Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

cexf10 · 2025-03-11 02:43:55

I used to be able to open Synaptic on the desktop icon in version 4.18, as well as on the desktop icon upgraded from version 4.18 to version 4.20. However, from the newly installed version 4.20, I cannot open Synaptic and can only open it from the terminal command

Last edited by cexf10 (2025-03-11 06:16:26)

ToZ · 2025-03-11 10:15:44

Hello and welcome.

Which distro are you using?

What command do you issue to run synaptic in the terminal and what are the contents of the synaptic desktop icon file? Perhaps you're missing a graphical authentication agent if it uses sudo or pkexec.

Also, if you're distro uses an ~/.xsession-errors file, is something logged there when you try to open synaptic via the desktop icon.

cexf10 · 2025-03-12 01:01:04

I am using debian sid in virtualbox

command：sudo synaptic

synaptic.desktop:
Exec=synaptic-pkexec
Icon=synaptic
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=PackageManager;GTK;System;Settings;
X-Ubuntu-Gettext-Domain=synaptic
StartupNotify=true
StartupWMClass=synaptic

and there's no "synaptic" in ~/.xsession-errors

From the minimum installation of debian sid and apt install xfce4, everything is default and nothing has been changed.

Last edited by cexf10 (2025-03-12 01:09:40)

ToZ · 2025-03-12 02:05:51

Using sudo is the old not recommended method, using pkexec is the newer safer method of running applications that require privileged access. synaptic provides the "synaptic-pkexec" command to do this (as is referenced in the .desktop file), but it requires a graphical agent to display the password dialog.

Try installing policykit-1-gnome (which provides the graphical agent), log out and back in again, and try again.

cexf10 · 2025-03-12 07:57:26

It works. thank you very much
but there's no policykit-1-gnome in debian sid, so I installed mate-polkit.

By the way, there is no xfce-polkit in debian, but arch does have an xfce-polkit-kit( it also hasn't been updated for a long time)

eriefisher · 2025-03-12 11:45:56

The use of Synaptic is not recommended in Sid as you cannot see whats going to take place. Packages are marked for removal or held back and Synaptic would hide this from you. You could severely damage your system. Stick with apt on the command line and pay attention to whats happening. Synaptic also only does a straight upgrade, with Sid you must use full-upgrade or dist-upgrade. There is also the --solver switch to get through sticky upgrades and transitions.

apt --solver 3.0 dist-upgrade

This will prevent your system from being unusable after an upgrade by controlling what's being upgraded.

JohnM · 2025-04-05 16:22:45

This is a pretty important topic, and thanks to cexf10 for starting it, and to ToZ for the solution. Older Debian Testing installations included policykit-1-gnome that survived the 4.20 upgrade, but on a new installation, I had to install mate-polkit like cexf10 did.

This is a pretty big deal, as far as functionality is concerned. My favorite Custom Thunar Action is Open thunar as root here, and you can't do it without a graphical agent to display the password dialog.

Been pulling my hair out for a few days on this one.

eriefisher · 2025-04-05 16:31:26

pkexec is a stand alone package in sid and likely others.

apt policy pkexec
pkexec:
  Installed: 126-2
  Candidate: 126-2
  Version table:
 *** 126-2 500
        500 https://deb.debian.org/debian sid/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

apt depends pkexec
pkexec
  Depends: polkitd (= 126-2)
  Depends: libc6 (>= 2.34)
  Depends: libglib2.0-0t64 (>= 2.36.0)
  Depends: libpam0g (>= 0.99.7.1)
  Depends: libpolkit-agent-1-0 (= 126-2)
  Depends: libpolkit-gobject-1-0 (= 126-2)
  Breaks: <policykit-1> (<< 0.120-4~)
  Replaces: <policykit-1> (<< 0.120-4~)

JohnM · 2025-04-05 16:52:33

@ eriefisher, the same version of pkexec was installed on my new Testing box. GUI apps that rely on it wouldn't execute/open without mate-polkit.

I also couldn't mount other disks/volumes requiring authority without it.

https://docs.xfce.org/xfce/thunar/custom-actions

For Open thunar as root here, I use Command(3): pkexec thunar %f, and it wouldn't work either.

Last edited by JohnM (2025-04-05 16:54:35)

eriefisher · 2025-04-05 17:10:30

Yes it has been dropped fro a while now. A bit of an explanation.

https://packages.debian.org/sid/policykit-1-gnome

Xfce Forum

Sub domains

#1 2025-03-11 02:43:55

Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#2 2025-03-11 10:15:44

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#3 2025-03-12 01:01:04

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#4 2025-03-12 02:05:51

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#5 2025-03-12 07:57:26

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#6 2025-03-12 11:45:56

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#7 2025-04-05 16:22:45

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#8 2025-04-05 16:31:26

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#9 2025-04-05 16:52:33

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

#10 2025-04-05 17:10:30

Re: Cannot open Synaptic from the xfce4.20 desktop icon

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