Two volume icons in 21 Mate

[The_Mystic]

I'm running Linux Mint 21 (Vanessa), MATE 1.26.0, kernel 5.15.0-56-generic.

When I boot, sometimes I'll get a second volume icon in the notification area.

Screenshot at 2022-12-24 07-13-13.png (31.25 KiB) Viewed 2549 times

This happens only occasionally, maybe one boot out of every ~10. The sound doesn't seem to be affected by this, though having a second icon is a little distracting.

I searched the forum, and found this thread. The killall mate-panel suggestion restarts the panel and gets rid of the second volume icon. From what I saw, it's a temporary fix; I'm looking for a more permanent solution, if there is one.

[manyroads]

FWIW when you see two icons it generally means there are two software apps involved. I don't know about Mate, but with Xfce and other tools that means all you need do it either uninstall one of the apps or turn off its systray icon.

[billyswong]

My guess to this bug is race condition.

Linux Mint introduced XApp Status Applet in addition to the legacy Notification Area in Mate. Programs that use the new XApp Status are designed to fall back to show its icon in the legacy panel item if the new applet is not available. So there may be a chance that the legacy area picked up the new programs before the new applet is loaded or launched. Then the new applet display the new icons alongside the old icons, causing a repeat.

For permanent fix, I guess we need someone in Mint development team to debug it, either within the XApp Status library, or within the applet.

[The_Mystic]

FWIW when you see two icons it generally means there are two software apps involved. I don't know about Mate, but with Xfce and other tools that means all you need do it either uninstall one of the apps or turn off its systray icon.

Other than what came with MATE, I don't think I installed any other audio software. I ran ps -x a couple minutes after a reboot; here's the output. AFAIK there's nothing that looks like 2 different audio apps. Maybe you can see something that I don't?

Code: Select all

    PID TTY      STAT   TIME COMMAND
   1250 ?        Ss     0:00 /lib/systemd/systemd --user
   1251 ?        S      0:00 (sd-pam)
   1258 ?        S<sl   0:00 /usr/bin/pipewire
   1259 ?        S<sl   0:00 /usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jou
   1260 ?        Ssl    0:00 mate-session
   1278 ?        Ss     0:00 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --session --address=systemd: -
   1481 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfsd
   1486 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfsd-fuse /run/user/1000/gvfs -f
   1488 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/at-spi-bus-launcher
   1499 ?        S      0:00 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --config-file=/usr/share/defau
   1524 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/dconf-service
   1528 ?        Sl     0:00 gnome-keyring-daemon --start
   1546 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/bin/mate-settings-daemon
   1549 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/libexec/at-spi2-registryd --use-gnome-session
   1596 ?        Sl     0:01 marco --composite --replace
   1597 ?        Sl     0:00 mate-panel
   1650 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/bin/msd-locate-pointer
   1651 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfs-udisks2-volume-monitor
   1654 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/bin/caja
   1659 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfs-gphoto2-volume-monitor
   1665 ?        Sl     0:00 mintmenu
   1667 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/lib/mate-panel/wnck-applet
   1668 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfs-goa-volume-monitor
   1673 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/lib/mate-panel/clock-applet
   1676 ?        Sl     0:00 mate-xapp-status-applet
   1678 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/lib/mate-panel/notification-area-applet
   1680 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfs-afc-volume-monitor
   1682 ?        Sl     0:00 mate-power-manager
   1687 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/polkit-mate/polkit-mate-a
   1690 ?        Sl     0:00 nm-applet
   1691 ?        Sl     0:00 mate-volume-control-status-icon
   1692 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor
   1693 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/libexec/geoclue-2.0/demos/agent
   1733 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/libexec/evolution-data-server/evolution-alarm-
   1741 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libexec/kdeconnectd
   1742 ?        S      0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/share/system-config-printer/a
   1747 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal
   1761 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/xdg-document-portal
   1773 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/xdg-permission-store
   1800 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
   1824 ?        S      0:00 sh -c /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libproxy/0.4.17/pxg
   1825 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libproxy/0.4.17/pxgsettin
   1851 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/evolution-source-registry
   1874 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/evolution-calendar-factory
   1889 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/evolution-addressbook-factory
   1906 ?        Z      0:00 [get_apt_cache.p] <defunct>
   1909 ?        Sl     0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfsd-trash --spawner :1.9 /org/gtk/gv
   1931 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/libexec/gvfsd-metadata
   2091 ?        Sl     0:00 mate-terminal
   2120 pts/0    Ss     0:00 bash
   2133 ?        Sl     0:00 mintUpdate
   2175 ?        Sl     0:01 mintreport-tray
   2734 pts/0    R+     0:00 ps -x

Also, here's the output from inxi-A:

Code: Select all

Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-2: AMD Raven/Raven2/FireFlight/Renoir Audio Processor driver: N/A
  Device-3: AMD Family 17h HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.15.0-56-generic running: yes
  Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 15.99.1 running: yes
  Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.48 running: yes

[scjet45]

I'm running Linux Mint 21 (Vanessa), MATE 1.26.0, kernel 5.15.0-56-generic.

