Zorin 15 - No Systray for some Apps

Hi everybody,

by testing zorin15 BETA (core) i remarked that some of my apps which are definitely able to have systray icons when running in background are not shown in systray allthough they are started.

Example -> VeraCrypt
Usually when a device is mounted veracrypt won't exit while observing the mount of a crypted device.

In my case if i close the veracrypt window it's running in the background but still no icon to show up the window of veracrypt.
When klicking veracrypt out of the startmenue a hint of the system is coming up that veracrypt has allready been started.

Another app that same problem is concerned is riot-web a messenger app for matrix network. with riot-web it's the same, but i put the starter to autostart. So riot-web is running when system starts. I can't see the systray icon -> but when a first message after system start is received the icon appears in systray. For the rest of that zorin session it will resist as expected! Also when closing riot-web window by X -> the icon stay

Could be something wrong with the window manager / theme (using default theme of zorin15)

For completition:
Other apps like keepassxc, nextcloud-client are starting up and have a systray icon. So mustn't be a general problem of the system ....

Is vera-crypt and riot web available using Synaptic Package Manager? If these are third party Linux variants other than official Ubuntu repositories then that might be your answer!

Not sure what this means?

If a software is not installed via synaptic package manager (official repos) then it is not possible to have systray functionality?

But Nextcloud Client is a non ubuntu repo candidate too and it's working.

riot-web isn't a official candidate and it's working when the first message after booting zorin is received (so inconsequent available / not available)

VeraCrypt is installed via *.deb through software installation manager ...
(and the systray worked under 12.4 without problems)
-> what changed in zorin15?

synaptic isn't installed by default under zorin15 either...

Hi, It could be due to changes in Ubuntu 18.04 - for example to get nice Conky showing on desktop 'realpath' has been scrubbed from Ubuntu repositories. So basically whatever happens at Ubuntu end will have an indirect knockon to Zorin - that will be a combination of Software compatibility and potentially new kernels. And yes Synaptic is not included which is why I have repeated the advice in the unofficial manual for Zorin 15 Beta.

But VeraCrypt is a basic in my opinion. Should anyway be part of every distribution in that hard times of NSA Spy and what ever ...

OK - i'm pretty sure that veracrypt systray should work under ubuntu 18.04 >>

And it can't declare why my riot-web is running well in the background and has a valid systray until one time a message is received.
When something is switched/changed basically between 16.04 (zorin12) and 18.04 (zorin15) then it must have consequently behaviour

Sometimes work / sometimes not couldn't be in fact of the changes between the ubuntu releases ...

What happend different when installing *.deb packages by synaptic instead of terminal or grafical zorin software installer?

chrissi55 wrote:But VeraCrypt is a basic in my opinion. Should anyway be part of every distribution in that hard times of NSA Spy and what ever ...

OK - i'm pretty sure that veracrypt systray should work under ubuntu 18.04 >>

And it can't declare why my riot-web is running well in the background and has a valid systray until one time a message is received.
When something is switched/changed basically between 16.04 (zorin12) and 18.04 (zorin15) then it must have consequently behaviour

Sometimes work / sometimes not couldn't be in fact of the changes between the ubuntu releases ...

What happend different when installing *.deb packages by synaptic instead of terminal or grafical zorin software installer?

If installing *.deb installer not present in Synaptic or Software channel I would recommend gdebi as that will list any missing dependencies prior to install.
[Also mentioned in the Unofficial Manual for both 12 and 15]

So i switched riot-web to an install from the official software shop coming along with zorinos 15 ultimate.

It is 1.2.0 (not the latest 1.2.1) at the moment but what is more interesting - a systray icon is not coming up on startup as well.

So by receiving the first message after launch i see my systray icon imediately. So if that is not working, than it don't make any difference from which source i install software.

For VeraCrypt i can't find any software in the shop. So i must take the source from veracrypt website.

I remarked that my nextcloud client had also problems to start to tray as long i used the nvidia 430 driver that has been default in zorinos 15 ultimate.
I switched back to nouveau and nextcloud-client is happy again.
Hoped that this did the trick for other apps like riot-web or vc too but nope ...

