You are not logged in.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
#1 2025-08-04 14:57:59
- codringher
- Member
- Registered: 2025-07-25
- Posts: 5
[SOLVED] User services are not being activated by D-Bus
User services are not being activated by D-Bus
For some time, I am experiencing a few problems:
Dunst is not being started:
$ notify-send some-text GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name is not activatableI cannot share my screen in a browser, for example, using this test page: https://mozilla.github.io/webrtc-landing/gum_test.html (but also Google Meet).
I’m not entirely sure, but it seems that these issues might be connected. From what I understand, both dunst.service and xdg-desktop-portal.service are intended to be activated through D-BUS and are not meant to be enabled with systemctl enable, as they lack an [Install] section.
When I start the dunst.service using the systemctl start command, it operates correctly, indicating that the problem does not reside with the daemon itself. As a workaround, I created a drop-in file for the service that enables it to start automatically upon login.
This workaround does not work for xdg-desktop-portal.service. When I try to start it by hand, it ends with an error (see attachment for details). Not sure if this is a problem with the service, its configuration, or maybe it is not possible to start it manually (as it depends on specific implementations, like xdg-desktop-portal-gtk, xdg-desktop-portal-wlr, etc.). The error does not appear if I don't try to start the service manually (which may suggest that it is not being attempted to be started by D-BUS).
In search of a solution, I switched from dbus-broker-units to dbus-daemon-units. After a reboot, the previous issues disappeared; however, the system became extremely slow.
Chromium needs about 20 seconds to start and another 20 seconds to resolve the first domain. Then it seems to work fine.
Seahorse (GNOME UI for accessing gnome-keyring) times out on startup (even though gnome-keyring-daemon.service is enabled and started; as far as I understand its .service file, it is not supposed to be D-Bus activated). I tried for the second time, and it started, but not in a way that I could read the password.
Due to these new issues, I switched back to the dbus-broker-unit, and the troubles with dunst and xdg-desktop-portal have returned.
All of this leads me to conclude (perhaps incorrectly) that the issues I am experiencing are related to my installation of dbus-broker. I would appreciate any suggestions on what I should check or do to resolve these problems. Additionally, any temporary workaround for xdg-desktop-portal would be greatly appreciated.
Additional information:
I use Sway as my compositor of choice (I have /etc/sway/config.d/50-systemd-user.conf included in my configuration)
I am using the Linux LTS kernel.
The system is up to date.
Best,
Radek
PS. Here is the error reported by xdg-desktop-portal.service upon manual start:
sie 04 16:21:00 ganges systemd[1068]: Starting Portal service...
sie 04 16:21:00 ganges xdg-desktop-por[2775]: Document portal fuse mount point unknown: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name is not activatable
sie 04 16:21:00 ganges xdg-desktop-por[2775]: No GSettings schemas are installed on the system
sie 04 16:21:00 ganges systemd-coredump[2783]: Process 2775 (xdg-desktop-por) of user 1000 dumped core.
