Keyboard Applet doesn't launch in Cinnamon 6.6.7 on debian forky/sid

[ClementXVII]

Distribution

Debian GNU/Linux forky/sid - 6.19.10+deb14-amd64

Package version

6.6.7

Graphics hardware in use

dual AMD Radeon 890M Graphics -- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU

Frequency

Always

Bug description

A couple of days (perhaps a week) ago, my compose key started to behave differently on my UK International keyboard (Framework 16 laptop) in Cinnamon. Whereas the Compose + ' + e key would previously produce the letter é, it now produces the letter ê. Furthermore, the Compose + . + e key doesn't produce the ė anymore, but produces this ·e.

So, long story short, behaviour changed and the only thing I did was a regular package update on debian.

I launched the Settings app and when I clicked on the "Keyboard" applet, nothing happened (other applets like Mouse and Touchpad, Network,... launch as expected).

And this is what I get from the Terminal:

myuser@framework:~$ cinnamon-settings
KeybindingWidgets session type: x11
/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/cinnamon-settings.py:307: PyGIDeprecationWarning: GLib.unix_signal_add is deprecated; use GLibUnix.signal_add instead
  GLib.unix_signal_add(GLib.PRIORITY_DEFAULT, signal.SIGTERM, self._quit)
Using pam module (python3-pampy)
Loading Keyboard module
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/cinnamon-settings.py", line 708, in button_press
    self.side_view_nav(widget, None, category)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/cinnamon-settings.py", line 178, in side_view_nav
    self.go_to_sidepage(sidePage, user_action=True)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/cinnamon-settings.py", line 187, in go_to_sidepage
    sidePage.build()
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/bin/SettingsWidgets.py", line 217, in build
    self.module.on_module_selected()
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/modules/cs_keyboard.py", line 268, in on_module_selected
    self.kb_table = KeybindingTable.get_default()
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/bin/KeybindingTable.py", line 971, in get_default
    instance = KeybindingTable()
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/bin/KeybindingTable.py", line 501, in __init__
    self._load_spice_store()
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/bin/KeybindingTable.py", line 651, in _load_spice_store
    _config = json.load(config_file)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)

Steps to reproduce

Option 1

1. Launch Cinnamon Menu -> Preferences -> Keyboard
2. Nothing happens

** Option 2**

1. Cinnamon Menu -> Preferences -> System Settings
2. In Hardware, click the Keyboard Icon
3. Nothing happens

Option 3

1. launch your favourite Terminal app
2. launch cinnamon-settings
3. In Hardware, click the Keyboard Icon
4. The errors mentioned in the Bug Description are displayed on the screen

Expected behavior

Option 1

1. Launch Cinnamon Menu -> Preferences -> Keyboard
2. Keyboard applet launches

** Option 2**

1. Cinnamon Menu -> Preferences -> System Settings
2. In Hardware, click the Keyboard Icon
3. Keyboard applet launches

Option 3

1. launch your favourite Terminal app
2. launch cinnamon-settings
3. In Hardware, click the Keyboard Icon
4. Keyboard applet launches

Additional information

I'm aware that this will not solve the Compose key behaviour changed issue, but at ieast it'll give me access to the Keyboard settings!

[leigh123linux]

Try moving the corrupt file in your home directory.

mv ~/.config/cinnamon/spices.json ~/.config/cinnamon/spices.json.bak

[ClementXVII]

Hmmm, I have no spices.json file...

myuser@framework:~/.config/cinnamon$ ls
backgrounds  spices
myusers@framework:~/.config/cinnamon$ ls spices/
calendar@cinnamon.org             network@cinnamon.org
cornerbar@cinnamon.org            notifications@cinnamon.org
favorites@cinnamon.org            power@cinnamon.org
grouped-window-list@cinnamon.org  printers@cinnamon.org
menu@cinnamon.org                 sound@cinnamon.org

[leigh123linux]

Here's the paths used

$ cat /usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings/bin/KeybindingTable.py |grep -e OLD_SETTINGS_DIR -e SETTINGS_DIR
OLD_SETTINGS_DIR = Path.joinpath(Path.home(), ".cinnamon/configs/")
SETTINGS_DIR = Path.joinpath(Path.home(), ".config/cinnamon/spices/")
            for settings_dir in (OLD_SETTINGS_DIR, SETTINGS_DIR):

[leigh123linux]

Does this return anything?

for f in ~/.config/cinnamon/spices/*/*.json; do python3 -c "import json; json.load(open('$f'))" || echo "CRAP FILE: $f"; done

[ClementXVII]

So the good news is that I don't have the old config dir ($HOME/.cinnamon doesn't exist).

And this is the output of your command (again some python errors):

myuser@framework:~$ for f in ~/.config/cinnamon/spices/*/*.json; do python3 -c "import json; json.load(open('$f'))" || echo "CRAP FILE: $f"; done
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/calendar@cinnamon.org/1123.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/calendar@cinnamon.org/1123.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/calendar@cinnamon.org/1288.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/calendar@cinnamon.org/1288.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/cornerbar@cinnamon.org/1124.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/cornerbar@cinnamon.org/1124.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/cornerbar@cinnamon.org/1289.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/cornerbar@cinnamon.org/1289.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/favorites@cinnamon.org/1119.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/favorites@cinnamon.org/1119.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/favorites@cinnamon.org/1284.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/favorites@cinnamon.org/1284.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/grouped-window-list@cinnamon.org/1112.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/grouped-window-list@cinnamon.org/1112.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/grouped-window-list@cinnamon.org/1277.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/grouped-window-list@cinnamon.org/1277.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/menu@cinnamon.org/1110.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/menu@cinnamon.org/1110.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/menu@cinnamon.org/1275.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/menu@cinnamon.org/1275.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/printers@cinnamon.org/1116.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
CRAP FILE: /home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/printers@cinnamon.org/1116.json
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import json; json.load(open('/home/myuser/.config/cinnamon/spices/printers@cinnamon.org/1281.json'))
                 ~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 298, in load
    return loads(fp.read(),
        cls=cls, object_hook=object_hook,
        parse_float=parse_float, parse_int=parse_int,
        parse_constant=parse_constant, object_pairs_hook=object_pairs_hook, **kw)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/__init__.py", line 352, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 345, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.13/json/decoder.py", line 363, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)

Should I perhaps delete these files? Or try resetting it with :

myuser@framework: $ mv ~/.config/cinnamon/spices ~/.config/cinnamon/spices.bak

[ClementXVII]

Okay, so I reset the cinnamon config directory

myuser@framework: $ mv ~/.config/cinnamon/spices ~/.config/cinnamon/spices.bak

The problem disappeared. So it is "solved" though I would love to understand what's happened. Resetting the config directory is still the "last resort" option in my world as it doesn't give me any hints as to where to fix the issue if it happens again in the future ...