Fails to load application menu {solved-sort of}

[bootmakr]

After I login and the desktop comes up, I click on the menu button on the bottom of the screen. Instead of getting my menu, I get a dialog box which says:

Error
Failed to load applications menu
Error on line 1 char1: Document must
begin with an element (e.g.<book>)

I can still right-click on the desktop to get an application, but I would like to know how to fix this problem, as having use of the menus makes it more prodductive than having to cloase down the desktop all the time to access an application. This is a fairly new install (a week or so) and all I have done to it is the update packs. When I check the update manager, it says it is up-to-date.

Anyone know what file to open so I can get this fixed?

[widget]

I am assuming that you are using Gnome.

If that is the case you may want to take a look at your /etc/xdg/menus/gnome-applications.menu file.

I could be wrong about this but I do not think so. There is a file in my LMDE Xfce for both Gnome and Xfce menus.

Mine for Gnome looks like this;

<!DOCTYPE Menu PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD Menu 1.0//EN"
"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/menu-spec/1.0/menu.dtd">

<Menu>

<Name>Applications</Name>
<Directory>X-GNOME-Menu-Applications.directory</Directory>

<!-- Scan legacy dirs first, as later items take priority -->
<LegacyDir>/etc/X11/applnk</LegacyDir>
<LegacyDir>/usr/share/gnome/apps</LegacyDir>

<!-- Read standard .directory and .desktop file locations -->
<DefaultAppDirs/>
<DefaultDirectoryDirs/>

<!-- Read in overrides and child menus from applications-merged/ -->
<DefaultMergeDirs/>

<!-- Accessories submenu -->
<Menu>
<Name>Accessories</Name>
<Directory>Utility.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Utility</Category>
<!-- Accessibility spec must have either the Utility or Settings
category, and we display an accessibility submenu already for
the ones that do not have Settings, so don't display accessibility
applications here -->
<Not><Category>Accessibility</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>System</Category></Not>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Accessories -->

<!-- Accessibility submenu -->
<Menu>
<Name>Universal Access</Name>
<Directory>Utility-Accessibility.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Accessibility</Category>
<Not><Category>Settings</Category></Not>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Accessibility -->

<!-- Development Tools -->
<Menu>
<Name>Development</Name>
<Directory>Development.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Development</Category>
</And>
<Filename>emacs.desktop</Filename>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Development Tools -->

<!-- Education -->
<Menu>
<Name>Education</Name>
<Directory>Education.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Education</Category>
<Not><Category>Science</Category></Not>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Education -->

<!-- Science -->
<Menu>
<Name>Science</Name>
<Directory>GnomeScience.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Education</Category>
<Category>Science</Category>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Science -->

<!-- Games -->
<Menu>
<Name>Games</Name>
<Directory>Game.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Game</Category>
<Not><Category>ActionGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>AdventureGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>ArcadeGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>BoardGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>BlocksGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>CardGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>KidsGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>LogicGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>Simulation</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>SportsGame</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>StrategyGame</Category></Not>
</And>
</Include>
<DefaultLayout inline="true" inline_limit="6" inline_header="false">
<Merge type="menus"/>
<Merge type="files"/>
</DefaultLayout>
<Menu>
<Name>Action</Name>
<Directory>ActionGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>ActionGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Adventure</Name>
<Directory>AdventureGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>AdventureGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Arcade</Name>
<Directory>ArcadeGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>ArcadeGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Board</Name>
<Directory>BoardGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>BoardGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Blocks</Name>
<Directory>BlocksGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>BlocksGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Cards</Name>
<Directory>CardGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>CardGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Kids</Name>
<Directory>KidsGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>KidsGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Logic</Name>
<Directory>LogicGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>LogicGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Role Playing</Name>
<Directory>RolePlayingGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>RolePlaying</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Simulation</Name>
<Directory>SimulationGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>Simulation</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Sports</Name>
<Directory>SportsGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>SportsGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
<Menu>
<Name>Strategy</Name>
<Directory>StrategyGames.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>StrategyGame</Category>
</Include>
</Menu>
</Menu> <!-- End Games -->

