i3 launcher (dmenu) does not show options anymore

george55 · 2021-07-28 13:58:36

I just ran a pacman upgrade and after applying some updates (nothing to i3 or dmenu, but it did update perl...?) I now find myself with a partially-working launcher in i3. Here is how it works: when I open the default launcher that I always used (I believe this is dmenu), it will show the regular search bar at the top of the screen. I can type a name, but it will NOT show any suggestions. If I type a partial name that normally launches the first hit, and I try to launch this, nothing happens. If I enter the ENTIRE name, it does launch the program. So it is sort of working, but anything related to suggestions seems broken. What could cause this?

seth · 2021-07-28 15:37:04

dmenu is a generic too and fed by some scripts for the data to complete so

the default launcher that I always used (I believe this is dmenu)

isn't gonna cut it.
It matters *a lot* what you actually run to understand why it doesn't work.
So instead of believing in something, go figure - eg. check your i3config or the process list.

george55 · 2021-07-28 16:57:14

Thanks. I have checked the i3config and indeed I am using dmenu. Specifically, this entry exists:

bindsym $mod+space exec dmenu_run

So the program dmenu_run is being executed. From the dmenu man page:

       dmenu_run  is  a  script used by dwm(1) which lists programs in the user's $PATH and
       runs the result in their $SHELL.

I checked my $PATH and it returns:

$ $PATH
bash: /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/site_perl:/usr/bin/vendor_perl:/usr/bin/core_perl:/home/george/bin:/home/george/.gem/ruby/1.9.1/bin:/home/george/.config/composer/vendor/bin:/home/george/.local/bin: No such file or directory

I am assuming the $PATH is in principle working just fine, because as mentioned the programs DO launch; the suggestions just don't work.

seth · 2021-07-28 17:11:37

I am assuming the $PATH is in principle working

Assuming isn't better than believing

type dmenu_run dmenu_path
pacman -Qkk dmenu

dmenu_path operates on a cache (check the executable, it's an ascii script)
If there's some issue w/ the system time, you may want to delete the cache file

george55 · 2021-07-29 12:10:04

That worked... thanks so much!

seth · 2021-07-29 12:58:11

Great.
Please always remember to mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2021-07-28 13:58:36

i3 launcher (dmenu) does not show options anymore

#2 2021-07-28 15:37:04

Re: i3 launcher (dmenu) does not show options anymore

#3 2021-07-28 16:57:14

Re: i3 launcher (dmenu) does not show options anymore

#4 2021-07-28 17:11:37

Re: i3 launcher (dmenu) does not show options anymore

#5 2021-07-29 12:10:04

Re: i3 launcher (dmenu) does not show options anymore

#6 2021-07-29 12:58:11

Re: i3 launcher (dmenu) does not show options anymore

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