[20.04] Ubuntu Software Removed

[Dennis N]

Ubuntu Software disappeared and that was when I noticed the Snap Store. At the moment, Ubuntu Software (orange icon) is showing in the app list but the output from those commands shows gnome-software. EDIT: Now the Snap Store icon has disappeared, although it is showing as installed in Ubuntu Software.

The image you attached shows you do not have ubuntu-software or gnome-sofware installed. Now, the question is why do you see an 'Ubuntu Software' icon? The inference is that something else must be installed that is using the name 'Ubuntu Software':

The answer could be here: Copy the output of snap info snap-store | grep installed from the terminal and post it. Thanks.

EDIT: Here's the reason for this last request - I hope this clears up your problem:
You could have an old version of snap-store still installed. I just reviewed some posts about this. In the initial Ubuntu 20.04 release in April, the icon for the snap-store package (installed by default) was named 'Ubuntu Software'. It was really a snap version of gnome-software. The current snap-store is a snap only thing. You should install the gnome-software package to cover all package types, and refresh your snap-store to the latest stable version to manage your snaps only. It should then have a distinct 'Snap Store' icon.

Latest version:

dmn@Tyana-vm:~$ snap list | grep snap-store
snap-store          3.31.1+git187.84b64e0b      415   latest/stable    canonical*    -

[Graham1]

The image you attached shows you do not have ubuntu-software or gnome-sofware installed. Now, the question is why do you see an 'Ubuntu Software' icon? The inference is that something else must be installed that is using the name 'Ubuntu Software':

Not sure what but something is installed as I was able to install VLC Player from the Ubuntu Software icon.

EDIT: I'm also seeing exactly the same output on my test vm (20.04) which hasn't been modified at all.

The answer could be here: Copy the output of snap info snap-store | grep installed from the terminal and post it. Thanks.

"installed: 3.36.0-80-g208fd61 (467) 52MB -"

EDIT: Here's the reason for this last request - I hope this clears up your problem:
You could have an old version of snap-store still installed. I just reviewed some posts about this. In the initial Ubuntu 20.04 release in April, the icon for the snap-store package (installed by default) was named 'Ubuntu Software'. It was really a snap version of gnome-software. The current snap-store is a snap only thing. You should install the gnome-software package to cover all package types, and refresh your snap-store to the latest stable version to manage your snaps only. It should then have a distinct 'Snap Store' icon.

I remember seeing that icon at the time (might have been OMG Ubuntu) but have never seen it until now on my system.

Latest version:

dmn@Tyana-vm:~$ snap list | grep snap-store
snap-store          3.31.1+git187.84b64e0b      415   latest/stable    canonical*    -

"snap-store 3.36.0-80-g208fd61 467 latest/stable/… canonical✓ -"

[Graham1]

I should note that I have Timeshift installed, so could rollback if required. My earliest snapshot is 18/06/2020 if that is easier.

EDIT: I have also taken a look on my test 20.04 vm in Boxes and the same has occurred. Showing "snap-store 3.31.1+git187.84b64e0b 415 latest/stable/… canonical✓ -". This is the green icon with the orange one removed from my dock.

UPDATE: In the time it took me to post the above, Ubuntu Software has updated itself (green icon back to orange) with the ability to remove non-snaps. My guess, a bad update was published which has since been corrected, which I caught in the process. Now showing "snap-store 3.36.0-80-g208fd61 467 latest/stable/… canonical✓ -"

[Dennis N]

Your snap-store package is not from the stable channel - it's using the beta channel which is the most error prone.
Your version in red below:

channels:
  latest/stable:    3.31.1+git187.84b64e0b 2020-04-22 (415) 45MB -
  latest/candidate: 3.31.1+git188.316dd69c 2020-06-02 (466) 45MB -
  latest/beta:      3.36.0-80-g208fd61     2020-06-02 (467) 52MB -
  latest/edge:      20200414.ac9047f       2020-04-14 (375) 50MB -

I would switch to the stable channel and get that version on your system:
Terminal commands:

snap switch --stable snap-store
snap refresh snap-store

Then recheck the version installed to be sure the change was made to latest/stable version.

