[plasmashell] [Bug 354802] New: Desktop Icon position gets scrambled sometimes on reboot.

[Mike via KDE Bugzilla]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Bug ID: 354802
Summary: Desktop Icon position gets scrambled sometimes on
reboot.
Product: plasmashell
Version: 5.4.2
Platform: Other
OS: Linux
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Severity: normal
Priority: NOR
Component: Desktop Containment
Assignee: ***@kde.org
Reporter: ***@gmx.de

Every now & then my desktop icons on the Plasma desktop are scrambled to some
sheme I never set ! Usually I lock the widgets but that doesnt help. Every 20
reboots or so suddenly after restart all icon positions are scrambled to for
example the left side of the screen.
The bad thing is I cant reproduce the effect but it usually hits me once a
month...
Unfortunately there is no option to save icon positions as I knew from old
windows xp times. The "icon-bug" was a well knows effect in winxp too.. ;
I use Manjaro 15.09 Bellatrix with KDE 5.4.2 but the effect was there some
month ago with older releases.

[David Edmundson via KDE Bugzilla]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

David Edmundson <***@davidedmundson.co.uk> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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Resolution|--- |WAITINGFORINFO
Status|UNCONFIRMED |NEEDSINFO
CC| |***@davidedmundson.co.uk

--- Comment #1 from David Edmundson <***@davidedmundson.co.uk> ---
icons on desktop as in the folder view?
or applets?

if you're unsure please post a screenshot

[Mike via KDE Bugzilla]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #2 from Mike <***@gmx.de> ---
Created attachment 95355
--> https://bugs.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=95355&action=edit
Folder view of Desktop

Hi David...yes in Folder viwe as seen in the screenshot. Here they are as they
should..
thanks !

[Andrew Crouthamel]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Andrew Crouthamel <***@kdemail.net> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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Keywords| |triaged

--- Comment #3 from Andrew Crouthamel <***@kdemail.net> ---
Dear Bug Submitter,

This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least 15 days.
Please provide the requested information as soon as possible and set the bug
status as REPORTED. Due to regular bug tracker maintenance, if the bug is still
in NEEDSINFO status with no change in 30 days, the bug will be closed as
RESOLVED > WORKSFORME due to lack of needed information.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures please read the wiki
located here: https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging

If you have already provided the requested information, please set the bug
status as REPORTED so that the KDE team knows that the bug is ready to be
confirmed.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!

[Mike]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #4 from Mike <***@gmx.de> ---
What info is needed ? It's indeed an old bug but it hit mee some weeks ago
again with latest KDE version on Manjaro - rolling release. Right now I have:

Kernel: 4.14.71-1-MANJARO x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.13.5
Distro: Manjaro Linux

Can't reproduce but it was on a reboot that all Icons lost theire position and
have been placed on the left side of the desktop. Had to rearrange them one by
one. Still missing a feature that saves and restores the icons. Even a hint
where those settings ins the profile could be found.
Regards,
Michael

[Andrew Crouthamel]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Andrew Crouthamel <***@kdemail.net> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@kdemail.n
| |et
Status|NEEDSINFO |REPORTED
Resolution|WAITINGFORINFO |---

--- Comment #5 from Andrew Crouthamel <***@kdemail.net> ---
I've changed this to Reported.

[David Edmundson]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

David Edmundson <***@davidedmundson.co.uk> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@gmx.net

--- Comment #6 from David Edmundson <***@davidedmundson.co.uk> ---
*** Bug 360212 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Sebastian Ernst]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Sebastian Ernst <***@pleiszenburg.de> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@pleiszenburg.de

