Many softwares no longer launch (icon blinks then desapears after a couple of seconds from the launcher)

Question

when I launch either Spyder3 or backintime, they now blink briefly in the unity launcher but never actually show up.

(see image). How to fix this? They both used to work like a week ago.

Edit:

Sure, here are two:

~$ backintime
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/backintime/common/backintime.py", line 23, in <module>
    import config
  File "/usr/share/backintime/common/config.py", line 31, in <module>
    import tools
  File "/usr/share/backintime/common/tools.py", line 43, in <module>
    import dbus
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/__init__.py", line 81, in <module>
    import dbus.exceptions as exceptions
AttributeError: module 'dbus' has no attribute 'exceptions'
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 63, in apport_excepthook
    from apport.fileutils import likely_packaged, get_recent_crashes
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/__init__.py", line 5, in <module>
    from apport.report import Report
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/report.py", line 30, in <module>
    import apport.fileutils
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/fileutils.py", line 23, in <module>
    from apport.packaging_impl import impl as packaging
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/packaging_impl.py", line 23, in <module>
    import apt
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apt/__init__.py", line 23, in <module>
    import apt_pkg
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/backintime/common/backintime.py", line 23, in <module>
    import config
  File "/usr/share/backintime/common/config.py", line 31, in <module>
    import tools
  File "/usr/share/backintime/common/tools.py", line 43, in <module>
    import dbus
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/__init__.py", line 81, in <module>
    import dbus.exceptions as exceptions
AttributeError: module 'dbus' has no attribute 'exceptions'

and

~$ spyder3
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/utils/external/lockfile.py", line 150, in lock
    symlink(str(os.getpid()), self.name)
FileExistsError: [Errno 17] File exists: '6240' -> '/home/me/.config/spyder-py3/spyder.lock'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/utils/external/lockfile.py", line 177, in lock
    kill(int(pid), 0)
ProcessLookupError: [Errno 3] No such process

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/app/start.py", line 118, in main
    lock_created = lock.lock()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/utils/external/lockfile.py", line 196, in lock
    rmlink(self.name)
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/home/me/.config/spyder-py3/spyder.lock'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/qtpy/__init__.py", line 148, in <module>
    from PySide import __version__ as PYSIDE_VERSION  # analysis:ignore
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PySide'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/spyder3", line 11, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/app/start.py", line 138, in main
    from spyder.app import mainwindow
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/app/mainwindow.py", line 49, in <module>
    requirements.check_qt()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/requirements.py", line 39, in check_qt
    import qtpy
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/qtpy/__init__.py", line 154, in <module>
    raise PythonQtError('No Qt bindings could be found')
qtpy.PythonQtError: No Qt bindings could be found
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 63, in apport_excepthook
    from apport.fileutils import likely_packaged, get_recent_crashes
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/__init__.py", line 5, in <module>
    from apport.report import Report
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/report.py", line 30, in <module>
    import apport.fileutils
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/fileutils.py", line 23, in <module>
    from apport.packaging_impl import impl as packaging
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/packaging_impl.py", line 23, in <module>
    import apt
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apt/__init__.py", line 23, in <module>
    import apt_pkg
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/utils/external/lockfile.py", line 150, in lock
    symlink(str(os.getpid()), self.name)
FileExistsError: [Errno 17] File exists: '6240' -> '/home/me/.config/spyder-py3/spyder.lock'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/utils/external/lockfile.py", line 177, in lock
    kill(int(pid), 0)
ProcessLookupError: [Errno 3] No such process

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/app/start.py", line 118, in main
    lock_created = lock.lock()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/utils/external/lockfile.py", line 196, in lock
    rmlink(self.name)
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/home/me/.config/spyder-py3/spyder.lock'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/qtpy/__init__.py", line 148, in <module>
    from PySide import __version__ as PYSIDE_VERSION  # analysis:ignore
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PySide'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/spyder3", line 11, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/app/start.py", line 138, in main
    from spyder.app import mainwindow
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/app/mainwindow.py", line 49, in <module>
    requirements.check_qt()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/spyder/requirements.py", line 39, in check_qt
    import qtpy
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/dist-packages/qtpy/__init__.py", line 154, in <module>
    raise PythonQtError('No Qt bindings could be found')
qtpy.PythonQtError: No Qt bindings could be found

Can you please try to run one of the failing application from the terminal? This could show some hints about what is not working — pim, Nov 02 '17 at 13:07
About Spyder3 you can read [my answer on other thread](https://askubuntu.com/a/972194/66509). — N0rbert, Nov 02 '17 at 16:57

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 02 '17 at 17:11

1

Errors with backintime may we fixed by reinstalling it with dependencies:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall backintime-qt4 libqt4-designer libqt4-help libqt4-opengl libqt4-scripttools libqt4-svg libqt4-test libqtassistantclient4 libqtwebkit4 python3-dbus python3-dbus.mainloop.qt python3-keyring python3-pyqt4 python3-secretstorage python3-sip

answered Nov 02 '17 at 17:11

N0rbert

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I still get an ugly error message. I guess I will have to re-install ubuntu from scratch. Oh this will not be fun;( – user2413 Nov 02 '17 at 19:59

Many softwares no longer launch (icon blinks then desapears after a couple of seconds from the launcher)

Edit:

1 Answers1