failure to launch on pre-release version of Ubuntu ("Natty")

[allisonrandal]

I have a new failure with Gorilla on the pre-release version of Ubuntu (11.04, "Natty"). When I launch Gorilla from the command-line, the whole screen flashes, then returns to the terminal window, where it appears that Gorilla is running, i.e. it holds on the gorilla process, doesn't return to the terminal prompt, and searching 'ps auxww' for gorilla shows a running process:

allison 2201 2.1 1.0 24460 10156 pts/0 Sl+ 13:32 0:01 ./gorilla1534.bin

But, the Gorilla window doesn't appear anywhere. I can terminate the Gorilla process with Ctrl-C, but never can get the window to appear. I am able to consistently repeat this issue on the latest standalone Linux version 1.5.3.4 (gorilla1534.bin), with both Ubuntu Unity and Ubuntu Classic.

This could be a problem with the version upgrade in Ubuntu Natty from tcl 8.4.16 to tcl 8.5.9. However, Gorilla says that it supports 8.5, so this shouldn't be the cause.

The problem seems to be display-related, rather than the core code, because running:

$ gorilla --help

Does properly print out the help information in the terminal window and exit.

[rich123]

As you are running Linux, and therefore have a full Tcl/Tk environment installed, can you retry by downloading the source package of the "master" branch and attemping to launch gorilla by running the "gorilla.tcl" file located in the sources/ directory underneath the github package directory (which in the test I just downloaded, is "zdia-gorilla-4f6fb53". I.e., run the file at "zdia-gorilla-4f6fb53/sources/gorilla.tcl".

This test will help with two possibilities. One, it will determine if the issue is with the tcl kit package or with ubuntu/gorilla. Two, if it works this way, it will let you utilize gorilla while we debug why the kit fails to launch.

[allisonrandal]

I've also submitted this issue to Ubuntu as:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/743615

[rich123]

Reporting it to Ubuntu is also good, as I do suspect a possible change on their part that has potentially triggered this issue.

However, if you want to help work out the root cause, please try running the source distribution directly. I do now realize that you might need to install IncrTcl to get the source bundle to run. It does appear that Ubuntu packages IncrTcl ( http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=itcl3 ) so that should be all you would need to try the source bundle.

If the source bundle works properly, then you have a solution to get to your passwords (very important), and as well would point the problem towards one of the tclkit bundle or a Ubuntu change (and further narrowing down the possibilities).

[rich123]

I just installed a copy of Ubuntu 11.04 ( I downloaded the Intel x86 .iso from here: http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/natty/alpha-3/ ) into a VirtualBox VM. I told the installer to "just install" (i.e., no customizations). After rebooting into the installation, I then downloaded gorilla1534.bin from github using FF 4 within the Ubunbu VBox. After changing the .bin to be executable, I ran it from a terminal. The normal "select a database, enter your password" Gorilla startup window appeared. As far as I can tell at the moment, there is something in particular about your installation that is creating the issue.

[scafmac]

You demonstrated that the latest version from github src works, but can you check to see if the copy in the Ubuntu repository works?

I'm having the same problem. I'm running 64 bit Ubuntu 11.04, on a new Macbook Pro. I have more than the base installation and have the same exact symptoms. Running Gorilla starts the process, but no window is ever rendered.

According to the log files, it's compiz that's segfaulting when I run the version in the repository or the 1534 binary download. There is no mention of PG in the log files.

[scafmac]

Actually, I've downloaded the latest source and still crash compiz. allisonrandal, if you could post some more info about the hardware & configuration, it would be helpful. Have you seen any errors in the log files?

[scafmac]

There's more info on the Ubuntu bug report mentioned above.

[rich123]

Just to clarify, on my generic ubuntu in a virtual box, I ran the gorilla packaged executable from github, not the source from github.

However, note that the Gorilla in the ubuntu repository is 1-4.4-1. That is likely at least a five year old version of Gorilla at this point. How does one go about getting an updated Gorilla into the repository?

In any case, selecting the 1-4.4-1 version also selected all of that version's dependencies, and after everything was installed, it launched perfectly on my virtualbox ubuntu.

[zdia]

@macbastard

You are working with the source so PWGorilla is supposed to work well if your Tcl/Tk environment works.

Which Tcl/Tk version do you use? ActiveState's binary or compiled by your own? Does the Tk demo work?

The executables are crashing, too?

[todd-a-jacobs]

@rich123 asked about getting an updated package into Debian/Ubuntu. The package page at http://packages.debian.org/sid/password-gorilla lists Patrick Schoenfeld as the current maintainer, and lists his email if you want to contact him about packaging the latest release.

If there are any security issues since that release, though, you might be better off contacting the Debian security team. They will usually take faster action than most of the routine developers if there are any exploitable security issues involved.

[allisonrandal]

On the Ubuntu side they are identifying this as a bug in compiz, and working on it there. Another user demonstrated that it affects other tcl/tk applications, and not just Gorilla. There's a "Fix Released" on Ubuntu Natty, so I'll test to see if there are any more problems

[zdia]

@CodeGnome

I've contacted Patrick Schoenfeld several times. He is willing to upgrade the package but he's actually too busy. So we have to "hold the line" ...

[rich123]

It is good to know that it is not a Gorilla bug. I will go ahead and close this issue now since the issue has been identified as existing outside of Gorilla.