Where have my Panel Applets gone in Natty?

11.04 gnome-panel panel

6,319

Well this has been an adventure. I had seen this MintForum thread before but ignored it mainly because it was talking about bonobo (which is frankly a silly word) but also because the applet in discussion was the MintMenu.

I decided to go back there today and actually read it. plumm's post has given me a few clues and has actually got a few things working (after some modification). Here's what I'm doing. Until I've got everything back this post is a work in progress.

First you have to locate your bonobo-activation-config file:

# locate bonobo-activation-config
/etc/bonobo-activation/bonobo-activation-config.xml

Then we find where all the applets' bonobo-server-item-configuration files are:

# locate bonobo/server | grep GNOME
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_BrightnessApplet.server
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_DictionaryApplet.server
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_GtikApplet.server
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_InhibitApplet.server
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_Magnifier.server
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_Moniker_std.server
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_SeahorseApplet.server
/usr/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_TSClientApplet.server
/usr/local/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_ClockApplet_Factory.server
/usr/local/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_FishApplet_Factory.server
/usr/local/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_NotificationAreaApplet.server
/usr/local/lib/bonobo/servers/GNOME_Wncklet_Factory.server

Then we put the two together, creating new xml <items> in the bonobo-activation-config.xml. We only need the common path so there are only two things to carry. Here's my finished file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<oafconfig>

<searchpath>
    <item>/usr/lib/bonobo/servers</item>
    <item>/usr/local/lib/bonobo/servers</item>
</searchpath>

</oafconfig>

After a restart everything but GNOME_ClockApplet has loaded back up.

Oli

Hi, I'm Oli and I'm a "full-stack" web-dev-op. Eurgh. I'm also allergic to jargon BS. I spend most of my professional time writing Django websites and webapps for SMEs. I write a lot of Python outside of Django sites too. I administer various Linux servers for various tasks. I contribute to the open source projects that I use when I can. I'm a full-time Linux user and that has lead to helping other people live the dream. I am an official Ubuntu Member and I earnt my ♦ on SE's own Ask Ubuntu in 2011's moderator election. That's probably where I spend most of my unpaid time. I also run thepcspy.com which has been my place to write for the last decade or so. If you need to contact me for extended help, you can do so via my website, just remember that I have bills so if I feel your request is above and beyond normal duty, I might ask for remuneration for one-on-one support. For more social contact, you can usually find me (or just my computer) lurking in the Ask Ubuntu General Chat Room and on Freenode in #ubuntu and #ubuntu-uk under the handle Oli or Oli``.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Oli over 1 year

This might be a bug but it might just be an undocumented "feature". I'm asking because I want to know.

Edit: This is now also filed as a bug.

Edit: Here's a strace of gnome-panel.

Upgraded to Natty from Maverick today with the intention of keeping my panel-based Gnome2 setup. I've already asked if that's possible and it does appear that's the case.

My problem is on loading the panels, I get a ton of errors from very default applets like the Window list, Notification Area and Clock. Upon further investigation, I don't appear to be able to even add these types of applet. They're missing from the Add to Panel dialogue.

Is there a package I need to install to get these applets back?

Here's what I see on boot:
Oli about 13 years

No help I'm afraid. Removed all Indicator Applets (which unnervingly also removes ubuntu-desktop), restarted and same errors. I do get my panels, my on-panel launchers and Cardapio (albeit broken), but no other applets.
Ubuntuser about 13 years

ubuntu-desktop is a meta package which identifies ubuntu as a distribution. it does not affect your system. but, now that you have got your panels, you can add your applets one by one by right clicking on the top panel and selecting add to panel. if you can install docky and update the cardapio ppa and update the system. see what you get. the other idea that i can give you is create a test account and see how it behaves when you log into that account.
Ubuntuser about 13 years

ok. now i have my gnome2.32 classic desktop with cardapio, docky and the indicator applets all set. took me an hour to set it right. after removing all the indicator applets i restarted my system. then logging into the terminal using ctrl+alt+f1, i issued the follwoing command: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop. Remember, if you have any application from maverick which you think is conflicting with your new installation, just remove it. you can install it later on.
Jeremy Bicha almost 13 years

I don't think removing indicator applets is a good idea. Removing ubuntu-desktop and then installing it again may help in pulling in missed recommended packages.
Fern Moss almost 13 years

I had this exact same problem. Thank you for your partial fix. Did you figure out how to enable the Gnome Clock Applet? My Indicator applets are also nowhere to be found...