Debian update policy only applies bug and security fixes during an version cycle, with big major updates kept for a new release. This allows more stability at the cost of having not the newest features. So, on Debian 12, version 43.5 of Gnome Software is what you get.
If you want newer updates, you’d probably need to use a distribution with a different update policy, like Debian Unstable or Fedora.
Anyway, that’s for the update question…
As for the crashing:
Could you see if there are any errors reported?
In a first step, you could check the log. In an terminal, first run gnome-software --quit to make sure its not running any process. Then, start it from the terminal with gnome-software and see what the results of the log is.
Additionally, a bit more complicated but also more useful for the developers, you could create a stack trace.
I DID try your technique of the CLI/Terminal commands.
Here are the entries & results:
~$ gnome-software --quit
~$ gnome-software
22:17:03:891 Tried to set invalid release date: 2022
22:17:04:401 Tried to set invalid release date: 2022
Bus error
Sir, The output of that command yields Hundreds, if not thousands, of lines result. It is so massive, I don’t even know how to deal with this! Thoughts?
The > gnome-software.log part will create a file named gnome-software.log and write the output of the program there. The 2>&1 is for also writing errors into the file.
After the command is run, the log should be in the file, which you can then upload.
Since the output was so large, (& I wanted to know exactly How large), I copied & pasted it into a gedit file of the same name you recommended with line numbers turned on. There are 2, 105 lines! Now, inside the Terminal ALL of the output lines are Blue with only Two that are Red in color. They are line # 2006 & has the exact same content as the output above, except the added processing time code: “22:38:28:418 Tried to set invalid release date: 2022.” and the same again in line # 2096: “22:38:28:618 Tried to set invalid release date: 2022”
Most of the output seems to be related to Flatpak & what programs are available in that repository but the hundreds that are Not installed or recognized on my system.
Is the gedit file OK to post or do you prefer it as you first stated above from Terminal? Thanks again.
Sorry I’ve been gone for a while. There is more information that may be causing this issue. Before doing a stack trace debug session, based on incomplete or incorrect information, I’ll add that information now.
When attempting to use the command ‘flatpak update’ thru the CLI, an Error Msg states the following:
“Looking for updates…
Bus error”
However, using the root/sudo update command ‘flatpak update -v’ yields a highly detailed correct full update - But - with the following Error Msg:
"Note that ‘/var/lib/flatpak/exports/share’ is not in the search path
set by the XDG_DATA_HOME and XDG_DATA_DIRS
environment variables, so applications may not
be able to find it until you set them. The
directories currently searched are:
/root/.local/share
/usr/local/share/
/usr/share/"
SO, could the above be related to the original issue, or, even causing its occurrence?
If it is, and fixing it could solve the gnome-software malfunction, one could add the environment variable/s to the correct file/s. I would do it, IF I knew how.
All thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated!
Thanks again to everyone for your time and assist.
The warning you receive when running Flatpak with sudo are unrelated to your issue. This warning only means that the environment of the root user misses some configuration.
Just as a general note: You don’t need to run Flatpak with sudo. If it needs system privileges, it can request them using Polkit.
It seems though as Flatpak can’t communicate with a bus. That’s most likely D-Bus.
I think the issue goes deeper, considering a lot of software would break without D-Bus, bit just to be sure, could you check if D-Bus is running properly?
What’s the output of the following commands?
systemctl status dbus.service
systemctl --user status dbus.service
The command ‘systemctl status dbus.service’ yields the following Terminal output:
"~$ systemctl status dbus.service
● dbus-broker.service - D-Bus System Message Bus
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/dbus-broker.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2025-03-19 12:27:09 CDT; 47min ago
TriggeredBy: ● dbus.socket
Docs: man:dbus-broker-launch(1)
Main PID: 682 (dbus-broker-lau)
Tasks: 2 (limit: 18911)
Memory: 6.4M
CPU: 813ms
CGroup: /system.slice/dbus-broker.service
├─682 /usr/bin/dbus-broker-launch --scope system --audit
└─714 dbus-broker --log 4 --controller 9 --machine-id 097da01f1e234682a6cdf49bea7c79c6 --max-bytes 536870912 --m>
Warning: some journal files were not opened due to insufficient permissions.