Stack trace of thread 2775:
#0 0x000070bb2990714c g_log_structured_array (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x6414c)
#1 0x000070bb29907468 g_log_default_handler (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x64468)
#2 0x000070bb299076ea g_logv (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x646ea)
#3 0x000070bb29907a84 g_log (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x64a84)
#4 0x000070bb297c7035 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0xf1035)
#5 0x000070bb29699dea n/a (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x22dea)
#6 0x000070bb2969a7a8 n/a (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x237a8)
#7 0x000070bb2969c8fb g_object_new_valist (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x258fb)
#8 0x000070bb2969cd00 g_object_new (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x25d00)
#9 0x000070bb260f4337 n/a (libgiognomeproxy.so + 0x2337)
#10 0x000070bb296b53b1 g_type_create_instance (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x3e3b1)
#11 0x000070bb2969a678 n/a (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x23678)
#12 0x000070bb2969bce7 g_object_new_with_properties (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x24ce7)
#13 0x000070bb2969cd22 g_object_new (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x25d22)
#14 0x000070bb2974bf35 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0x75f35)
#15 0x000070bb29751c76 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0x7bc76)
#16 0x000070bb29760f2a g_proxy_resolver_get_default (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0x8af2a)
#17 0x000056dfbf0240c6 n/a (/usr/lib/xdg-desktop-portal + 0x6f0c6)
#18 0x000070bb296b53b1 g_type_create_instance (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x3e3b1)
#19 0x000070bb2969a678 n/a (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x23678)
#20 0x000070bb2969bce7 g_object_new_with_properties (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x24ce7)
#21 0x000070bb2969cd22 g_object_new (libgobject-2.0.so.0 + 0x25d22)
#22 0x000056dfbf03261e n/a (/usr/lib/xdg-desktop-portal + 0x7d61e)
#23 0x000070bb297f18d0 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0x11b8d0)
#24 0x000070bb2977e09c n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0xa809c)
#25 0x000070bb29783af2 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0xadaf2)
#26 0x000070bb297e838b n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0x11238b)
#27 0x000070bb2977e09c n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0xa809c)
#28 0x000070bb2977e0e5 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0xa80e5)
#29 0x000070bb2990187d n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x5e87d)
#30 0x000070bb29902cd7 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x5fcd7)
#31 0x000070bb29903097 g_main_loop_run (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x60097)
#32 0x000056dfbefcb68a n/a (/usr/lib/xdg-desktop-portal + 0x1668a)
#33 0x000070bb292686b5 n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x276b5)
#34 0x000070bb29268769 __libc_start_main (libc.so.6 + 0x27769)
#35 0x000056dfbefcbde5 n/a (/usr/lib/xdg-desktop-portal + 0x16de5)
Stack trace of thread 2776:
#0 0x000070bb292dee22 n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x9de22)
#1 0x000070bb292d2fda n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x91fda)
#2 0x000070bb292d3024 n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x92024)
#3 0x000070bb2934d626 ppoll (libc.so.6 + 0x10c626)
#4 0x000070bb29902e04 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x5fe04)
#5 0x000070bb29902ee5 g_main_context_iteration (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x5fee5)
#6 0x000070bb29902f32 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x5ff32)
#7 0x000070bb2993983c n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x9683c)
#8 0x000070bb292d67eb n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x957eb)
#9 0x000070bb2935a20c n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x11920c)
Stack trace of thread 2777:
#0 0x000070bb29357f6d syscall (libc.so.6 + 0x116f6d)
#1 0x000070bb299317ae g_cond_wait (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x8e7ae)
#2 0x000070bb298c8e7d n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x25e7d)
#3 0x000070bb2993a3f7 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x973f7)
#4 0x000070bb2993983c n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x9683c)
#5 0x000070bb292d67eb n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x957eb)
#6 0x000070bb2935a20c n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x11920c)
Stack trace of thread 2779:
#0 0x000070bb29357f6d syscall (libc.so.6 + 0x116f6d)
#1 0x000070bb2993273e g_cond_wait_until (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x8f73e)
#2 0x000070bb298c8e47 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x25e47)
#3 0x000070bb2993b1db n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x981db)
#4 0x000070bb2993983c n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x9683c)
#5 0x000070bb292d67eb n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x957eb)
#6 0x000070bb2935a20c n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x11920c)
Stack trace of thread 2780:
#0 0x000070bb29357f6d syscall (libc.so.6 + 0x116f6d)
#1 0x000070bb2993273e g_cond_wait_until (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x8f73e)
#2 0x000070bb298c8e47 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x25e47)
#3 0x000070bb2993b1db n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x981db)
#4 0x000070bb2993983c n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x9683c)
#5 0x000070bb292d67eb n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x957eb)
#6 0x000070bb2935a20c n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x11920c)
Stack trace of thread 2778:
#0 0x000070bb292dee22 n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x9de22)
#1 0x000070bb292d2fda n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x91fda)
#2 0x000070bb292d3024 n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x92024)
#3 0x000070bb2934d626 ppoll (libc.so.6 + 0x10c626)
#4 0x000070bb29902e04 n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x5fe04)
#5 0x000070bb29903097 g_main_loop_run (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x60097)
#6 0x000070bb297ed4a4 n/a (libgio-2.0.so.0 + 0x1174a4)
#7 0x000070bb2993983c n/a (libglib-2.0.so.0 + 0x9683c)
#8 0x000070bb292d67eb n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x957eb)
#9 0x000070bb2935a20c n/a (libc.so.6 + 0x11920c)
ELF object binary architecture: AMD x86-64
sie 04 16:21:00 ganges systemd[1068]: xdg-desktop-portal.service: Main process exited, code=dumped, status=5/TRAP
sie 04 16:21:00 ganges systemd[1068]: xdg-desktop-portal.service: Failed with result 'core-dump'.