<!-- Graphics -->
<Menu>
<Name>Graphics</Name>
<Directory>Graphics.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Graphics</Category>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Graphics -->

<!-- Internet -->
<Menu>
<Name>Internet</Name>
<Directory>Network.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Network</Category>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Internet -->

<!-- Multimedia -->
<Menu>
<Name>Multimedia</Name>
<Directory>AudioVideo.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>AudioVideo</Category>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Multimedia -->

<!-- Office -->
<Menu>
<Name>Office</Name>
<Directory>Office.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>Office</Category>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Office -->

<!-- System Tools-->
<Menu>
<Name>System</Name>
<Directory>System-Tools.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<And>
<Category>System</Category>
<Not><Category>Settings</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>Game</Category></Not>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End System Tools -->

<!-- Other -->
<Menu>
<Name>Other</Name>
<Directory>X-GNOME-Other.directory</Directory>
<OnlyUnallocated/>
<Include>
<And>
<Not><Category>Core</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>Settings</Category></Not>
<Not><Category>Screensaver</Category></Not>
</And>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End Other -->

<!-- The Debian menu -->
<Menu>
<Name>Debian</Name>
<MergeFile>debian-menu.menu</MergeFile>
<Directory>Debian.directory</Directory>
</Menu>

</Menu> <!-- End Applications -->

[bootmakr]

I am using the XFCE desktop as well, so I will compare mine to yours and fill in the blanks if I can .... otherwise, I'll post it and ask more questions! Thanks

[bootmakr]

Code: Select all

<!DOCTYPE Menu PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD Menu 1.0//EN"
  "http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/menu-spec/1.0/menu.dtd">

<Menu>
    <Name>Xfce</Name>

    <DefaultAppDirs/>
    <DefaultDirectoryDirs/>

    <Include>
        <Category>X-Xfce-Toplevel</Category>
        <Filename>firefox.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>mintInstall.desktop</Filename>
    </Include>

    <Layout>
        <Filename>xfce4-run-program.desktop</Filename>
        <Separator/>
        <Filename>xfce4-term.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>xfce4-file-manager.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>firefox.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>mintInstall.desktop</Filename>
        <Separator/>
        <Menuname>Settings</Menuname>
        <Separator/>
        <Merge type="all"/>
        <Separator/>
        <Filename>xfce4-help.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>xfce4-about-xfce.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>xfce4-logout.desktop</Filename>
    </Layout>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Settings</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-settings.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Settings</Category>
        </Include>

        <Layout>
            <Filename>xfce-settings-manager.desktop</Filename>
            <Separator/>
            <Merge type="all"/>
        </Layout>
        <Menu>
            <Name>Screensavers</Name>
            <Directory>xfce-screensavers.directory</Directory>
            <Include>
                <Category>Screensaver</Category>
            </Include>
        </Menu>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Accessories</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-accessories.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Or>
                <Category>Accessibility</Category>
                <Category>Core</Category>
                <Category>Legacy</Category>
                <Category>Utility</Category>
            </Or>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Development</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-development.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Education</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-education.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Education</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Games</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-games.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Game</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Graphics</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-graphics.directory</Directory>
        <Include>

    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Multimedia</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-multimedia.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Audio</Category>
            <Category>Video</Category>
            <Category>AudioVideo</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Network</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-network.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Network</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Office</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-office.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Office</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>System</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-system.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>System</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Other</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-other.directory</Directory>
        <OnlyUnallocated/>
        <Include>
            <All/>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

</Menu>



I just noticed that you posted the file for Gnome, because you assumed I was using it. Since you posted the file for Gnome, I have nothing to compare to, so I wouldn't know where to start editing/adding/deleting, so I hope someone can help me to repair this corrupted file.
Thanks

[widget]

What you really need to do is see if the stuff is listed correctly. Your error message seems to indicate a syntax problem.