When I boot, sometimes I'll get a second volume icon in the notification area.

This happens only occasionally, maybe one boot out of every ~10. The sound doesn't seem to be affected by this, though having a second icon is a little distracting.

I searched the forum, and found this thread. The killall mate-panel suggestion restarts the panel and gets rid of the second volume icon. From what I saw, it's a temporary fix; I'm looking for a more permanent solution, if there is one.

My guess to this bug is race condition.
...
For permanent fix, I guess we need someone in Mint development team to debug it, either within the XApp Status library, or within the applet..

Yep, (in Mint MATE ..., 18.*, 19.*, 20.*, 21.*), I've also been getting the same two volume icons randomly popping up on the panel for years now with the odd reboot.
Without researching much it seems MATE stills has it's own old legacy (gnome 2) sound control, even when I do NOT install pavucontrol, although it seems to start up "PulseAudio Sound System", and even though PA is the ONLY audio system control within MATE''S "Startup Applications" menu icon?.

it still (randomly) brings up two volume control icons on the Panel?, (even though, as you said, it doesn't hurt anything).
There's another sound control ghost somewhere in here.

And, on my (newer) Laptop, (Lenovo Legion 5), with MATE 21.1, -with a (dedicated) nvdia GPU, and an (integrated) amd/radeon GPU this random two volume icons still happens randomly.
Also, this still randomly happens on my, MATE 21.1, (Ryzen 3700X) Desktop, which has no Video capabilities other than my old Nvidia PCIE GTX-670 (discrete) GPU card, Or, my old AMD Radeon 7650K (discrete) GPU card.?

I think you may be onto something, with MATE having a buggy "race-condition" and/or similar issue regarding it's sound controller dependencies, which the Mint/MATE team need to address.

[igmint]

viewtopic.php?f=206&t=339652&p=2218106#p2218106
Phantom doubles in
/home/***/.local/share/applications ?

[scjet45]

viewtopic.php?f=206&t=339652&p=2218106#p2218106
Phantom doubles in
/home/***/.local/share/applications ?

just now, with two vol icons and two bat power icons:

Screenshot at 2023-01-08 11-59-58.png (5.22 KiB) Viewed 2268 times

But, before (and after) running "killall mate-panel", I checked in /home/***/.local/share/applications/ and only found an empty unmodified "mimeapps.list" file, -with timestamps coinciding with my installation date.
but thanks anyway.

[scjet45]

yep,
this is not just a finicky (random) problem with two volume icons popping up, but additionally, it's also a (random) problem with two wifi icons, and/or two bat power icons, and/or two bluetooth icons, and/or two whatever icons showing up, .... in the mate-panel, it's also Ubuntu MATE, ..., and, it's still NOT fixed !?.

Obviously, Cinnamon, KDE, XFCE, ..., does NOT have these pesky issues, so this is most definitely a Linux "MATE" issue, (that's been goin' on for quite some time), that their developers need to address, (hopefully).

[scjet45]

I found this, although it's more specifically for Ubuntu MATE, and it's dated:
https://learnubuntumate.weebly.com/two-wifi-icons.html (the parts mentioned about shutter and redshift, in that article, don't seem to have much bearing, but ...?).
I installed "libappindicator3-1", and so far no more double icons, however, it's only been a day but I'll keep an eye on it.

[scjet45]

I found this, although it's more specifically for Ubuntu MATE, and it's dated:
https://learnubuntumate.weebly.com/two-wifi-icons.html (the parts mentioned about shutter and redshift, in that article, don't seem to have much bearing, but ...?).
I installed "libappindicator3-1", and so far no more double icons, however, it's only been a day but I'll keep an eye on it.

UPDATE: unfortunately the above did not help either.

[billyswong]

Found this ticket https://github.com/linuxmint/xapp/issues/157

I added 5 seconds delay to xapp-sn-watcher by going to Menu > Startup Applications. But I don't know if this can prevent the bug or not as the bug is random in nature and don't comes up that often by itself in my computer.

[scjet45]

Found this ticket https://github.com/linuxmint/xapp/issues/157

I added 5 seconds delay to xapp-sn-watcher by going to Menu > Startup Applications. But I don't know if this can prevent the bug or not as the bug is random in nature and don't comes up that often by itself in my computer.