sie 04 16:21:00 ganges systemd[1068]: Failed to start Portal service.Last edited by codringher (2025-08-06 09:10:29)
Offline
#2 2025-08-04 16:16:10
- V1del
- Forum Moderator
- Registered: 2012-10-16
- Posts: 25,076
Re: [SOLVED] User services are not being activated by D-Bus
You're starting sway how and where? Outputs of
printenv
systemctl --user status dunst xdg-desktop-portal
loginctl show-session
sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.stfrom a session, both of your issues (with broker and with dbus-daemon) very much sound like an improper user session that does not operate on the correct DBUS bus.
Last edited by V1del (2025-08-04 16:17:06)
Offline
#3 2025-08-04 16:51:53
- codringher
- Member
- Registered: 2025-07-25
- Posts: 5
Re: [SOLVED] User services are not being activated by D-Bus
$ printenv
SHELL=/usr/bin/bash
COLORTERM=truecolor
CSF_MDTVTexturesDirectory=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/Textures
MAILMON_REMIND=30
HISTCONTROL=
CSF_DrawPluginDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/DrawResources
HISTSIZE=3000
I3SOCK=/run/user/1000/sway-ipc.1000.1026.sock
CSF_LANGUAGE=us
CSF_MIGRATION_TYPES=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/StdResource/MigrationSheet.txt
PGPASSWORD=postgres
MAILMON_CHECK=10
CSF_OCCTResourcePath=/usr/share/opencascade/resources
XCURSOR_SIZE=24
CSF_STEPDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/XSTEPResource
EDITOR=nvim
XDG_SEAT=seat0
PWD=/home/radek
LOGNAME=radek
XDG_SESSION_TYPE=wayland
DRAWHOME=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/DrawResources
CSF_StandardLiteDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/StdResource
TERMINAL=kitty
MOTD_SHOWN=pam
HOME=/home/radek
LANG=pl_PL.UTF-8
LS_COLORS=no=00:rs=0:fi=0:di=38;5;4:ln=00;38;5;12:mh=04;36:pi=04;01;36:so=04;33:do=04;01;36:bd=01;33:cd=33:or=38;5;1:mi=01;41;37:ex=00;38;5;2:su=01;04;37:sg=01;04;37:ca=01;37:tw=01;37;44:ow=01;04;34:st=04;37;44:*~=0;38;5;8:*.bak=0;38;5;8:*.BAK=0;38;5;8:*.log=0;38;5;8:*.log=0;38;5;8:*.old=0;38;5;8:*.OLD=0;38;5;8:*.orig=0;38;5;8:*.ORIG=0;38;5;8:*.swo=0;38;5;8:*.swp=0;38;5;8:
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=sway
SWAYSOCK=/run/user/1000/sway-ipc.1000.1026.sock
WAYLAND_DISPLAY=wayland-1
PGUSER=postgres
CSF_ShadersDirectory=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/Shaders
CSF_EXCEPTION_PROMPT=1
CSF_XmlOcafResource=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/XmlOcafResource
WORKON_HOME=/home/radek/.virtualenvs
CSF_SHMessage=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/SHMessage
XDG_SESSION_CLASS=user
TERM=foot
USER=radek
CSF_StandardDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/StdResource
CSF_IGESDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/XSTEPResource
BR2_DL_DIR=/home/radek/Downloads/buildroot-dl
DISPLAY=:0
CSF_XCAFDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/StdResource
SHLVL=1
XDG_VTNR=1
CSF_PluginDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/StdResource
CSF_TObjMessage=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/TObj
XDG_SESSION_ID=1
MAILMON_MAILBOXES=/home/radek/Mail
CASROOT=/usr
ROCM_PATH=/opt/rocm
WLR_DRM_NO_ATOMIC=1
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
DEBUGINFOD_URLS=https://debuginfod.archlinux.org
PGHOST=localhost
JOURNAL_STREAM=9:3921