This is from Debian testing Xfce4.8

Code: Select all

<!DOCTYPE Menu PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD Menu 1.0//EN"
  "http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/menu-spec/1.0/menu.dtd">

<Menu>
    <Name>Xfce</Name>

    <DefaultAppDirs/>
    <DefaultDirectoryDirs/>
    <DefaultMergeDirs/>

    <Include>
        <Category>X-Xfce-Toplevel</Category>
    </Include>

    <Layout>
        <Filename>xfrun4.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>xfce4-run.desktop</Filename>
        <Separator/>
        <Filename>exo-terminal-emulator.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>exo-file-manager.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>exo-mail-reader.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>exo-web-browser.desktop</Filename>
        <Separator/>
        <Menuname>Settings</Menuname>
        <Separator/>
        <Merge type="all"/>
        <Separator/>
        <Filename>xfhelp4.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>xfce4-about.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>xfce4-session-logout.desktop</Filename>
    </Layout>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Settings</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-settings.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Settings</Category>
        </Include>

        <Layout>
            <Filename>xfce-settings-manager.desktop</Filename>
            <Separator/>
            <Merge type="all"/>
        </Layout>

        <Menu>
            <Name>Screensavers</Name>
            <Directory>xfce-screensavers.directory</Directory>
            <Include>
                <Category>Screensaver</Category>
            </Include>
        </Menu>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Accessories</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-accessories.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Or>
                <Category>Accessibility</Category>
                <Category>Core</Category>
                <Category>Legacy</Category>
                <Category>Utility</Category>
            </Or>
        </Include>
        <Exclude>
            <Or>
                <Filename>exo-file-manager.desktop</Filename>
                <Filename>exo-terminal-emulator.desktop</Filename>
                <Filename>xfce4-about.desktop</Filename>
                <Filename>xfrun4.desktop</Filename>
            </Or>
        </Exclude>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Development</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-development.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Development</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Education</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-education.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Education</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Games</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-games.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Game</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Graphics</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-graphics.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Graphics</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Multimedia</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-multimedia.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Audio</Category>
            <Category>Video</Category>
            <Category>AudioVideo</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Network</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-network.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Network</Category>
        </Include>
        <Exclude>
            <Or>
                <Filename>exo-mail-reader.desktop</Filename>
                <Filename>exo-web-browser.desktop</Filename>
            </Or>
        </Exclude>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Office</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-office.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Category>Office</Category>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>System</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-system.directory</Directory>
        <Include>
            <Or>
                <Category>Emulator</Category>
                <Category>System</Category>
            </Or>
        </Include>
        <Exclude>
            <Or>
                <Filename>xfce4-session-logout.desktop</Filename>
            </Or>
        </Exclude>
    </Menu>

    <Menu>
        <Name>Other</Name>
        <Directory>xfce-other.directory</Directory>
        <OnlyUnallocated/>
        <Include>
            <All/>
        </Include>
    </Menu>

</Menu>


Note the way you have <Menu> at the very begining and </Menu> at the very end. Individual menu items start and end that way too as do all other elements in there. Check the start and end Menu "names" first. Then you need to make each and every element is started (<Name>) and ended (</Name>).

There is probably a command to regenerate this but I do not know what it is.

I am not sure at all what specific package supplies the menu. One thing you could try is to rename that file (xfce-applications,menu.bak) and run;

Code: Select all

dpkg-reconfigure xfce4


That is the meta package so you may want to check and see if it is even installed. Could be that it is not. Packages may be all listed as manually installed.

You may want to try "xfce-panel", "xfwm4" and maybe "xfce-settings" with the "dpkg-reconfigure" command. Hopefully one of those will regenerate the "missing" file.

If not will just have to see if it is correct. Of coarse there may be some fine person to jump in here and educate both of us on the package needed or an easier way to regenerate that file.

There is another file that you may want to check in that same directory if it is there. This is called debian-menu.menu. Just checked and it is there. Same type of script, could have the same type of problem.

