[Debian GNUstep maintainers] X system never made the window visible

[Yavor Doganov]

Paul Chany wrote:
> 2010-06-09 22:01:10.069 Zipper[3973] Exception while reading
> /usr/lib/GNUstep/Applications/Zipper.app/Resources/MainMenu-GNUstep.gsmarkup:
> <NSException: 0x90ddb50> NAME:NSInternalInconsistencyException
> REASON:unable to contact GDNC server -
> please check that the gdnc process is running.
> I attempted to start it at '/usr/bin/gdnc'

That's certainly not because of the -dbg packages.

This sometimes happens when you don't start gdnc manually (from
~/.bashrc, ~/.xsession, etc.).  GNUstep Base attempts to load it when
needed and it shuts down when you terminate the application (or more
precisely, when the last DO-aware app terminates).  But sometimes, in
abnormal situations (like killing the app with Ctrl+C) the DO ports
cannot be closed properly so a disfunctional gdnc instance remains,
with the the Distributed Objects' database left in inconsistent state.
When you attempt to start another DO-using app (or another instance of
the same app), no connection with GDNC can be established so it aborts
with the above exception.

The cure is: killall gdnc; gdnc.  If you intend to use GNUstep often,
for performance reasons it is a good idea to start it from your
shell/wm init file.  Another benefit is that the issue above does not
happen because you have a functional gdnc all the time no matter how
you squeeze your programs.

(The same applies for gpbs, for GUI apps only.)

> > Yes I meant cannot (sorry!) and I forgot that Zipper has an icon so
> > click on the icon should return the Menu. :) It should be OK then.
> 
> I's not OK, Zipper hasn't an icon at all.

By "app icon" I meant the square box that appears when you start the
app (or in the Window Maker dock if it is docked).  Of course, if
Zipper aborts with the above exception, the icon will disappear too.

> >    You might need to rebuild renaissance with "noopt nostrip" if the

> My system is Debian GNU/Linux Squeeze. So what is my case? Must I pick
> up the renaissance source from sid, right?

Yes, it's OK to pick it from sid in this case, but don't bother
rebuilding renaissance for now.