After recent updates in Debian testing (KDE Plasma 5.4), ksmserver started hanging often on shutdown, and one time I had to forcefully kill it to finish shutting down the machine. After restart next day, plasmashell started freezing with eating a lot of CPU (not sure if those two events are related, but still). I tested it with a fresh new user - and plasmashell behaves OK. Also, I noticed there was some problem with NetworkManager right before this started happening (like VPN plugin missing).

When killed, and run from the terminal, plasmashell outputs this:

Code: Select all

kscreen: launcherDataAvailable: "org.kde.KScreen.Backend.XRandR"
kscreen: Primary output changed from KScreen::Output(Id: 643 , Name: "DP-1" ) ( "DP-1" ) to KScreen::Output(Id: 643 , Name: "DP-1" ) ( "DP-1" )
kscreen: Launcher finished with exit code 1 , status 0
kscreen: Service for requested backend already running
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
No metadata file in the package, expected it at: "/usr/share/wallpapers/Aghi/contents/images//metadata.desktop"
No metadata file in the package, expected it at: "/usr/share/wallpapers/Aghi/contents/images//metadata.desktop"
No metadata file in the package, expected it at: "/usr/share/wallpapers/Aghi/contents/images//metadata.desktop"
kscreen: Primary output changed from KScreen::Output(Id: 643 , Name: "DP-1" ) ( "DP-1" ) to KScreen::Output(Id: 643 , Name: "DP-1" ) ( "DP-1" )
No metadata file in the package, expected it at: "/usr/share/wallpapers/Aghi/contents/images//metadata.desktop"
No metadata file in the package, expected it at: "/usr/share/wallpapers/Aghi/contents/images//metadata.desktop"
No metadata file in the package, expected it at: "/usr/share/wallpapers/Aghi/contents/images//metadata.desktop"
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.digitalclock/contents/ui/main.qml:37: TypeError: Cannot read property 'DateTime' of undefined
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.trash/contents/ui/main.qml:89: ReferenceError: count is not defined
KActivities: Database connection:  "kactivities_db_resources_139699994851648_readonly"
    query_only:          QVariant(qlonglong, 1)
    journal_mode:        QVariant(QString, "wal")
    wal_autocheckpoint:  QVariant(qlonglong, 100)
    synchronous:         QVariant(qlonglong, 0)
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemloadviewer/contents/ui/SystemLoadViewer.qml:68: TypeError: Cannot read property of null
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemloadviewer/contents/ui/SystemLoadViewer.qml:153: TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of undefined
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemloadviewer/contents/ui/SystemLoadViewer.qml:74: TypeError: Cannot read property of null
Known plasmoid ids: QHash(("org.kde.plasma.clipboard", 26)("org.kde.muonnotifier", 29)("org.kde.plasma.mediacontroller", 36)("org.kde.plasma.battery", 30)("org.kde.plasma.networkmanagement", 31)("org.kde.plasma.notifications", 28)("org.kde.plasma.bluetooth", 32)("org.kde.plasma.devicenotifier", 27))
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability                                                                                                                                       
Notifications service registered                                                                                                                                                             
XSync seems available and ready                                                                                                                                                             
XSync Inited                                                                                                                                                                                 
Supported, init completed                                                                                                                                                                   
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:110:17: Unable to assign [undefined] to QObject*                                                                       
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null                                                                           
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:89: TypeError: Cannot read property 'effectivePressed' of undefined                                                     
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:110:17: Unable to assign [undefined] to QObject*                                                                       
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null                                                                           
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:89: TypeError: Cannot read property 'effectivePressed' of undefined                                                     
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null                                                                           
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null                                                                           
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null                                                                           
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null                                                                           
Plasma Shell startup completed                                                                                                                                                               