[widget]

Doing a little more research I find that the package "xfce-panel" suplies the menu. From the xfce Users Guide;

xfce4-panel

The Xfce panel. Provides program lauchers, a workspace switcher, a clock, menus and more.

file:///usr/share/doc/xfce4-utils/html/C/xfce-user-guide.html#xfce4-use

[bootmakr]

I've really got a winner here
I downloaded and installed the xfce version of LMDE, used it for a few days, then it went TU
Now, trying to follow the advice above, I'm told there is no xfce-panel, so I tried installing it - there is no package for it
So, I decided to reconfigure xfce4 - it's not installed
I'm now installing XFCE4, but I want to know why I downloaded and installed something that would disappear in a few days

[bootmakr]

I downloaded and installed XFCE4 (again) and I still have no applications menu

Why does LMDE hate me so

[widget]

I will have to take a closer look at LMDE XFCE that I have installed sometime soon.

The install that I use as my production OS is Debian Xfce with xfce4.8. I do not have the package Xfce4 installed here. It is the meta package and I install the components I wanted rather than use the meta package.

That package does include things like xfce4-panel however.

[widget]

I am not sure where you are checking on packages.

Did you take a look in Synaptic?

[bootmakr]

I always use apt-cache search to find if packages are available, but if I don't find a package or don't know what package name to use, I go to Debian packages and search out the individual package. I use apt-get to install, synaptic has never flipped my switch, but I have used it on occasion. It's just easier for me to use apt-get than searching through synaptic. I purposely installed the XFCE meta package in the hopes that I would get the applications menu again ..... no such luck!

[widget]

Did you try;

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xfce4-panel


after the meta package install?

If you don't like synaptic you are probably not fond of Update Mangler either. You might want to open it and see if you are up on "update pack3".

I find this very strange. I admit to removing LMDE Xfce yesterday to clean up my partition table as it really has not impressed me that much but the problem was certainly not related to Xfce in any way. The panel worked just fine, menus worked fine, thunar worked great.

Even had a custom entry in the Thunar right click menu for directories to "Open as the Big Cheese".

The installer and the package management strike me as a bit strange and lacing in many ways but Xfce4.8 worked great. It will probably get back on my external now that I have 3 / partiitions of Zenix3 sharing one /home and the 3 set up to be Squeeze, Wheezy and Sid respectively (Squeeze is the base install).

Now I have the partition table the way I want it and I thought installing LMDE on 2 / partitions and 1 /home would give me a chance to leave the installs pretty much default but chande one to use Debian testing repos and see what the difference is in ease of keeping it stable and update/upgraded.

I use apt for most of that as I usually run all my update/upgrade cycles from here [Debian testing with Xfce4.8] in a chroot environment.

I like to use synaptic for looking for packages because I can find things with out having a clue as to the name of the package pretty easily.

Just to stir things up, you could try Software Center.

[bootmakr]

Yes, I did try reconfiguring XFCE4 panel - there's none there! I wonder if it would help if I remove XFCE4 - try to install another DE and WM, then reinstall XFCE - maybe I could get an applications menu back crosses fingers: - Ya think?

[Inkit]

Don't know if you've tried this, but have you tried removing the menu from the panel and re-adding it.

[bootmakr]

Here's the output of my most recent attempt at getting xfce4-panel reconfigured:

Code: Select all

 # dpkg-reconfigure xfce4-panel
dpkg-maintscript-helper: warning: environment variable DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_NAME missing
dpkg-maintscript-helper: warning: environment variable DPKG_MAINTSCRIPT_PACKAGE missing


Maybe this will provide more information :crosses fingers:

[widget]

Sure sounds like you have some serious problems there.

Run;

Code: Select all

apt-get clean


this will empty your /var/cache/apt/archive

Boot to recovery mode and at the root prompt (I am assuming you get to one somehow haven't booted LMDE to recovery Debian does though) run;

Code: Select all

apt-get remove xfce4


then

Code: Select all

apt-get update


[code]
apt-get install xfce4
[code]
If you are too nervous to do that you could just try it with the package xfce4-panel.

[bootmakr]

I installed and removed xfce4 twice - no results! I finally resolved this issue (sort of) - I downloaded and installed LXDE, and then downloaded and installed Light DM - then I removed XFCE4 for the last time, removed gdm3, and now I can select whatever session I want, rather than being stuck with a default that's degrading. I've got my applications back and everything is listed, even the stuff that I have added myself. I'm a Happy Camper