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Desktop extension doesn't update GDK pixbuf module cache when reverting

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Metadata

Project
snapcraft (launchpad)
Number
#2041182
Type
issue
State
open
Author
~gbeuzeboc
Labels
Created
Updated
Closed

Current evaluation

Desktop extension GDK pixbuf cache not regenerated on snap revert, causing crashes. Open 1043 days with no maintainer engagement or labels.

Suggested action: needs triage

Reason: The issue describes a clear architectural bug with a well-documented reproduction scenario and root cause analysis, but has been open for 1043 days with zero maintainer comments, labels, or assignee. Without being able to verify whether this was fixed elsewhere or is still reproducible in current code, a maintainer needs to triage this to determine if it remains relevant or has been addressed.

Impact: 65 Quick Win: 29.25 Staleness: 85 Complexity: 55 Confidence: 35 Support Request: 15

Issue body

The file .last_revision is stored under $SNAP_USER_DATA (revision specific)(https://github.com/snapcore/snapcraft/blob/main/extensions/desktop/common/init#L34), that is supposed to store the number of the revision. Only if the content of the file changed (which normally cannot happen since only the dedicated revision can access its dedicated $SNAP_USER_DATA) or if the file didn't exist (first start) the snap is going to "update". This update is especially generating the GDK pixbuf module file (the cache file, https://github.com/snapcore/snapcraft/blob/main/extensions/desktop/common/desktop-exports#L414) in the $SNAP_USER_COMMON (common to revisions). This cache file is holding hardcoded absolute path to libraries. The scenario that is causing the problem: - install rev 1   - launching it   - need update since no .last_revision file   - generating the cache file pointing to rev 1 lib   - writing the last_revision file - install rev 2   - launching it   - need update since no last_revision file   - generating the cache file pointing to rev 2 lib   - writing the .last_revision file - reverting to rev 1   - launching it   - .last_revision file already exist and contains the rev 1   - no need to regenerate the cache   - crash because we used the cache file pointing to rev2 libraries Because the .last_revision file is stored in a revision specific space, it cannot contain anything else than the revision it's supposed to hold. Hence, it is only used at the first launch. No update can happen otherwise. Having the cache stored in a revision common space and the file controlling its update in a revision specific space seems to be the issue. If the .last_revision file was placed in the $SNAP_USER_COMMON space it would allow a snap to "update" (thus regenerate the GDK pixbuf module file) after a revert. This issue seems to affect gnome extension for all core versions. Additionally, the electron-builder snap is also affected by it.

Evaluation history

Date Model Scores Action Summary
qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6
Impact: 65
Quick Win: 29.25
Staleness: 85
Complexity: 55
Confidence: 35
Support Request: 15
needs triage Desktop extension GDK pixbuf cache not regenerated on snap revert, causing crashes. Open 1043 days with no maintainer engagement or labels.
qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 60
Confidence: 85
Support Request: 5
needs triage Bug in snapcraft desktop extension where reverting a snap revision crashes due to a stale GDK pixbuf cache. Unlabelled, zero maintainer comments, inactive for ~2.7 years.
qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 60
Confidence: 80
Support Request: 5
close stale Desktop extension fails to regenerate GDK pixbuf cache on snap revert, causing crashes due to stale library paths. Unlabeled, 0 comments, inactive for ~2.7 years.
qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 60
Confidence: 85
Support Request: 5
close stale Desktop extension fails to regenerate GDK pixbuf cache on snap revert, causing crashes. Reported 2.7 years ago with no maintainer engagement or labels.
qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6
Staleness: 95
Complexity: 45
Confidence: 85
Support Request: 5
needs triage Bug in Snapcraft desktop extension where reverting snap revisions fails to regenerate the GDK pixbuf cache, causing crashes from hardcoded paths to newer libraries. Unassessed and inactive for over two years.

Update history

No update history recorded yet.

Related issues

No related issues found above the similarity threshold.