So I just got a new computer and installed kubuntu on it. This is my first experience with any form of linux, but I'm a fast learner so it's not been much trouble. I have run across one problem I can't fix, though:

In every desktop layout but the default, all my widgets have two control bars as in this screenshot:


This is a single widget; dragging either control bar moves it. The other control bar follows it.
Sometimes the bars are on opposite sides, as well.

Only one of the bars--the one without the resize and rotate buttons--has working buttons on it, but either can be used to move the widget.

How can I fix this? I've found an old thread about the same thing (tried the solutions given in that thread, none worked) and also a bug report that briefly mentions it as possibly related to a problem I'm not having. (could not find any suggested solutions)

"every desktop layout but the default" - you mean activity or virtual desktops?

some things to try:
1) backup & reset Plasma to default:

Code: Select all

kquitapp plasma-desktop
 sleep 20s
 mkdir -p $HOME/plasma-config/
 mv $(kde4-config --localprefix)/share/config/plasma-desktop* $HOME/plasma-config/

plasma-desktop &
2) run:

Code: Select all

kbuildsycoca4 --noincremental  2> /dev/null

That set me back to the default desktop (and reset all my icons), but when I switch back to anything else it still has two bars.

Also, I exited plasma before running that (ctrl-alt-f1) and a few errors occurred (can't close plasma since it's already closed, can't open plasma since I need to use startx) But I ignored them and just used startx to start it back up.

I don't know what you mean by an activity or virtual desktop, it's just what I get when I right click>(current desktop layout) desktop settings...>layout>grid desktop (or grouping desktop)

for now ignore virtual desktops and activities, you can look them up later if you're interested I just wasn't sure what you meant, your terminology was correct

in a non-default layout (dual control bars) if you right click desktop -> lock widgets, then unlock them does it help?

It does not. One of the bars lingers longer than the other, but I think that may have been happening before.

sorry, no other ideas

re: the control bars opening on different sides, that's normal. I think it's determined but multiple factors including mouse position when hovering (if hovering on the left of the widget the bar will appear on the left usually) and space available to display the bar relative to screen edge and maybe panels.

Is there any way I can mark this as still-unresolved, so that others might try to help? This problem is really aggravating to me, and I'd like to get it fixed.

sorry you can only mark a thread as solved

you could pm the poster of the thread you linked to and see if they resolved it, unfortunately all his posts were in that one thread

you can try querying on the KDE irc channel #kde

in desperation you could reinstall just the plasma packages or KDE or Kubuntu or try a different distro - this seems a pretty rare bug

not sure this will show anything

1) open kdebugdialog
- deselect all
- search in field for plasma
- select all
- ok
2) remove or rename ~/.xsession-errors
3) force display of widget control bars
4) open ~/.xsession-errors and search for plasma or other errors that look relevant

5) reset kdebugdialog

Could you explain just how to do that? Remember, I'm brand new to linux.

to run kdedebugdialog:
- in Konsole, the terminal app, type kdebugdialog then hit enter,
- or use krunner (alt+F2)
- or type it in to the search field in the application launcher widget (should the KDE icon on your panel) and left click "run dialog"



to rename or delete ~/.xsession-errors open Dolphin -> go to ~/ (which is /home/user_name), then display hidden files (which are files prefixed with ".") view -> show hidden files then right click on the file and select rename, move to trash or delete

to view and search the file in Dolphin -> left click the file, it should open in Kate the text editor and use ctrl+f to search
or use command line in kosole or krunner and type: kate ~/.xsession-errors & (the & means run in background, which releases the Konsol session)

Between removing the old .xsession-errors and opening the new one, I hovered over a few widgets to show their control bars. When I opened the new .xsession-errors, vim (the editor I use) created a new file, and there is no .xsession-errors when I do ls -a.

then kdebugdialog isn't seeing any errors

That's what I'd thought. Is it possible that the default desktop is still running underneath the grid/grouping desktop?

then wouldn't you also have duplicate panels?