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/org/kde/plasma/extras/ScrollArea.qml:48: Error: Cannot assign to non-existent property "interactive"                                               
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/org/kde/plasma/extras/ScrollArea.qml:48: Error: Cannot assign to non-existent property "interactive"                                               
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.kicker/contents/ui/DashboardRepresentation.qml:293:17: QML Heading: Binding loop detected for property "height"                           
Both point size and pixel size set. Using pixel size.                                                                                                                                       
Both point size and pixel size set. Using pixel size.
Both point size and pixel size set. Using pixel size.
Both point size and pixel size set. Using pixel size.
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.digitalclock/contents/ui/DigitalClock.qml:428:5: QML Text: Cannot anchor to a null item.
ST : DBus service  "org.kde.Solid.PowerManagement" appeared. Loading  "org.kde.plasma.battery"
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
ST : DBus service  "org.freedesktop.NetworkManager" appeared. Loading  "org.kde.plasma.networkmanagement"
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
ST : DBus service  "org.bluez" appeared. Loading  "org.kde.plasma.bluetooth"
unversioned plugin detected, may result in instability
plasma-nm: inspecting path "/org/bluez"
plasma-nm: interfaces: ("org.bluez.AgentManager1", "org.bluez.Alert1", "org.bluez.HealthManager1", "org.bluez.ProfileManager1", "org.freedesktop.DBus.Introspectable")
<Unknown File>: QML QQuickLayoutAttached: Binding loop detected for property "preferredWidth"
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemtray/contents/ui/StatusNotifierItem.qml:131:13: QML Image: Failed to get image from provider: image://icon/
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemtray/contents/ui/StatusNotifierItem.qml:131:13: QML Image: Failed to get image from provider: image://icon/
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.bluetooth/contents/ui/BluetoothApplet.qml: QML Plasmoid: Cannot anchor to an item that isn't a parent or sibling.
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.bluetooth/contents/ui/BluetoothApplet.qml: QML Plasmoid: Cannot anchor to an item that isn't a parent or sibling.
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.bluetooth/contents/ui/BluetoothApplet.qml: QML Plasmoid: Cannot anchor to an item that isn't a parent or sibling.
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.bluetooth/contents/ui/BluetoothApplet.qml: QML Plasmoid: Cannot anchor to an item that isn't a parent or sibling.
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemloadviewer/contents/ui/SystemLoadViewer.qml:177: TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of undefined
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemloadviewer/contents/ui/SystemLoadViewer.qml:177: TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of undefined
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemloadviewer/contents/ui/SystemLoadViewer.qml:177: TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of undefined
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemloadviewer/contents/ui/SystemLoadViewer.qml:182: TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of undefined
networkmanager-qt: void NetworkManager::NetworkManagerPrivate::propertiesChanged(const QVariantMap&) Unhandled property "Devices"
trying to show an empty dialog
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.bluetooth/contents/ui/BluetoothApplet.qml: QML Plasmoid: Cannot anchor to an item that isn't a parent or sibling.
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Styles/Plasma/ToolButtonStyle.qml:37: TypeError: Cannot read property 'flat' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Styles/Plasma/ToolButtonStyle.qml:122: TypeError: Cannot read property 'text' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Styles/Base/ButtonStyle.qml:86: TypeError: Cannot read property 'menu' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Button.qml:100: TypeError: Cannot read property of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Private/ScrollViewHelper.qml:70: TypeError: Cannot read property 'padding' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Private/ScrollViewHelper.qml:69: TypeError: Cannot read property 'padding' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Private/ScrollViewHelper.qml:68: TypeError: Cannot read property 'padding' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Private/ScrollViewHelper.qml:67: TypeError: Cannot read property 'padding' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Private/ScrollViewHelper.qml:116: TypeError: Cannot read property 'corner' of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Private/ScrollBar.qml:95: TypeError: Cannot read property of null
file:///usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/qml/QtQuick/Controls/Private/ScrollBar.qml:95: TypeError: Cannot read property of null
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.bluetooth/contents/ui/BluetoothApplet.qml: QML Plasmoid: Cannot anchor to an item that isn't a parent or sibling.
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemtray/contents/ui/StatusNotifierItem.qml:131:13: QML Image: Failed to get image from provider: image://icon/
file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.bluetooth/contents/ui/BluetoothApplet.qml: QML Plasmoid: Cannot anchor to an item that isn't a parent or sibling.


