[21.04] Stuck on workspace mode

[ghost]

How did you upgrade to 21.04? (Fresh install / Upgrade)
Fresh Install

Issue/Bug Description:
Sometimes when clicking on the workspaces button to show active windows and workspaces the workspaces mode get stuck and it's not possible to exit from it, the system is responsive and every program in use continue to work, but the desktop remain in in the workspace "visual"

Steps to reproduce (if you know):
Just click the button to see the workspaces with some application running (doesn't happens all the time, is quite casual)

Other Notes:
Under nvidia drivers

[jacobgkau]

Thank you for trying the beta. We have an issue open about this here: pop-os/cosmic#29

If anyone's able to reliably recreate this with a specific sequence of steps (starting from a fresh boot), those steps to recreate would be helpful. We've seen this occasionally in testing, but haven't yet been able to determine the exact cause.

[alexstrand7]

I tried the Beta yesterday.. if you use workspace button then you get stuck.. nothing else you need to do to recreate.. I had the problem every time.. (Intel graphics, not NVIDIA) I had to log out/reboot to fix..

Thank you for trying the beta. We have an issue open about this here: pop-os/cosmic#29

If anyone's able to reliably recreate this with a specific sequence of steps (starting from a fresh boot), those steps to recreate would be helpful. We've seen this occasionally in testing, but haven't yet been able to determine the exact cause.

[jacobgkau]

if you use workspace button then you get stuck.. nothing else you need to do to recreate..

I'm afraid this isn't actually enough information, as I'm able to use the Workspaces button on several Intel graphics machines (including our Darter Pro and Lemur Pro), and the issue usually doesn't occur. Perhaps more information about your specific hardware or configuration could be useful.

[alexstrand7]

The PC is a HP Compaq Elite 8200 SFF

if you use workspace button then you get stuck.. nothing else you need to do to recreate..

I'm afraid this isn't actually enough information, as I'm able to use the Workspaces button on several Intel graphics machines (including our Darter Pro and Lemur Pro), and the issue usually doesn't occur. Perhaps more information about your specific hardware or configuration could be useful.

[ids1024]

Looks like that model has a Sandy Bridge processor. Which is a bit old now, and it might not be too surprising if there are issues with Sandy Bridge graphics. (Though it would be good to see if we can reproduce it on other Sandy Bridge hardware.)

[ids1024]

Not seeing any problem booting the ISO on a Sandy Bridge (i5-2450M) system. Though that's just from the bootable USB, not installed.

[alexstrand7]

I upgraded from Pop os 20.10, so I have not tested ISO on USB..

[jacobgkau]

OK, I can recreate this reliably on gaze15 and darp7 using these steps:

Prerequisite: install thunderbird (but don't set it up.)

1. Boot & log in.
2. Open a terminal with the Pop Shell launcher and close it with Super+Q.
3. Open Thunderbird with the Pop Shell launcher.
4. Open and close the Applications menu using the top-left button.
5. Open the Workspaces menu using the top-left button.

If I use the dock instead of the Pop Shell launcher to launch terminal and Firefox during the steps above, the issue still happens; but if I use the Applications menu to launch them, it doesn't happen.

[RedBearAK]

I did an update immediately after a fresh install, on a MacBook3,1 (2007). It downloaded almost 600MB. After rebooting, this "stuck in Workspace overview" problem happened. I could start applications but not interact with them other than closing them from the X in the corner around the frame.

After logging out a couple of times I tried going into the Settings app and toggling anything related to the Workspaces and Applications overview, like whether or not to display them on the dock or on the top bar. I even toggled the options that are still marked "TODO", and kept trying to activate each different view from the top bar and the dock items. Some part of that messing around in settings or using the buttons on the top bar instead of the dock seemed to jar something loose or reset something and fix the problem, and then after that everything started working as expected. The issue hasn't returned.

I just don't know exactly what fixed it, or what initially caused the problem.

One thing I noticed during the update process was that the special launcher and overview icons on the dock literally disappeared, but they were still there taking up space on the dock.

[ids1024]

OK, I can recreate this reliably on gaze15 and darp7 using these steps:

This seems to reproduce the issue in a VM, and I see errors that seem relevant in journalctl. It looks like the issue is in the multi-monitor extension. Disabling that extension, it doesn't seem to happen anymore (under the same circumstances).

Looking into a fix for this.

[ids1024]

Okay, doesn't seem to be the multi-monitor extension. Without that extension there's a similar JavaScript error, but with the cosmic extension in the stack trace instead of multi-monitor.

I can reproduce this with all extensions other than cosmic disabled:

1. Boot
2. Start thunderbird with alt+f2
3. Toggle applications on/off with button
4. Try to toggle workspaces on/off with button

[cyder2]

Just saw that issue #29 pop-os/cosmic#29 is marked as closed as of yesterday. I'm fully updated and still having this issue.

Intel drivers. Samsung Galaxy Flex Book Alpha 2.

[jacobgkau]

@cyder2 Thank you for the report. It looks like the updated GNOME Shell has not made it into the release yet. I can tell because the commit hash in the output of apt policy gnome-shell does not match the latest commit listed in the repository's commit history.

You should see this fixed after you receive the next GNOME Shell update (once a newer version has been released in the Pop!_OS Launchpad PPA.) Please let us know.

[alexstrand7]

it looks like it is working now after gnome-shell update.