So what config is responsible for starting the tray?

I'll PM Team Zorin to see if they can shed any light.

Thanks for support!

Update**
If i get an unread message in riot-web the Systray icon appears - so far.
Now if i let minimum one unread message (no tag for read-message) and reboot the systray icon appears directly after relaunch of zorinos!!

So the appearance of the systray seems to have something to do with notifications about this app.

Usually the systray must be shown at startup without any unread message in cache too but in this case ....

So if further information is needed by zorin team - let me know

Visiting relatives, WILL.PM when home. Your last message gave me an idea. Go to settings | Privacy and turn off Notifications. Keep us posted.

Well, i did some more investigantions about the main problem.

GNOME 3.2x is one of the perpetrator!!

as seen here
-> https://askubuntu.com/questions/1056226 ... ll-showing
and here
-> https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2402396

What i did first was to find out gnome-shell version by command
$ gnome-shell --version
-> 3.30.2
(as seen here too: https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=zorin)

So i did the following
$ sudo apt-get install libappindicator-dev
$ sudo cpan -i Gtk2::AppIndicator

After that Alt + F2
"r" ENTER
Restart Gnome Shell

After relaunching System completely i had a little success with VeraCrypt!
Now with Background Task "enabled" i have a VC SysTray again and it resists in case of mounted decrypted devices / volumes as long as session endures. perfect!

Nextcloud is coming up too.

With riot-web it seems to be little different. As before i get a working SysTray when first notification is received. Makes no difference to disable / enable Notifications for riot in my personal preferences.
What i'm not able to figure out is, why gnome-shell-extension "Sys Tray" is not working as expected?

When trying to install other extensions like this one
-> https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1031/topicons/
(advice from here: https://www.maketecheasier.com/restore- ... ome-shell/)

i can't see the extension unter gnome-tweak tool. Allthough i unzipped the whole package into ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions

Zorin developers - you are questioned!

Any news from the team?

No not yet - I've also PM'd them about Zorin Connect not working correctly. Suspect they are trying to get Lite and Education out!

Swarfendor437 wrote:No not yet - I've also PM'd them about Zorin Connect not working correctly. Suspect they are trying to get Lite and Education out!

Understaffed, overworked... and I PM'ed as well, cussing them out in true mean fashion, what with the horns, the fangs and the growls, too.

Which colors me red-faced since 20 minutes after I did so, I figured out the solution to the problem I was having: Assigned Root Privileges to the program I was trying to run over-rode their "Prefer Zorin Scheme" set up.

In the meantime, we bunch can keep looking for solutions, too. Which reminds me... I need to update a different thread.

So, i haven't been idle meanwhile and made more investigations about the prob.

I followed the instruction as seen in the attached pic and solved the tray indication for nextcloud-app, keepassxc and veracrypt.

At the moment riot.im is my resisting problem. And as before (with solution above) i get the icon beyond first message ...

Hope that one of the zorinors will read this info to reproduce what is happening ...

And i deleted the Tray Icon gnome-shell-extension causing more problems than solving them!!

@Zorin Admin Team

I'm one of the paid users with zorin 15 ultimate - and for now until 23. June no answer?!

Not that kind of support that is needed to get this project to become accepted!!

So, for now others did your job. The riot-web team has done a very good job to solve the tray prob.

Hope that you'll do a better support in the future

And although you are so proud about the release of Zorin 15 i have to attest that the 15 isn't as stable as the 12.4 has been for month!!
I'm not convinced nor satisfied.

Hi chrissi55,

I too have not been enamoured with 15 but that hasn't been down to Zorin it is to projects outside of Zorin's control, Gnome for one, with Nautilus now being hooked with zeitgeist, but there are alternative options. Another element outside of the control of the Zorin team is the GnomeShell extensions project providers - if they don't keep up to date with new shell releases, those extensions may not work. And I certainly don't trust Microsoft with the future of GNU/Linux now that they have taken over GitHub - noticed that in Skype it now offers the option to sign in with a Git Hub account so M$ is also trying to dominate all areas in much the same way Google has dominated. As Aravisian pointed out, they are only 2 people and there have been lots of changes recently - updates to ZorinOS base don't happen by themselves. I do feel that they might have had a more stable release if they had used Debian instead of Ubuntu based on my experiences with FerenOS and Makulu Lindoz 15 or even SparkyLinux 5.7.1. I'm not going to make excuses for the Zorin Team - I will PM them again and ask for their assistance.