Also be sure you install gnome-software if you haven't done so.
Everything should now be fixed!

[Graham1]

Are you sure? The channel and details seem to conflict. Also, strange that this has happened to all my 20.04 builds automatically (computer, laptop and vm).



Snap Store.jpg

[Dennis N]

Look at the drop down list in upper right. It shows the channels and the version in each channel. See attached image. Your version is the one in the beta channel. You should switch to stable.

Edit:
You can also check the channel you are tracking from the terminal: snap info snap-store. Look for the line 'tracking:' in the output.

[Dennis N]

More information:

If I select the 'latest/beta' in that drop-down list, the information changes in the main window (attached). I have no idea why yours has different information!
Then, the Install button is green, and I assume it would change the installed version to 'latest/beta'.
You could pick 'latest/stable' from your selector list (which shows the right version for stable), and see if the information in your main window changes. Then click on 'Install' and see what happens.

[Graham1]

Look at the drop down list in upper right. It shows the channels and the version in each channel. See attached image. Your version is the one in the beta channel. You should switch to stable.

I've just manually changed to the "latest/stable" channel and now getting the following error:-

"Sorry, something went wrong:
Error opening directory "/usr/share/appdata": No such file
or directory"

Edit:
You can also check the channel you are tracking from the terminal: snap info snap-store. Look for the line 'tracking:' in the output.

tracking: latest/stable/ubuntu-20.04
refresh-date: 2 days ago, at 13:02 BST
channels:
latest/stable: 3.31.1+git187.84b64e0b 2020-04-22 (415) 45MB -
latest/candidate: 3.31.1+git188.316dd69c 2020-06-02 (466) 45MB -
latest/beta: 3.36.0-80-g208fd61 2020-06-02 (467) 52MB -
latest/edge: 20200414.ac9047f 2020-04-14 (375) 50MB -
installed: 3.36.0-80-g208fd61 (467) 52MB -

Having done that prior to above, it was reporting 3.36... as latest/stable for tracking.

[Graham1]

More information:

If I select the 'latest/beta' in that drop-down list, the information changes in the main window (attached). I have no idea why yours has different information!
Then, the Install button is green, and I assume it would change the installed version to 'latest/beta'.
You could pick 'latest/stable' from your selector list (which shows the right version for stable), and see if the information in your main window changes. Then click on 'Install' and see what happens.

I've just checked my laptop (in terminal) and seen the Ubuntu Software snap update from 3.36.0-74... to 3.36.0-80... with exactly the same process (orange icon > green > orange). This is also showing the same error as above now.



EDIT: Rebooting my computer and laptop has now fixed the errors mentioned. Both have switched to the stable channel and showing the green icon (Snap Store). Is this correct? Both are only showing installed snaps now and nothing else.

I'm going to create a new 20.04 vm and see where I end up.

UPDATE: Attached is a screenshot showing the default setup after installation, fully updated and updated snap store on new vm.

snap stages.jpg

[Dennis N]

EDIT: Rebooting my computer and laptop has now fixed the errors mentioned. Both have switched to the stable channel and showing the green icon (Snap Store). Is this correct? Both are only showing installed snaps now and nothing else.

Yes. Did you check the version? Snap Store should be Rev (Revision) 415. See the Rev column when you do snap list:

snap-store          3.31.1+git187.84b64e0b      415   latest/stable    canonical✓    -

Back to post #18:
tracking: latest/stable/ubuntu-20.04
should be:
tracking: latest/stable

It's not the same channel. What the third part ubuntu-20.04 on the end means, I'm not sure. Possibly something created for testing. I want to check the documentation on the channels to see what it says. In any case, it's not resulting in the correct package being installed. Could be set in the installation media so you are getting the wrong version installed again in your post #19. Check the tracking again from the terminal command as you did in post #18.

And where did you get the iso you are installing from?

Discrepancies from your image and what I show:
core 18 should be rev 1754, not 1705
gnome-3-34-1804 should be rev 36, not 24
snap-store should be rev 415, not 433

On my Ubuntu 20.04, snapd is not a snap package (but sometimes it is - on Ubuntu 16.04).