[Sebastian Ernst]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #7 from Sebastian Ernst <***@pleiszenburg.de> ---
A have been observing this bug on multiple machines for a few years now. I have
not found a reliable way to reproduce it. However, what I have learned so far:
A lot less likely to happen if the Desktop configuration data (i.e. the home
folder) is located on an SSD. Machines with spinning drives are affected much
more frequently. Upgrading from openSUSE Leap 42.2 (Plasma Framework 5.27.0,
Plasma Desktop/Workspace 5.8.3) to openSUSE Leap 42.3 (Plasma Framework 5.32.0,
Plasma Desktop/Workspace 5.8.7) reduced the likelihood of triggering this bug
by at least 50%, but it's still there. I have yet to migrate most machines to
openSUSE Leap 15.0, so I do not have any data on it (yet). Interestingly, I
have not seen this happening in VirtualBox VMs - just in case someone is trying
it in there ... The graphics card driver / manufacturer does not make a
difference - it's hitting systems with Intel, Nvidia and AMD graphics equally.
It's also not limited to reboots, though reboots trigger this more frequently -
it can also happen on a normal logout (not followed by a reboot).

[Florian L]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Florian L <***@googlemail.com> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@googlemail.com

[naroyce]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

naroyce <nroycea+***@gmail.com> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |nroycea+***@gmail.com

[Pasha]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Pasha <***@mail.ru> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@mail.ru

--- Comment #8 from Pasha <***@mail.ru> ---
Hello everybody, coming from three years long 360212 which has just been marked
duplicate of this bug two days ago.

Ready to offer cooperation in experimenting what is needed to forward useful
information to devs. My machine is debian sid running KDE (siduction.org), and
I hope to someday get desktop icons that don't get messed up at almost any
reboot.

Thanks

[Valdo]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Valdo <***@laposte.net> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@laposte.net

[i.Dark_Templar]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

i.Dark_Templar <***@mail.ru> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@mail.ru

[Ross]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Ross <***@gmail.com> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@gmail.com

--- Comment #9 from Ross <***@gmail.com> ---
I also have the issue.

Linux/KDE Plasma: Kubuntu 18.04.1
KDE Plasma Version: 5.12.7
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.44.0
Qt Version: 5.9.5

This is VERY ANNOYING. The reason I use folder view is because I can arrange
the folders in a reasonbale manner to organize things. What is the point of
having folder view on desktop if you cannot arrange folders? Any file manger
does the job far better. I hope that this long-lasting bug is taken more
seriously.

[Valdo]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #10 from Valdo <***@laposte.net> ---
Created attachment 116418
--> https://bugs.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=116418&action=edit
Before: 4 clean rows of icons. After shutdown/restart... a total mess.

I recently made a new test in order to see "to which extent" my Plasma 5.12.6
desktop would get disorganized.
So I sorted desktop icons manually in 4 rows, all aligned to the left: row #1
with MP3 files (grey) ; row #2 with PDF files (red) ; row #3 with text files
(white) ; row #4 with all other kinds of files.
I shut down my PC for the night. On the following day at startup, here is what
my desktop looked like...
No need to say it's getting painful to find a given file I wish to open... And
this bug hits almost every day!

[Valdo]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #11 from Valdo <***@laposte.net> ---
In Bug 360212, file .config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc what
pointed out by some users as being the one storing icons position.

Q1. Could KDE devs please confirm this is correct AND the only file storing
information about files position on the desktop?

Comment #12 (https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=360212#c12) suggested that
this file gets monitored to identify which process gets a read/write access
(first logical step to identify the faulty process).

Q2. Could KDE devs explain how users hit by this bug can set up this kind of
monitoring on their PC? Which tool should be used for this? How to configure
it?

This is the only way to progress on the resolution of this very annoying bug.
Users are willing to help as much as they can (as you can imagine), but KDE
devs have to step in and give a hand...

[Alexander Schmiechen]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Alexander Schmiechen <***@gmx.net> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@gmx.ne
| |t

--- Comment #12 from Alexander Schmiechen <***@gmx.net> ---
I am also affected by this bug.

In folder view, after a reboot or even after awakening from suspend mode all
icons are sorted by name no matter what option was chosen in the icons tab of
the preferences.