Here is some excerpt from strace of plasmashell:

Code: Select all

sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\0\1\34\0\0\0\5\0\0\0\200\0\0\0\1\1o\0\25\0\0\0/org/fre"..., 144}, {"\23\0\0\0org.kde.plasmashell\0\4\0\0\0", 28}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 172
poll([{fd=9, events=POLLIN}], 1, 25000) = 1 ([{fd=9, revents=POLLIN}])
recvmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(1)=[{"l\2\1\1\4\0\0\0\3\0\0\0=\0\0\0\6\1s\0\5\0\0\0:1.90\0\0\0"..., 2048}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC}, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = 84
recvmsg(9, 0x7ffc9c02e950, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)
sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\0\1\30\0\0\0\6\0\0\0\177\0\0\0\1\1o\0\25\0\0\0/org/fre"..., 144}, {"\23\0\0\0org.kde.plasmashell\0", 24}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 168
poll([{fd=9, events=POLLIN}], 1, 25000) = 1 ([{fd=9, revents=POLLIN}])
recvmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(1)=[{"l\2\1\1\n\0\0\0\4\0\0\0=\0\0\0\6\1s\0\5\0\0\0:1.90\0\0\0"..., 2048}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC}, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = 90
recvmsg(9, 0x7ffc9c02eaa0, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)
sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\0\1\0\0\0\0\7\0\0\0\203\0\0\0\1\1o\0\24\0\0\0/org/kde"..., 152}, {"", 0}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 152
poll([{fd=9, events=POLLIN}], 1, 25000) = 1 ([{fd=9, revents=POLLIN}])
recvmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(1)=[{"l\2\1\1\342\n\0\0,\27\0\0.\0\0\0\6\1s\0\5\0\0\0:1.90\0\0\0"..., 2048}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC}, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = 2048
recvmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(1)=[{" name=\"org.qtproject.QtDBus.QtTy"..., 2048}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC}, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = 802
sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\1\1\206\0\0\0\10\0\0\0\177\0\0\0\1\1o\0\25\0\0\0/org/fre"..., 144}, {"\201\0\0\0type='signal',sender='org.fr"..., 134}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 278
sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\0\1)\0\0\0\t\0\0\0c\0\0\0\1\1o\0\24\0\0\0/org/kde"..., 120}, {"!\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\22\0\0\0desktop-startup-id\0\1"..., 41}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 161
poll([{fd=9, events=POLLIN}], 1, 300000) = 1 ([{fd=9, revents=POLLIN}])
recvmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(1)=[{"l\2\1\1\0\0\0\0}-\0\0&\0\0\0\6\1s\0\5\0\0\0:1.90\0\0\0"..., 2048}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC}, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = 56
recvmsg(9, 0x7ffc9c02ea70, MSG_CMSG_CLOEXEC) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)
msync(0x7f4395e95000, 10547304, MS_ASYNC|MS_INVALIDATE) = 0
munmap(0x7f4395e95000, 10547304)        = 0
sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\1\1[\0\0\0\n\0\0\0\177\0\0\0\1\1o\0\25\0\0\0/org/fre"..., 144}, {"V\0\0\0type='signal',path='/KIconLo"..., 91}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 235
sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\1\1j\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\177\0\0\0\1\1o\0\25\0\0\0/org/fre"..., 144}, {"e\0\0\0type='signal',path='/BreezeD"..., 106}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 250
sendmsg(9, {msg_name(0)=NULL, msg_iov(2)=[{"l\1\1\1e\0\0\0\f\0\0\0\177\0\0\0\1\1o\0\25\0\0\0/org/fre"..., 144}, {"`\0\0\0type='signal',path='/BreezeS"..., 101}], msg_controllen=0, msg_flags=0}, MSG_NOSIGNAL) = 245


Is there any way to fix it without wiping the whole $HOME/.kde?

Looks like I'm getting somewhere. I backed up all files in $HOME/.config and nuked them (just files, not directories). plasmashell behaves properly now. I'll try to narrow it down to the one that's causing it.

OK, I narrowed it down to deleting $HOME/.config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc

After that, desktop got reset to default, and plasmashell stopped misbehaving. I guess it has something to do with one of the applets that I was using before that. I'll narrow down more.

Ah, I found the culprit. It's the dashboard launcher. When it's set (instead of default launcher menu), plasmashell goes insane.

Please file a bug report for this, so that the cause can be found.

Which component should I file it for?

Thanks man, this works for me.

Submitted a bug here: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=353796