[WSL] expr: syntax error: missing argument after ‘8’

[lfarinaa]

Prerequisites

• Put an X between the brackets on this line if you have done all of the following:
  • Reproduced the problem in Safe Mode: https://flight-manual.atom.io/hacking-atom/sections/debugging/#using-safe-mode
  • Followed all applicable steps in the debugging guide: https://flight-manual.atom.io/hacking-atom/sections/debugging/
  • Checked the FAQs on the message board for common solutions: https://discuss.atom.io/c/faq
  • Checked that your issue isn't already filed: https://github.com/issues?utf8=✓&q=is%3Aissue+user%3Aatom
  • Checked that there is not already an Atom package that provides the described functionality: https://atom.io/packages

Description

Every time you run atom, it returns an error message (it's the cinnamon thing from the last update)

Steps to Reproduce

1. unset DESKTOP_SESSION
2. run atom (namely /usr/bin/atom)

Expected behavior:

Atom opens

Actual behavior:

returns "expr: syntax error: missing argument after ‘8’"
Atom opens

Reproduces how often:

Always

Versions

Atom : 1.60.0
Electron: 9.4.4
Chrome : 83.0.4103.122
Node : 12.14.1
OS: Ubuntu on WSL (it's normal to run without a desktop)

Additional Information

Can be fixed trivially by changing lines 172-174 to check that DESKTOP_SESSION is indeed set. E.g.:
if [[ -v DESKTOP_SESSION ]]; then
if [[ "$(expr substr $(printenv | grep "DESKTOP_SESSION=") 17 8)" == "cinnamon" ]]; then
cp "resources/linux/desktopenviroment/cinnamon/atom.nemo_action" "/usr/share/nemo/actions/atom.nemo_action"
fi
fi

[dr1ver1]

Same issue experienced on "pure" Ubuntu (i.e. not running under WSL).
DESKTOP_SESSION=ubuntu
Error message isn't generated consistently. I suspect it is being generated when I use sudo atom --no-sandbox ...

[MatthewSchultz]

I see this error as well, but atom still runs, and runs fine.

[ptous]

This seems to be an issue with quoting on line 172 of the atom shell script, which is installed as /usr/bin/atom.

  if [[ "$(expr substr $(printenv | grep "DESKTOP_SESSION=") 17 8) == "cinnamon" ]]; then
    cp "resources/linux/desktopenviroment/cinnamon/atom.nemo_action" "/usr/share/nemo/actions/atom.nemo_action"
  fi

When printenv | grep "DESKTOP_SESSION=" is an empty string, because it is unquoted, it disappears from the argument list of expr substr, which requires three arguments.

This is fixed by quoting the inner $() expression like so.

  if [[ "$(expr substr "$(printenv | grep "DESKTOP_SESSION=")" 17 8)" == "cinnamon" ]]; then
    cp "resources/linux/desktopenviroment/cinnamon/atom.nemo_action" "/usr/share/nemo/actions/atom.nemo_action"
  fi

Oops, missed that this was already mentioned.