CSF_XSMessage=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/XSMessage
MMGT_CLEAR=1
PATH=/home/radek/bin:/home/radek/go/bin:/home/radek/.local/google-cloud-sdk/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/lib/jvm/default/bin:/usr/bin/site_perl:/usr/bin/vendor_perl:/usr/bin/core_perl:/opt/rocm/bin
CSF_TObjDefaults=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/StdResource
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
HG=/usr/bin/hg
MAIL=/var/spool/mail/radek
DRAWDEFAULT=/usr/share/opencascade/resources/DrawResources/DrawDefault
USE_GKE_GCLOUD_AUTH_PLUGIN=False
_=/usr/bin/printenv$ systemctl --user status dunst xdg-desktop-portal | cat
○ dunst.service - Dunst notification daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/dunst.service; static)
Active: inactive (dead)
Docs: man:dunst(1)
○ xdg-desktop-portal.service - Portal service
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/xdg-desktop-portal.service; static)
Active: inactive (dead)$ loginctl show-session
EnableWallMessages=yes
NAutoVTs=6
KillUserProcesses=no
RebootToFirmwareSetup=no
RebootToBootLoaderMenu=18446744073709551615
BootLoaderEntries=arch-linux.efi arch-linux-lts.efi auto-reboot-to-firmware-setup
IdleHint=no
IdleSinceHint=0
IdleSinceHintMonotonic=0
DelayInhibited=sleep
InhibitDelayMaxUSec=5s
UserStopDelayUSec=10s
SleepOperation=suspend-then-hibernate suspend hibernate
HandlePowerKey=poweroff
HandlePowerKeyLongPress=ignore
HandleRebootKey=reboot
HandleRebootKeyLongPress=poweroff
HandleSuspendKey=suspend
HandleSuspendKeyLongPress=hibernate
HandleHibernateKey=hibernate
HandleHibernateKeyLongPress=ignore
HandleLidSwitch=suspend
HandleLidSwitchDocked=ignore
HandleSecureAttentionKey=secure-attention-key
HoldoffTimeoutUSec=30s
IdleAction=ignore
IdleActionUSec=30min
PreparingForShutdown=no
PreparingForSleep=no
Docked=yes
LidClosed=no
OnExternalPower=yes
RemoveIPC=yes
RuntimeDirectorySize=3332517888
RuntimeDirectoryInodesMax=813603
InhibitorsMax=8192
NCurrentInhibitors=1
SessionsMax=8192
NCurrentSessions=2
StopIdleSessionUSec=infinityLast edited by codringher (2025-08-04 16:59:44)
Offline
#4 2025-08-06 09:10:06
- codringher
- Member
- Registered: 2025-07-25
- Posts: 5
Re: [SOLVED] User services are not being activated by D-Bus
I found the problem. Unlike dbus-daemon, dbus-broker does not read service files from the /usr/share/dbus-1/services directory. It only reads them from <directory>/dbus-1/services for each <directory> in XDG_DATA_DIRS, which defaults to /usr/local/share:/usr/share.
It makes some sense, as the dbus-daemon manual states that scanning the /usr/share/dbus-1/services directory is an extension specific to the reference implementation. Therefore, I assume it is acceptable for dbus-broker to ignore it.
As you may have already guessed, at some point I set XDG_DATA_DIRS (in the ~/.config/environment.d/xdg-data-dirs.conf file) to a value that does not include /usr/share, which caused the issue.
By the way, the output from busctl --user --activatable was crucial for diagnosing the issue, as it only included services from ~/.local/share/dbus-1/services. When I copied org.knopwob.dunst.service from /usr/share/dbus-1/services to ~/.local/share/dbus-1/services, it became activatable.
Anyway, thank you, V1del, for your involvement.
Best,
Radek
Offline