File Save dialogue soon ceases to appear (Musescore ver 3.6.2 on Linux Ubuntu 18.04.5)

• Jun 27, 2022 - 03:56
Reported version
3.6
Type
Functional
Frequency
Once
Severity
S2 - Critical
Reproducibility
Randomly
Status
needs info
Regression
No
Workaround
Yes
Project
MuseScore

Musescore ver 3.6.2 on Linux Ubuntu 18.04.5

The File Save dialogue just after startup appears normally, but after a few minutes of use it won't be visible any more, the Musescore window does fade to darker colors but the File Save dialogue isn't visible anywhere.

(ctrl-s works just fine if it's not a new score still needing to be assigned a file name.)

I tried switching windows, moving windows, switching desktops, nothing revealed the File Save dialogue.

The issue has always appeared so far using 3.6.2, although I haven't been able to spot after WHICH steps it appears, maybe after using some specific tool, e.g. after assigning an articulation, I don't know yet but it ALWAYS occurred so far ("so far" = a couple of easy scores for school pupils, 4 trumpets and 2 or 3 saxophones).

Hence, the following actions become impossible via the Musescore GUI and require using the operative system:

  1. saving a copy with another name
  2. saving with another name and continuing with it

(Obvious) workarounds for the above actions, provided you did save immediately after creating a new score (the File Save dialogue works just fine after launching Musescore and creating a new score):

  1. ctrl-s, switch to a terminal or Nautilus window (Nautilus is the GUI file manager) and make a copy of the file with another name, switch back to Musescore
  2. exit Musescore, rename the file, restart Musescore and load the file with its new name

IN CASE THE WORK HASN'T BEEN SAVED BEFORE, NOT EVEN ONCE, A WORKAROUND WHICH HAS JUST WORKED HERE IS:

in the terminal window, I issued this command:

kill -9 `pgrep mscore`

I restarted Musescore, I chose to restore the previous session, I got the score I was working on, ctrl-s and I've been asked a file name and the file has been saved.

The problem also appears when exporting.
Workaround: exit, restart Musescore, export.

EDIT: on this score, it did not happen afterwards, first time without that problem (in... maybe 10-15 hours in different sessions).
Was it because it was restored from a killed session?
Was it because I reported the problem (LOL)?

I'll post further details if I ever come to narrow it down (actually I hadn't posted before because I was hoping to get to a tighter focus).

Comments

• Jun 27, 2022 - 14:24

Are you perhaps switching displays, or changing display resolutions, at any point in this process? MuseScore remembers the last location at which each dialog was opened and tries to reopen at the same location, but this won't work well if that location no longer exists. Even if you didn't explicitly change anything, seems likely that one way or another, this is what is happening - dialog displaying off screen. Try this plugin to reset - https://musescore.org/en/project/reset-dialog-positions

Reply

• Jun 27, 2022 - 17:32

Thank you,

I'm not switching displays. I'm switching virtual desktops and sometimes resizing the MuseScore window, but I've just done both things intensively and the problem does not occurr.

I've installed the plugin (thank you again). I didn't wait for the problem to occur, I launched the plugin, which caused a crash (I've tried various times).

This is the console output (I launch the plugin right away after startup):

/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libjack.so.0
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libnss3.so
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
rebuildExcerptsMidiMapping: no part in master score is linked with  "Trombone"
qml: Start resetting...
qml:    Debugger
qml:    Drumroll
qml:    EditStaff
qml:    PartEditor
qml:    Instruments
qml:    Mixer
qml:    Pianoroll
qml:    playPanel
qml:    Startcenter
qml:    SynthControl
qml: ...Done
Signal QQmlEngine::quit() emitted, but no receivers connected to handle it.
QMutex: destroying locked mutex

The "Trombone" related lines are caused by an older score I've loaded into MuseScore 3.6.2, in which I didn't make parts for each of the trombones, I made a "sub-score" with all the trombones instead.

After closing that score, here's the console output, MuseScore startup and plugin launched right away:

/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libjack.so.0
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libnss3.so
qml: Start resetting...
qml:    Debugger
qml:    Drumroll
qml:    EditStaff
qml:    PartEditor
qml:    Instruments
qml:    Mixer
qml:    Pianoroll
qml:    playPanel
qml:    Startcenter
qml:    SynthControl
qml: ...Done
Signal QQmlEngine::quit() emitted, but no receivers connected to handle it.
QMutex: destroying locked mutex

Reply

• Jun 27, 2022 - 18:05

Well, again the problem occurred, it actually also affect the file open dialogue.
I spent some time again trying to move windows, switch desktops, I closed all scores, I couldn't manage any workaround other than the ones I've mentioned. I finally launched the plugin, which caused the crash.

Reply

• Jun 27, 2022 - 18:10

Sorry I can't help with the crash; I haven't experienced that. But also, looks from the messages like maybe the save dialogs aren't part of that anyhow.

Does your window manager provide a way to move dialogs using keyboard only? If so, maybe you can move the dialog back into view manually.

Reply

• Jun 27, 2022 - 19:53

The dialogue doesn't seem to have been instantiated: the "Super" or "Win" button on this desktop manager temporarily shows all windows entirely relocated within the display area and "floating" one aside another, so I can easily choose any one, and I've repeatedly checked all windows on all desktops.

Of course I'll come back if I manage to somehow narrow it down to a precise circumstance or series of events.
In the meantime, there are workarounds.
Thank you!

Reply

• Jun 28, 2022 - 14:10

I recommend asking for help on the Support forum, where many people will see as compared to here. probably it's some system configuration problem since the problem doesn't seem to affect anyone else, but perhaps another Linux user with more sysadmin experience will recognize something about the description and have suggestions.

Reply

• Jun 28, 2022 - 18:18

i've done what I should have done in the first place, launch Musescore from the terminal window and check what appears there when the problem occurs (what I had only done for the plugin crash), here it is:

Gtk-Message: 14:10:54.703: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
Gtk-Message: 14:11:06.575: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
Gtk-Message: 14:11:12.380: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
Gtk-Message: 14:14:13.861: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.

Each of the above lines appeared at one attempt to access the Save As menu item.
Let's try ctrl-o four times as well:

Gtk-Message: 14:15:11.163: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
Gtk-Message: 14:15:31.896: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
Gtk-Message: 14:15:34.229: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
Gtk-Message: 14:15:38.455: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.

Same as before (the only thing which changed from one line to another is the time).

Reply

• Jun 28, 2022 - 18:20

P.S.: Thanks again. I'm a bit in a rush today but I'll definitely look for the Support forum if nothing will have appeared here.

Reply

• Jun 28, 2022 - 20:13

That's great info - sure to be a good clue to someone who is more familiar with this stuff. My uninformed impression is that MuseScore itself doesn't use GTK, so that message probably comes from your window manager, whatever that is. But, you might have luck toggling the ui/application/useNativeDialogs option in Edit / Preferences / Advanced. Worth posting to the forum even if it does work so there can be more discussion about what is actually going on. Be sure to mention which window manager you are using.

Reply

• Jun 29, 2022 - 03:27

Great hint, thanks again!

I've unchecked ui/application/useNativeDialogs and I'll see if the problem occurs again, I would expect it's solved. If not, when logging in I can chose other window managers. This is gnome (I was sure I had mentioned it and I see I didn't, sorry). I'll come back to report.

Reply