As a side note, two screens of my multi screen environment are set to desktop
mode, one (the laptop screen) is set to folder view. Only folder shows this
unwanted behaviour.

Linux/KDE Plasma: Kubuntu 18.04
KDE Plasma Version: 5.12.6
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.44.0
Qt Version: 5.9.5

[Pasha]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #13 from Pasha <***@mail.ru> ---
Is this bug still addressed or are we on our own?

[Sebastian Kügler]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Sebastian Kügler <***@kde.org> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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Assignee|***@kde.org |***@kde.org

[Mike]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Mike <***@gmx.de> changed:

What |Removed |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ever confirmed|0 |1
Status|REPORTED |CONFIRMED

[Mike]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #14 from Mike <***@gmx.de> ---
Is there a developer outside who has some insight into the icon placement ? The
metioned position (.config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc) seems not
to be the only location of icon position information. If I change icon
positions and load the file again to compare some data change but it doesn't
seem to be data related to the icon I moved. At least I can't see the relation.

[Ross]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #15 from Ross <***@gmail.com> ---
Related bug? https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=360478

[b***@kde.org]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

***@web.de changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@web.de

--- Comment #16 from ***@web.de ---
I know this bug since kubuntu 14.04. Only that it then appeared every month or
so, but now, with kubuntu 18.04, practically every day. I have just migrated to
18.04 from 14.04. The bug is especially annoying if you switch-off your
computer on a nightly basis (like I do). I suspect many kde devs never
switch-off their machines, hence they would never see the bug.

The apparent reason for the mixed-up desktop is that the file
~/.config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc is modified directly after I
log into my computer. I presume that some kde program wants to check this file
for plausibility or correctness, and then messes it up.

What I have done to alleviate my situation is to make a copy of the
afore-mentioned file prior to switching off my computer, and then use it to
restore the file, and restart the plasma shell when I notice that the desktop
is messed up after login. I use this small script to make the restoration and
restart:

<code> -------------------
#!/bin/bash
#
# Created by LC on 2018-11-28
#
# To alleviate 'messed-up desktop icons' bug (KDE Bugtracking System – Bug
354802)

cd /home/lc/.config
cp plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc.saved
plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc
killall plasmashell
kstart plasmashell
</code> ---------------------

A very ugly temporary fix - but it works for me. Hope we can find the real
cause of the problem.

[i.Dark_Templar]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #17 from i.Dark_Templar <***@mail.ru> ---
I don't know about KDE devs, but I've debugged this issue a bit and I think I
found the root.

I've made 2 patches which fix issue for me:
https://github.com/iDarkTemplar/dt-overlay-patches/blob/master/profiles/patches/kde-frameworks/kio/kde-bug-354802.patch
https://github.com/iDarkTemplar/dt-overlay-patches/blob/master/profiles/patches/kde-plasma/plasma-desktop/kde-bug-354802.patch

First patch is for kio (tested on kio-5.50.0) and second one is for
plasma-desktop (tested on plasma-desktop-5.13.5, requires patch for kio).

It looks like if kio worker reports only part of files in directory, positions
of other items are reset since they're not present. Later it reports those
additional files and they get default positions assigned. The fix I made is
adding an option for kio class to delay reporting until it's finished reading
whole directory and using this option for folder desktop view.

[Kai Uwe Broulik]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Kai Uwe Broulik <***@privat.broulik.de> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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Component|Desktop Containment |Folder
CC| |***@privat.broulik.de,
| |plasma-***@kde.org

[Pasha]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #18 from Pasha <***@mail.ru> ---
Hello Dark Templar, and thanks!

I can report that your diagnosis is true, because, among the several icons,
only some don't get repositioned, while all the rest do. Looks like this is the
real way to go.

Will your patches be merged upstream?

