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watchpocket
August 6th, 2016, 06:04 AM
Problem: My Ubuntu Software Center won't open.

This began right after I installed GNU IceCat (v. 31.8.0).
Invoking the command software-center on the terminal's command-line returns the following:

/usr/bin/software-center:25: PyGIWarning: Gtk was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
from gi.repository import Gtk, GObject
/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/views/purchaseview.py:29: PyGIWarning: WebKit2 was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('WebKit2', '4.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
from gi.repository import WebKit2 as webkit
2016-08-06 00:57:31,660 - softwarecenter.backend.zeitgeist_logger - WARNING - Support for Zeitgeist disabled
/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/widgets/symbolic_icons.py:23: PyGIWarning: PangoCairo was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('PangoCairo', '1.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk, GLib, PangoCairo
2016-08-06 00:57:31,696 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - setting up proxy 'None'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/software-center", line 130, in <module>
app = SoftwareCenterAppGtk3(options, args)
File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/app.py", line 301, in __init__
self.db.open(use_axi=self._use_axi)
File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/database.py", line 243, in open
self._axi_values = parse_axi_values_file()
File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/database.py", line 63, in parse_axi_values_file
for raw_line in open(filename):
IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/lib/apt-xapian-index/values'
Also:
--> sudo update-apt-xapian-index -vf

returns:

Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/aliases.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/app-install.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/apttags.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/cataloged_time.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/debtags.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/descriptions.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/display_name.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/origin.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/relations.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/sections.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/sizes.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/software_center.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/template.py.
Reading plugin /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/plugins/translated-desc.py.
Most recent dataset: Sat Aug 6 00:27:20 2016.
Most recent update for: Sat Aug 6 00:27:20 2016.
The index /var/lib/apt-xapian-index is up to date, but rebuilding anyway as requested.
Aggregating value information.
Initializing plugins.
Reading .desktop files from /usr/share/app-install/desktop/: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_gezakovacs_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xeni al_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_mc3man_mpv-tests_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial_universe_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_mc3man_xerus-media_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_atareao_atareao_ubuntu_dists_xen ial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_rvm_smplayer_ubuntu_dists_xenial _main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial-updates_universe_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_teejee2008_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xeni al_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_ubuntuhandbook1_cantata-qt_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_ubuntu-mate-dev_xenial-mate_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial-security_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_peterlevi_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xenia l_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_videolan_stable-daily_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_gedit-bc-dev-plugins_releases_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Tra nslation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_jeffreyratcliffe_ppa_ubuntu_dist s_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_atareao_nautilus-extensions_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translati on-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_remmina-ppa-team_remmina-next_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.canonical.com_ubuntu_dists_xenial_partner_ i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_atareao_utext_ubuntu_dists_xenia l_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial-updates_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_ubuntu-mate-dev_mate-desktop_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_yannubuntu_boot-repair_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial-backports_universe_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial-security_universe_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_webupd8team_tor-browser_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_futurepilot_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xen ial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.cc.columbia.edu_pub_linux_ubuntu_archive_di sts_xenial_restricted_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_ubuntu-mate-dev_welcome_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translat ion-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_andreas-boettger_gmusicbrowser-daily_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_pi-rho_dev_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_bkgaley_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xenial_ main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_atareao_antiviral_ubuntu_dists_x enial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_jtaylor_keepass_ubuntu_dists_xen ial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_nilarimogard_webupd8_ubuntu_dist s_xenial_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_graphics-drivers_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translat ion-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_system76-dev_stable_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translati on-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_jfi_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main _i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_wireshark-dev_stable_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Translati on-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_micahflee_ppa_ubuntu_dists_xenia l_main_i18n_Translation-en: done.
Reading en translations from /var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_pi-rho_security_ubuntu_dists_xenial_main_i18n_Transla tion-en: done.
Rebuilding Xapian index: done.
Installing the new index.
Removing old index /var/cache/apt-xapian-index/index.1.
Writing value information to /var/lib/apt-xapian-index/values.
Writing prefix information to /var/lib/apt-xapian-index/prefixes.
Writing documentation to /var/lib/apt-xapian-index/README.
sudo update-apt-xapian-index -vf 63.62s user 5.34s system 99% cpu 1:09.55 total
Also:
After installing IceCat, /etc/lsb-release was:


DISTRIB_ID=Trisquel
DISTRIB_RELEASE=6.0.1
DISTRIB_CODENAME=toutatis
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Trisquel GNU/Linux 6.0.1, Toutatis"
I manually changed it (back) to:

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=16.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=xenial
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 16.04 LTS"
And I'm not sure that manually changing that is the right thing to do.

I think I may have accidentally installed Trisquel without meaning to, when I installed IceCat. My distro is Ubuntu Mate 16.04.

QUESTION: How can I get the Software Center to open?

Bucky Ball
August 6th, 2016, 08:01 AM
What errors do you get with a straight forward update/upgrade in a terminal?


sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade

Suggest you remove whatever you installed prior to this happening then run these commands.

watchpocket
August 6th, 2016, 08:43 PM
Thanks for the response. I get no errors at all with any of those three commands.
When I try to open Software Center, it tries to start, but never opens.


By the way, is there any difference at all between those commands and the same commands only using "apt-get" instead of "apt"?

Bucky Ball
August 7th, 2016, 04:09 AM
By the way, is there any difference at all between those commands and the same commands only using "apt-get" instead of "apt"?

Try this. (https://www.maketecheasier.com/apt-vs-apt-get-ubuntu/)

watchpocket
August 27th, 2016, 11:27 PM
Thank you! That definitely answers the question. Had no idea that "apt" has been around since 14.04. Meanwhile my Software Center mysteriously still doesn't open. (I'm just glad it's not my only means of getting sw.)