Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

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tomreedtoon

Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by tomreedtoon »

https://imgur.com/a/n74xyPP

Ever since the most recent update of Linux Mint, I've gotten a message on Catfish file search saying the database must be updated. I try, I put in my password, but it comes back with an error message. Is there a way to update the Catfish database using the command line? See picture for error message.

Image
Last edited by LockBot on Mon Sep 25, 2023 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ricardogroetaers
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by ricardogroetaers »

tomreedtoon wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 6:29 pm Ever since the most recent update of Linux Mint, ......
Newer Catfish are somewhat problematic.

Suggestion:
- completely uninstall catfish via Synaptic.
- Download the older Catfish deb (before it is too late) here: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/u ... -1_all.deb
- install the older Catfish from the "Gdebi package installer
- Run for the cheers of the fans.
Cosmo.
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Cosmo. »

Before talking about old and new version we should at first check, which version of Catfish gets actually used. I have 4.16 and I encounter no problems. Besides that: The command in Catfish to update the database is nothing else, than a function, which the system does automatically on a daily basis. So a defective database has nothing to do with Catsfish.

The command to update the database is sudo updatedb. If this gives the same trouble, it is evident, that Catfish has nothing to do with the problem. Delete the file mlocate.db and create a new one (same command).
tomreedtoon

Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by tomreedtoon »

I tried the command line refresh and the process took about two minutes and didn't return. Then I went into my folders. Inside of the .var folder there is no subfolder named lib/mlocate/mlocate.db. The only thing inside /lib is a folder named app, with the following folders:

com.github.johnfactorum.Foliate
com.obsproject.Studio
eu.scarpetta.PDFMixTool
io.github.webcamoid.Webcamoid
net.scribus.Scribus
net.sourceforge.liferea
org.audacityteamAudacity
org.gnome.Cheese
org.inkscape.Inkscape
org.videolan.VLC

When I use Catfish to search for lib/mlocate/mlocate.db it can't find it anywhere. Is there another search function that might find out if it's on my installation at all?
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Cosmo. »

tomreedtoon wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 9:31 pm Inside of the .var folder there is no subfolder named lib/mlocate/mlocate.db. The only thing inside /lib is a folder named app
This makes clear,why you have the original problem in Catfish. But this means also, that something is terribly broken in your system, because there must be numerous subfolders in /var/lib, but not a folder named app.
Return with a Timeshift snapshot..
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by ricardogroetaers »

tomreedtoon wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 9:31 pm Inside of the .var folder there is no subfolder named lib/mlocate/mlocate.db.
Observation:
The "mlocate.db" file is in the "/var/lib/mlocate/" folder.
The "/lib/" folder in Mint 20.3 (and I assume, but am not sure, in all 20.x and 21.x series) is just a "shortcut" to "/usr/lib/".
Cosmo. wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:16 am I have 4.16 and I encounter no problems.
You are a lucky guy.

The versions "4.16.0-1~20.04 (una)" and "1.4.10-1~18.04" (LM 19.3, Tricia) are a "hotbed" of problems.
If we eliminate the places pre-set as exceptions and search for some "object" in the "file system" (understood as the whole computer), the search never ends.
The finds (found objects) repeat themselves indefinitely in a crazy, endless loop.

I refuse to set some "locations" (folders) as exceptions to the search so that the catfish program is supposed to work correctly.

These problems simply do not exist in version 1.4.4-1.

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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Maxwell-J »

I'm using LM 21.1 and Catfish 4.16.3

Image

now while everything says Catfish uses /var/lib/mlocate/mlocate.db

Image

I can assure you it does not ....

it uses and updates /var/lib/plocate/plocate.db as does the comand sudo updatedb

Image

now why have they changed from mlocate to plocate ............... I've no idea


I also edited

/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/catfish_lib/catfishconfig.py

changed the location of the file

from
__locate_db_path__ = '/var/lib/mlocate/mlocate.db'

to
__locate_db_path__ = '/var/lib/plocate/plocate.db'

result

Image

my catfish works just fine :D
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Cosmo. »

ricardogroetaers wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 12:23 am You are a lucky guy.
I merely think, that you are very unlucky (out of which reason ever).

Regarding plocate:
Seems to be a change in Ubuntu 22.04, but the OP seems to use Mint 20.3, see the screenshot in the 1st post, so not relevant here.
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Maxwell-J »

but the OP seems to use Mint 20.3, see the screenshot in the 1st post, so not relevant here.
yes I read the OP post ..... please advise as to how you deduced from the screenshot that he's using LM 20.3 ?
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Pjotr »

I have Catfish 4.16.3 (Mint 21.1). My Mint was not upgraded from 20.x; I only do in-place upgrades within a Mint series.

Catfish works well on my machines. It uses the mlocate.db database, not the plocate.db database.

Strangely enough, that mlocate.db database doesn't seem to need mlocate itself; neither mlocate nor locate are installed on my system.

But plocate is installed. Synaptic tells me, that mlocate is a transitional dummy package that points to plocate. Which might shed some light on this issue.
Tip: 10 things to do after installing Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Maxwell-J »

Cosmo. wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 4:02 am
ricardogroetaers wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 12:23 am You are a lucky guy.
I merely think, that you are very unlucky (out of which reason ever).

Regarding plocate:
Seems to be a change in Ubuntu 22.04, but the OP seems to use Mint 20.3, see the screenshot in the 1st post, so not relevant here.
yes I read the OP post ..... please advise as to how you deduced from the screenshot that he's using LM 20.3 ?
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Cosmo. »

Maxwell-J wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:04 pm yes I read the OP post ..... please advise as to how you deduced from the screenshot that he's using LM 20.3 ?
If you mean me: Very easy. Compare your own screenshot with the one of the OP: plocate vs. mlocate.
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Maxwell-J »

Cosmo. wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:38 am
Maxwell-J wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:04 pm yes I read the OP post ..... please advise as to how you deduced from the screenshot that he's using LM 20.3 ?
If you mean me: Very easy. Compare your own screenshot with the one of the OP: plocate vs. mlocate.
so you didn't read my post then ....

my first screenshot was mlocate , I see no difference between it and the OPs

my second screenshot was plocate after I'd edited catfishconfig.py
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by Cosmo. »

Did this have a purpose (except confusing things)?
tomreedtoon

Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by tomreedtoon »

Cosmo. wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:16 am Before talking about old and new version we should at first check, which version of Catfish gets actually used. I have 4.16 and I encounter no problems. Besides that: The command in Catfish to update the database is nothing else, than a function, which the system does automatically on a daily basis. So a defective database has nothing to do with Catsfish.

The command to update the database is sudo updatedb. If this gives the same trouble, it is evident, that Catfish has nothing to do with the problem. Delete the file mlocate.db and create a new one (same command).
Thanks! that command worked, although the screen says the database hasn't been updated for more than 7 days. At least it didn't crash.
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Re: Catfish search won't update database; is there a fix or command line update?

Post by gessel »

Maxwell-J wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 2:40 am
I also edited

/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/catfish_lib/catfishconfig.py

my catfish works just fine :D

I'm using Catfish 4.16.3 on 22.04.2 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) and this fix to catfishconfig.py resolved the problem for me too. Thanks @Maxwell-J
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