Interesting, and thanks, but I've always disabled xapp-sn-watcher from startup, within MATE, and yet I still get the seldom but random duplicate icons in notification area.

[scjet45]

well, as a test, I installed latest Ubuntu MATE, and I've been dual booting my MATE 21.1 with Ubuntu MATE 22.04.1 (same as Mint, with all default updates, ...), on this same Laptop for about a week now, and I must admit, in Ubuntu MATE there have been NO duplicate icons, so far. -It seems to be fixed in latest Ubuntu MATE.

lol, I know that didn't help us much, but
Without getting into too many detailed difference between the two, the main things is that the "mate-panel" seems very similar, between the two,
but in "Startup Applications", (Ubuntu MATE), has a dozen or so new startup entries for various startup "Ayatana" app indicators (from gdm themes?) for the notification area in the mate-panel.
https://ubuntu-mate.org/blog/ubuntu-mat ... ase-notes/ (see under "Ayatana Indicators").

...Ayatana Indicators now provide improved backwards compatibility to Ubuntu Indicators and no longer requires the installation of two sets of libraries,...

From what I can understand, it also seems Ubuntu MATE is heavily dependent on GDM themes, unchangeable login screen?, gnome-shell extensions, ... ? :sigh.

But again, I haven't used Ubuntu MATE in years, since I much prefer the simplicity, and easy customizing ability of Mint's MATE.

In summary,
this presently seems to be a Linux Mint MATE issue, in regards to these duplicate icons within the mate-panel.

[billyswong]

Ubuntu Mate and Linux Mint Mate are using 2 different sets of dual-systray, with different technology and API behind their new systray.

[scjet45]

Ubuntu Mate and Linux Mint Mate are using 2 different sets of dual-systray, with different technology and API behind their new systray.

yep. that's a given,

[igmint]

LM20.1, LM20.3
I installed "libappindicator1", and so far no more double icons!

[scjet45]

LM20.1, LM20.3
I installed "libappindicator1", and so far no more double icons!

how many reboots/logins did u base that on?.
We're not making this schtuff up.
I've been using Linux Mint MATE since 6 years now.
I tried libappindicator1 as well as as libappindicator3-1 to no avail, in Linux Mint MATE 20.*/21.* and previous, over the last couple years, it may take some random reboots/logins, but the multiple double-icon nuisance is still there, too many of the same redundant appindicators are fighting for the same notification mate-panel space.

There was a major shift with Ubuntu (Gnome3) dropping icons and notification-indicators as far back as 20.03, hence why Ubuntu MATE has recently turned to the old Ayatana notification indicator icons, it's a stop gap. But MATE is, afterall, now primarily built upon Gnome/GTK3 libraries, ...
https://itsfoss.com/enable-applet-indicator-gnome/

...lol, leave it to Gnome/Ubuntu to screw up something that has/had worked fine in Debian, Arch, Suse, ... for decades.
But since Linux Mint MATE is based upon (latest-stable) Ubuntu, then it follows the piper, unless something better can be developed.?

This is a torch the Linux Mint MATE devs need to fix/patch, hopefully, and they're not alone.

It's not that I'm for Ubuntu/Ayatana notification icons, but moreso, that I'm against random multiple double icons popping up all over my Linux Mint mate/sys-panel for no reason at all.

It just couldn't be more clearer.

[blueredgreen]

I am also getting 2 volume icons exactly like op about 1 time in 10 with linux mint 21 mate same kernel as op.
See it immediately and don't like it - I just reboot and it goes away.

[rickNS]

Yes since Mint 19 anyway.
I first noticed it as my clock would be missing.
Sometimes like others a doubling of tray icons, and sometimes the icons on the left end of panel would be doubled, or even a half of an icon. Thought I had a screen shot of that, but can't find it. I also made a forum post about it "missing clock" I may try to find that...

ksnip230212-2335.jpg (2.07 KiB) Viewed 1438 times

My work around was to add a startup application with the command;
sleep 6 && mate-panel --replace

Yeah here's one with the menu missing,

ksnip230212-2336.png (12.06 KiB) Viewed 1432 times

And the thread I started way back then,
viewtopic.php?f=90&t=288437&p=1694832&h ... k#p1694832

[glitchathon]

I also had this on 21.1. But I was able to recreate this situation with the following scenario.

Initially I installed 21.1 with Intel’s CNVi (Bluetooth and WiFi) on in the BIOS.

I then disabled it in the BIOS. I then started seeing two sound icons in the task tray on every boot.

I reenabled CNVi in the BIOS, and the problem goes away.

But CNVi should have nothing to do with the sound, so this is pretty odd huh?