gnome-builder.css: No such file
or directory

(unity-settings-daemon:3287): Gtk-WARNING **: 09:12:51.566: Theme parsing
error: gtk-main.css:73:38: Failed to import: Error opening file
/usr/share/themes/Radiance/gtk-3.20/apps/gnome-builder.css: No such file
or directory

** (unity-settings-daemon:3287): WARNING **: 09:12:51.582: Failed to load
PNP ids: Failed to open file “/usr/share/hwdata/pnp.ids”: No such file or
directory

(unity-settings-daemon:3287): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 09:13:15.145:
g_dbus_proxy_call_internal: assertion 'G_IS_DBUS_PROXY (proxy)' failed

^^^^^^^^ here the last log item shows what happens, when I wist to refresh
the key binding in the custom section. Everytime I try to set a
keybinding this gets printed.

Also the line "(unity-settings-daemon:3287): media-keys-plugin-WARNING **:
09:12:51.552: Grab failed for some keys, another application may already
have access the them." is interesting, ... is this because I started
"unity-settings-daemon --replace" manually, and therfore now the original
is running and my new command is also running?

Modifier+Alt+Backspace has already been used to kill the x server. For me modifier is Ctrl and Alt is is window action key not [super]. You can check this gnome-tweak-tool -> windows.

That's why it (Alt+Backspace combination) probably doesn't work with or without modifier. Other custom shortcuts works after log-out/log-in which is a bug in unity-settings-daemon.

My problem is NOT whether the custom shortcuts work just after setting
them or I need a log-out/log-in cycle.

The problem is, that a half dozen times (= boots, usually in the morning)
the ctrl-alt-g works, and then for one or two boots fails to load, and
then agin works for a few days (this computer not running when I sleep).

I understand, that ctrl-alt-backspace MAY be affected by the x-server.

But the ctrl-alt-g is a "virgin use" of that keystroke, and they are
always together good or bad, they behave never different.

The problem is still there.

The problem is still there.

The custom binding of Ctrl+Alt+G to

  gnome-terminal --geometry=80x99-0+0

is missing more frequently, than the custom binding of Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to

  gnome-session-quit --power-off

Does this help to locate the problem?

The problem with the nature below is still there after upgrading to 18.10.

> The custom binding of Ctrl+Alt+G to
>
> gnome-terminal --geometry=80x99-0+0
>
> is missing more frequently, than the custom binding of
> Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to
>
> gnome-session-quit --power-off
>
> Does this help to locate the problem?

I found the root cause. Unity uses legacy keygrabber code depending on xdg env variable DESKTOP_SESSION. But since artful DESKTOP_SESSION is "unity" and not "ubuntu".

The fix is in unity7-desktop ppa.

https://code.launchpad.net/~unity7maintainers/+archive/ubuntu/unity7-desktop

In 18.10, add the ppa (ppa:unity7maintainers/unity7-desktop)and upgrade unity-settings-daemon and libunity-settings-daemon.

Now custom shortcuts works as expected.

Note: The ppa also the fix for sharing panel.

The solution provided by Khurshid Alam seems to work correctly in the last
25 days. Day by day more likely, that the problem is solved. Many tanks
for the help!

This bug was fixed in the package unity-settings-daemon - 15.04.1+19.04.20190209-0ubuntu2

---------------
unity-settings-daemon (15.04.1+19.04.20190209-0ubuntu2) disco; urgency=medium

  [ Khurshid Alam ]
  * Unity uses legacy key-grabber code. But since artful unity isn't the
    default session anymore and DESKTOP_SESSION changed from ubuntu to unity.
    Fixes LP: #1755106 LP: #1188569 LP: #1727842

 -- Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden> Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:53:16 +0100

Not sure if my problem is related to this one. All my shortcuts seem to work as expected, except for the ones used to control playback: play/pause, next track, and prev track work only if I use them in combination with the Alt Gr key (aka Lever 3 Shift).
Since I already have to press Fn to activate media-keys, it means I have to use a combo of 3 disperse key just to play/pause the music...

I have tried to use the above ppa, but it did nothing, since the official repos seem to have the updated versions of the packages already.

I should also say that I have installed my Unity desktop from an initial Xubuntu desktop setup. So I don't know if I am missing something from Gnome or if I am having some conflicting setting from XFCE or some other environment, as I've been DE-hopping quite much in last year...

AFAIS there's no fix for bionic so far.
So I grabber unity-settings-daemon & libunity-settings-daemon from comment #33
for disco and installed (need also libcolord2_1.4.3 package to resolve dependensies).
The keys are working now. 10q, Khurshid!