Synaptic Package Manager not launching

[rbsudo]

I've tried to launch Synaptic Package Manager but it wont launch.
Should I uninstall and install?
If so, what's best way. Can It cause other damage if it is uninstalled.
As always, thanks for your suggestions.

[rbsudo]

I went to Software Manager and did an uninstall of Synaptic.
The uninstall started and then hung at 98%.
I knew then that things looked grim.
I went to Terminal and tried to uninstall there.
To make a long story short, I wound up loosing access to Menu start.
So that was it, and I re-installed Linux Mint MATE.
I don't know what caused SPM to stop launching. But if it can't be uninstalled from Software Manager.... I don't see any other way around it.

[richyrich]

If this ever happens again, try launching Synaptic from the terminal. Then you will be able to copy any and all error messages that show up in the terminal. That info will surely help troubleshoot what the problem is.

gksudo synaptic

[JerryF]

I went to Software Manager and did an uninstall of Synaptic.
The uninstall started and then hung at 98%.
I knew then that things looked grim.
I went to Terminal and tried to uninstall there.
To make a long story short, I wound up loosing access to Menu start.
So that was it, and I re-installed Linux Mint MATE.
I don't know what caused SPM to stop launching. But if it can't be uninstalled from Software Manager.... I don't see any other way around it.

Just a suggestion---that you may want to give members a chance to respond to your question(s) before trying something blindly.

[rbsudo]

I did try to uninstall from the Terminal and got synaptic not found.
Then I clicked back on the the Software Manager screen and there was no change.... still stuck at 98%.
Then I started to click on the Mint menu and it was not functioning.
During my web searches prior to this point I did come across a warning saying that uninstalling Synaptic can be risky with unpredictable results.

[richyrich]

Yes, Synaptic plays an important part in Mint's package management system. Un-installing it most likely removed other dependent and needed files from the system . .

[Säteri]

I'll have a go with this one.
I have the same problem with linux mint 18.2 mate that i can't launch synaptic package manager from menu.
With terminal it open's and work's just fine but it gives this error.

(synaptic:6710): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-widgets.css:63:17: Theming engine 'unico' not found

(synaptic:6710): Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_widget_hide: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed

I'm a fairly new user with linux and all the terms are not so clear to me so could someone explain what does that mean and how to fix this proplem?

[minitux]

But how do you launch it from the terminal?

With sudo or gksudo?

try to launch it with this

Code: Select all

gksudo synaptic

and see if it works

[Säteri]

With terminal it work's just fine with sudo or gksudo. But with sudo it gives the error if you mean that.
Only if i try to open synaptic package manager from menu---control center----synaptic package manager it won't open at all.

[Moem]

You should never open graphical applications with sudo, because that will cause problems with permissions. Always use gksudo (or if you're on KDE: kdesudo).

[Spearmint2]

With terminal it work's just fine with sudo or gksudo. But with sudo it gives the error if you mean that.
Only if i try to open synaptic package manager from menu---control center----synaptic package manager it won't open at all.

check the properties on the launcher icon.

[minitux]

however, the default command for synaptic is

Code: Select all

synaptic-pkexec

see in /usr/share/applications/synaptic.desktop

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cat /usr/share/applications/synaptic.desktop

you should have the line Exec=synaptic-pkexec
in case change Exec= with gksudo synaptic

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gksudo xed /usr/share/applications/synaptic.desktop

and set this Exec=

Code: Select all

Exec=gksudo synaptic

save and close the file

[Säteri]

Thank you.
Now it open's from the menu too.
Just wondering what does this mean?


~ $ gksudo xed /usr/share/applications/synaptic.desktop

** (xed:4373): WARNING **: Set document metadata failed: Ominaisuuden metadata::xed-spell-language asetus ei ole tuettu

** (xed:4373): WARNING **: Set document metadata failed: Ominaisuuden metadata::xed-encoding asetus ei ole tuettu

** (xed:4373): WARNING **: Set document metadata failed: Ominaisuuden metadata::xed-position asetus ei ole tuettu

[minitux]

I do not know, but do not worry just look like simple warnings the important thing is that now synaptic works from the menu