[i.Dark_Templar]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #19 from i.Dark_Templar <***@mail.ru> ---
I've posted links to patches here for a few reasons. People may try using
patches and check if it fixes issue for them too and use it if it does fix the
issue. Or someone may even make better fixes. I did a few improvements since
originally posting the links.

I might post it to the KDE phabricator later, but KDE devs still can find
patches here. And posting patches doesn't mean they would be merged into
upstream KDE anyway. For example of such hanging patch you may see
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=383202

[David Edmundson]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #20 from David Edmundson <***@davidedmundson.co.uk> ---
@i.Dark_Templar

Good work on the analysis!

[Damon]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

Damon <***@protonmail.com> changed:

What |Removed |Added
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CC| |***@protonmail.com

--- Comment #21 from Damon <***@protonmail.com> ---
Created attachment 116730
--> https://bugs.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=116730&action=edit
Misplaced bottom panel and usage monitors

[Damon]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #22 from Damon <***@protonmail.com> ---
Created attachment 116731
--> https://bugs.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=116731&action=edit
Misplaced icons and usage monitor

[Damon]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #23 from Damon <***@protonmail.com> ---
Created attachment 116732
--> https://bugs.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=116732&action=edit
Original placement with corruption fixed manually

[Damon]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #24 from Damon <***@protonmail.com> ---
I have attached some screenshots and I can reproduce this bug in Fedora 29 KDE,
had this bug long since I began using KDE some months ago...

KDE Plasma Version: 4.14.3
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.52.0
KQt Version: 5.11.1
Kernel Version: 4.19.5-300.fc29.x86_64

Running Nvidia proprietary, this issue is very frequent for me and it is
annoying :(

Came from the forum (refer to my post for the detailed explanation of my
situation): https://forum.kde.org/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=156210

[David Edmundson]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #25 from David Edmundson <***@davidedmundson.co.uk> ---
Damon, lets not confuse this by talking about things other than desktop icons.

@i.Dark_Templar

There's a potential issue with that patch.
If you change dir (such as from configure) we'll get a new completed event.

Also I think we can do everything inside plasma-desktop, which skips the need
for the buffering and merging
https://phabricator.kde.org/P279 - same principle but uses the source model as
a buffer before we we set as folder model's proxy.

It still needs a fixup as it still has that same issue with handling a
directory change.

[Damon]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #26 from Damon <***@protonmail.com> ---
(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #25)

Post by David Edmundson
Damon, lets not confuse this by talking about things other than desktop
icons.

Sorry about that David, I did not notice the discussion about this being a
potential issue with KIO and reading delays for the desktop files...

Should I remove my attachments here and open a new bug with a description of my
issue (which also includes plasmoids/widgets)? Is it possible to "split"
certain comments and attachments as a separate bug?

Sorry, but I am not familiar with Bugzilla or the bug handling policy/protocol
at KDE, so I have to depend on suggestions from more experienced members like
you.

[i.Dark_Templar]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=354802

--- Comment #27 from i.Dark_Templar <***@mail.ru> ---
(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #25)

Post by David Edmundson
@i.Dark_Templar
There's a potential issue with that patch.
If you change dir (such as from configure) we'll get a new completed event.
Also I think we can do everything inside plasma-desktop, which skips the
need for the buffering and merging
https://phabricator.kde.org/P279 - same principle but uses the source model
as a buffer before we we set as folder model's proxy.
It still needs a fixup as it still has that same issue with handling a
directory change.

I think in my patch it's a bit more obvious where data is buffered. I didn't
test your patch and not sure if it'd actually work, but it looks like it might
work.

As for issue with changing directory, does folder view store positions
configuration for different directory somewhere? It doesn't look that way to
me. But if it's still desired to fix this potential issue, then 'started(const
QUrl&)' signal from dir lister has to be processed too, and for my patch values
from qset and qmap for that URL have to be removed, for your patch I think
source model has to be reset to nullptr to enable buffering again.