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I run a 14.04.5 LTS desktop Ubuntu with /usr/bin/software-center version 13.10-0ubuntu4.1.
I can not open software-center from the Dash.
What I did so far:

  • check other AU posts ([1],[2],[3],...) -> no help
  • tried $ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -> no error, but no go.
  • tried $ sudo apt-get install --reinstall software-center -> no error, but no go. Did the same from Synaptic package manager -> same
  • tried to run from terminal with $ gksudo software-center. USC launches nicely but does not allow permit third party .debpackage install. This is apparently a well known bug for 16.04.x, and I suspect for 14.04.5 too since they share kernel and more.
  • rebuilt /var/cache/apt/{src,}pkgcache.bin files -> to no avail
  • issued $ dpkg-query -s software-center

Terminal displays

Package: software-center
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: gnome
Installed-Size: 2944
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <[email protected]>
Architecture: all
Version: 13.10-0ubuntu4.1
Replaces: gnome-app-install
Provides: gnome-app-install
Depends: python:any (>= 2.7.1-0ubuntu2), iso-codes, app-install-data (>= 0.4.0), aptdaemon (>= 0.40), software-center-aptdaemon-plugins, humanity-icon-theme, gir1.2-glib-2.0 (>= 1.31), gir1.2-gtk-3.0, gir1.2-gmenu-3.0 (>= 3.1.5), gir1.2-webkit-3.0, gvfs-backends, python-gi (>= 3.4.0-1ubuntu0.1), python-gi-cairo, python-xapian, python-apt (>= 0.8.3ubuntu4), python-aptdaemon (>= 0.40), python-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets, python-dbus, python-defer, python-lxml, policykit-1, policykit-1-gnome | policykit-1-kde, python-xdg, ubuntu-sso-client, python-piston-mini-client (>= 0.1+bzr29), oneconf (>= 0.2.6), python-oneconf (>= 0.3) | oneconf (<< 0.3), python-debtagshw, ubuntu-extras-keyring
Recommends: lsb-release, apt-xapian-index (>= 0.38ubuntu1), update-notifier, software-properties-gtk, sessioninstaller, xz-utils (>= 5.1.1alpha+20120614-1)
Conflicts: gnome-app-install (<< 1)
Conffiles:
 /etc/dbus-1/system.d/com.ubuntu.SoftwareCenter.conf d5c450e6bccfcb8177943516e8beb673
Description: ...

EDIT: Running software-center from terminal shows:

$ software-center
2016-09-20 17:21:16,569 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - setting up proxy 'None'
2016-09-20 17:21:16,694 - softwarecenter.fixme - WARNING - logs to the root logger: '('/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/dbus/proxies.py', 410, '_introspect_error_handler')'
2016-09-20 17:21:16,694 - dbus.proxies - ERROR - Introspect error on com.ubuntu.sso:/com/ubuntu/sso/credentials: dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.Spawn.ChildExited: Process /usr/lib/ubuntu-sso-client/ubuntu-sso-login exited with status 1
....

the which seems to match this bug.

Further:

$ /usr/lib/ubuntu-sso-client/ubuntu-sso-login
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/ubuntu-sso-client/ubuntu-sso-login", line 67, in <module>
    from ubuntu_sso.main import main
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/ubuntu-sso-client/ubuntu_sso/main/__init__.py", line 39, in <module>
    from twisted.internet import defer
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/twisted/__init__.py", line 53, in <module>
    _checkRequirements()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/twisted/__init__.py", line 40, in _checkRequirements
    raise ImportError(required + ".")
ImportError: Twisted requires zope.interface 3.6.0 or later.

So I installed zope.interface even though I am not sure why it is relevant with sudo pip2 sudo pip2 install --upgrade zope.interface per the suggestion of Marty Miller-Crispe on GitHub's previously referenced bug report page. software-center now launches but does not allow third party package installation.

Running it again from terminal:

$ software-center
2016-09-20 18:09:25,160 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - setting up proxy 'None'
2016-09-20 18:09:26,051 - softwarecenter.region - WARNING - failed to use geoclue: 'org.freedesktop.Geoclue.Error.notAvailable: Geoclue master client has no usable Address providers'
2016-09-20 18:09:26,599 - softwarecenter.plugin - INFO - activating plugin '<module 'webapps_activation' from '/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/plugins/webapps_activation.pyc'>'
2016-09-20 18:09:26,705 - softwarecenter.db.pkginfo_impl.aptcache - INFO - aptcache.open()
2016-09-20 18:09:27,772 - softwarecenter.backend.reviews - WARNING - error creating bsddb: '(22, 'Invalid argument -- BDB0054 illegal flag combination specified to DB_ENV->open')' (corrupted?)
2016-09-20 18:09:27,773 - softwarecenter.backend.reviews - ERROR - trying to repair DB failed
Traceback (most recent call last):
...
INFO - software-center-agent finished with status 0

Summary:
It launches both from the Dash of from Unity's launch bar. It does launch from terminal with and without gksudo. It does not allow for installation of third party .deb packages.

I am really stumped. Help!.

1 Answer 1

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Those types of problems are often caused when sudo apt-get install --reinstall [package-name] and even sudo apt-get remove [package-name] do not completely remove all software-center files. Or else a dependency package is broken. Try running these commands:

sudo apt-get purge software-center
sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install software-center

The first command does a thorough wipe of all files associated with software-center. The second command removes all packages no longer needed, one of which may have been broken that is needed by software-center, causing the application failure. The final command will re-install software-center and dependencies.

EDIT: One of the dependencies is ubuntu-desktop.

4
  • Hi James. You may well be right, but I'd recommend caution when you advise a user to purge a package that also gets rid of ubuntu-desktop (in this particular case). Maybe adding a note that explains to the user how to do it and then how to recover from it from the console would be helpful ...
    – Cbhihe
    Sep 17, 2016 at 21:15
  • ubuntu-desktop is only a dependency. and autoremove wont remove it because ubuntu-desktop is a dependency of other stuff too.
    – Edgy1
    Sep 18, 2016 at 18:05
  • such as nautilus
    – Edgy1
    Sep 18, 2016 at 18:05
  • tried the above going to console (Ctrl+Alt+F1) then executing sudo service lightdm stopfollowed by yr sequence of cmds, followed by reboot: no change. USC is broken. It starts from gksudo software-center only and then cannot install a package from a local .deb file, i.e. the menu Open file is not available. I am VERY much stumped here.
    – Cbhihe
    Sep 20, 2016 at 13:48

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