lines 1-14/14 (END)"
At this point, the Terminal locked up & froze. It would not show the owner/name tag and cursor line to accept any further input. Therefore, I had to use Ctrl-z to stop whatever froze it. After the Ctrl-z command, I received the following output:
“[1]+ Stopped systemctl status dbus.service
~$”
Next, the command ‘systemctl --user status dbus.service’ yields the following output:
"~$ systemctl --user status dbus.service
● dbus-broker.service - D-Bus User Message Bus
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/dbus-broker.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2025-03-19 12:29:51 CDT; 56min ago
TriggeredBy: ● dbus.socket
Docs: man:dbus-broker-launch(1)
Main PID: 3515 (dbus-broker-lau)
Tasks: 2 (limit: 18911)
Memory: 4.1M
CPU: 486ms
CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/dbus-broker.service
├─3515 /usr/bin/dbus-broker-launch --scope user
└─3528 dbus-broker --log 4 --controller 10 --machine-id 097da01f1e234682a6cdf49bea7c79c6 --max-bytes 10000000000>
Mar 19 12:29:51 i-pc dbus-broker-launch[3515]: Policy to allow eavesdropping in /usr/share/dbus-1/session.conf +31: Eavesdrop>
Mar 19 12:29:51 i-pc dbus-broker-launch[3515]: Policy to allow eavesdropping in /usr/share/dbus-1/session.conf +33: Eavesdrop>
Mar 19 12:29:51 i-pc systemd[3491]: Starting dbus-broker.service - D-Bus User Message Bus…
Mar 19 12:29:51 i-pc dbus-broker-launch[3515]: Service file '/usr/share//dbus-1/services/kde-org.freedesktop.PackageKit.servi>
Mar 19 12:29:51 i-pc dbus-broker-launch[3515]: Ignoring duplicate name ‘org.freedesktop.PackageKit’ in service file '/usr/sha>
Mar 19 12:29:51 i-pc systemd[3491]: Started dbus-broker.service - D-Bus User Message Bus.
Mar 19 12:29:51 i-pc dbus-broker-launch[3515]: Ready
lines 1-20/20 (END)"
This also froze the terminal & had to be ended with Ctrl-z which yielded:
“[2]+ Stopped systemctl --user status dbus.service
~$”
As always, any and all help from direct knowledge, thoughts and ideas are greatly appreciated.
Thanks to all.
The output of systemctl is shown in a process which allows scrolling and searching, so the terminal didn’t froze, the process wasn’t finished yet. This view is similar to less or man and can be exited by pressing q.
Anyway, your output shows that D-Bus should run, but Flatpak still seems to not connect to it…
As you mentioned the issue happens with the Flatpak command as well, I think it would be best to file the bug with Debian, as it seems to be related to Debian’s version of Flatpak.
OK, I will file the bug at the link you provided as soon as I learn how - I am reading and learning.
Also, per Sid and pwithnall, I will create a stack trace of the gnome-software crash info as soon as I learn how - I am reading about that too in the Debian Handbook.
In the mean time, if any of you all know, I would like to find the answer to this:
HOW do I add the missing environment variables into the correct files and directories so the Command ‘flatpak update’ will function properly again?
Here’s a reminder output received at the end of a sudo run of the flatpak update command:
“…that ‘/var/lib/flatpak/exports/share’ is not in the search path
set by the XDG_DATA_HOME and XDG_DATA_DIRS
environment variables…”
It is quite aggravating to be unable to fix these issues alone. I simply do not know the commands and inner workings of Debian enough to do that yet. But, I am working on it.
The old saying is, “You can’t fix stupid.” Well, I don’t believe I’m that that but I am ignorant of many things Debian. I am working on rectifying that individually and with each interaction with all of you.
To provide some context:
Due to Flatpaks approach to containerization it stores its desktop files (which provide the launchable icon for your app in the desktop) at a different path. So, the desktop needs to be told where to look these files up with the environment variable.
This is correctly set in Debian for normal users. However, as you don’t run a desktop with the root user, its omitted there. When you run flatpak with sudo, it is run by the root user, which triggers the warning.
But, as said before, its not an issue. On your normal user, the environment is correct and the desktop can find the files.
If there is one thing I could mention, it would be to avoid using root or sudo as much as possible. The flatpak command will request its permissions if needed, so you can run it without sudo.
OK, sorry if I am being redundant (thru ignorance) but running the normally used regular Command ‘flatpak update’ does NOT work, will NOT update any flatpak apps/software and only states there is a “Bus error.”
However, running it as "sudo flatpak update -v’ DOES provide the current & needed updates available in the repository.
I just want the regular (1st above) Command to work correctly as it did before. I thought placing those environment variables in the correct files and directories would repair it and allow it to function correctly.