Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

bytephunk · 2016-05-10 12:31:27

Hello.

The Network Manager does not work properly in xfce4 unless the gnome-keyring package is added.
The error occurs when attempting to connect to a password protected network. It simply doesn't work - without any message to the user. Corresponding journalctl error is CRITICAL **: dbus_g_proxy_cancel_call: assertion 'pending != NULL' failed

However the package is not listed as an XFCE4 dependency.

Network Manager version is 1.2.0-3

Credits: I found the solution here on the Italian forum http://www.archlinux.it/forum/viewtopic … 25&t=21071

olliemath · 2016-05-12 17:36:39

You should probably file a bug with network-manager-applet. I had similar problems with Cinnamon, but I think you'll find nmcli (and hence Network Manager) work absolutely fine without gnome-keyring.

jasonwryan · 2016-05-12 17:47:20

Not an Installation issue, moving to Apps and DEs...

justasug · 2016-05-12 18:16:34

Technically, you only need gnome-keyring for the password dialog popup. You can use it perfectly fine without it by clicking on a network which you want to connect to. It will add the network to the connections list. Then right click on the nm-applet, "Edit connections", find your network and enter the password under "Wi-Fi" security.

bytephunk · 2016-05-12 19:28:15

olliemath wrote:

You should probably file a bug with network-manager-applet. I had similar problems with Cinnamon, but I think you'll find nmcli (and hence Network Manager) work absolutely fine without gnome-keyring.

Agreed. I filed a bug.
This is a visual tool in a visual environment and should not require command line tweaking. If part of its functionality depends on gnome-keyring then it should be marked as a dependency - at least optional dependency.

Scimmia · 2016-05-12 20:46:27

He said to file a bug against network-manager-applet, not Network Manager. Network Manager is not a "visual tool" in any way.

And searching the bug tracker before filing a bug is always a good idea.

bytephunk · 2016-05-13 08:59:29

Scimmia wrote:

He said to file a bug against network-manager-applet, not Network Manager. Network Manager is not a "visual tool" in any way.
And searching the bug tracker before filing a bug is always a good idea.

I understand he meant the applet, not network manager as in NetworkManager the service. This is what I was talking about from start, sorry for the ambiguity. Still the applet is referred to -in common tongue- as the network manager so someone may find this post and the solution to the problem.

Anyway issue is already present https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/41290 and mainainer won't implement. Reason is the applet is not responsible for the secret server the user is running.

So I guess this is it. Thanks everybody.

Anyone think it worthwhile to request this as XFCE4 dependency? XFCE is already relying heavily on Gnome tools. At least under xfce4-goodies? Maybe after all this is related more to xfce4 in conjunction with the applet since installing GNOME presumably comes with all additionals.

Raynman · 2016-05-13 12:10:38

bytephunk wrote:

Anyway issue is already present https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/41290 and mainainer won't implement. Reason is the applet is not responsible for the secret server the user is running.

A non-optional dependency is unreasonable, but I'm not entirely happy with the current situation either. An optional dependency wouldn't be a crazy idea, but gnome-keyring is only one possible implementation of a keyring. Perhaps printing an informational message in post_install() would be an acceptable compromise?

bytephunk · 2016-05-13 14:37:53

Raynman wrote:

bytephunk wrote:
Anyway issue is already present https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/41290 and mainainer won't implement. Reason is the applet is not responsible for the secret server the user is running.
A non-optional dependency is unreasonable, but I'm not entirely happy with the current situation either. An optional dependency wouldn't be a crazy idea, but gnome-keyring is only one possible implementation of a keyring. Perhaps printing an informational message in post_install() would be an acceptable compromise?

Probably a practical solution. I understand now the packager's point of view and I agree. Printing something like: " You need a running keyring server :...." at least would give you a hint what to do next.

An optional dependecy wouldn't be that far fetched though. After all this is a Gnome package originally, so chances are you will be running it with a gnome keyserver unless you want something very specific case in which you know what you are doing. The network-manager-applet relies on libsecret which ironically has gnome-keyring as an optional dependency. This is how the pacman dependency line looks for libsecret:

Name            : libsecret
Version         : 0.18.5-1
.....
Optional Deps   : gnome-keyring: key storage service (or use any other service implementing org.freedesktop.secrets) [installed]

libsecret and network-manager-applet have the same maintainer ,so why not apply the same policy here?

Ultimately this is also an issue with the software that doesn't concern Arch, namely the fact that the error message in the journal is a bit cryptic and there is no visual error message at all, the applet seems to be doing a hickup and ignoring you. Built to run in a Gnome environment it has problems adapting outside.

Scimmia · 2016-05-13 14:52:32

bytephunk wrote:

Still the applet is referred to -in common tongue- as the network manager so someone may find this post and the solution to the problem.

Not around here it's not. Maybe in the Ubuntu world.

bytephunk · 2016-05-13 17:25:43

Scimmia wrote:

bytephunk wrote:
Still the applet is referred to -in common tongue- as the network manager so someone may find this post and the solution to the problem.
Not around here it's not. Maybe in the Ubuntu world.

No point in being sarcastic really. I already appologized for the lack of clarity. I opened up this thread in case someone else may look for an answer, as I did. And also to seek help from others more experienced with this part. Incidentally the jurnal report related to this issue is prefixed with NetworkManager not network-manager-applet:

... NetworkManager[538]: <warn>  (wlo1): No agents were available for this request.

At least to the level of perception this is an abiguity; one that I relayed. If you only allow experts in every subsystem to post on this forum then explicitly state that on the welcome page and I doubt you would be troubled again.

I also looked for a similar bug and couldn't find it. Sorry again for the duplicate.

Arch Linux

#1 2016-05-10 12:31:27

Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#2 2016-05-12 17:36:39

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#3 2016-05-12 17:47:20

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#4 2016-05-12 18:16:34

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#5 2016-05-12 19:28:15

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#6 2016-05-12 20:46:27

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#7 2016-05-13 08:59:29

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#8 2016-05-13 12:10:38

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#9 2016-05-13 14:37:53

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#10 2016-05-13 14:52:32

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

#11 2016-05-13 17:25:43

Re: Network Manager silently requires gnome-keyring in XFCE4

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