Thanks for reply - in this Forum it seems as if you were one of the few exceptions who cares about support, Swarfendor, that's what i'm talking about.
A thank! to you and a reminder towards zorin-team.

Although there maybe only two enthusiastic persons who are working at zorinos - if you raise the price from 19,- € (z12) to 39,- € (z15) and on the other hand you make a sophisticated secret about needed answers / support-replies than you may reckon that premium users become displeased about the product.

And although "some" of the problems maybe rooted outside the project - inside the project the maintainers are responsible for their choice of implemented tools / features / etc.

As an example i said that the riot team makes the job! So there has been a solution but i can't remark any strength of the zorin team to do so also.
I'm pretty sure that some of the problems has to do with gnome / gnome-shell and not with apps itself like riot, nextcloud etc. - but never the less they care!
I know that finding solutions is often a hard job - but if you gain money for your work, than it should be a well-made, or not?

I agree to some extent. I think the problem has been forking Ubuntu - I don't know if Debian would have been easier. I am also aware that they have been 'fire-fighting' Zorin connect and I can't remember if it is the firefox add-on or the android app that was only updated yesterday - I still can't get that to work. On the beta it worked fine and picked up my phone - it picks up my phone still but then doesn't work (OnePlus 3T) and I am looking at changing the OS on that to E to experience pure Android minus the Google. I'm not making excuses but Artyom seems to be fielding most of my forum queries when the responsibility of the forum initially was assigned to Kyril. As I understand it the team initially comprised of the Brothers Zorin and later with 2 full-time devs - I don't know the current situation but there have been numerous issues with Ubuntu 18.04 (outside Zorin Control), Gnome Shell incremental updates (outside Zorin Control) third party apps like the ones you are using (outside Zorin control). I don't participate on any social platform apart from forums, that's my choice. The apps you are using I have never heard of nor know what they are - I'm too busy (on my own) fielding stuff that is sometimes beyond my meagre knowledge - don't lose faith - keep plodding on like me.

Thank you for reporting this issue. Our sincerest apologies for the late response.
After installing the latest updates from the Software Updater, we have tested installing riot-web (as a Snap from the Software store) and can confirm that its tray indicator appears as soon as the app opens.

The issue might be related to the active extensions or settings on your desktop. If you have installed third-party Gnome Shell Extensions and Gnome Tweaks, please open Gnome Tweaks and disable all extensions relating to tray icons except for the following extension: "Zorin kstatusnotifieritem/appindicator support". Afterwards, please re-login (to refresh the desktop) in order to fully apply the changes.
If the issue still persists, could you please let us know what changes you have made to the desktop since installing Zorin OS (eg. third-party Gnome Shell extensions, desktop settings changed)? This would help us to troubleshoot the issue and find a fix for you.

For future reference, please note that we officially provide the Zorin Installation Support service (bundled with the Ultimate edition) from the contact form on this page: https://zorinos.com/help/zorin-installation-support/
We (the developers) more actively keep track of the support queries coming in through the Zorin Installation Support contact form for providing help to Ultimate customers.

OK as I posted in https://zoringroup.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14498&start=10#p64558

I uninstalled zorin-tray-icons gnome-shell extension and installed the kstatusnotifieritem!

And it worked for nextcloud, veracrypt, riot-web (now in version 1.3.0) so on

I understand that you might prefer using "Zorin Installation Support contact form for providing help to Ultimate customers" BUT solving problems in the forum helps substantially others with the same probs to reproduce and to solve without pushing same question via Support Portal again and again.

That why i prefer open information like forums

When i'm right "tray icon" shell extension has been enabled by default in zorin15 ultimate? So maybe it is a good idea to make a bulletin for all -> uninstall tray icon extension and install kstatus.....
or better having a new image of zorin15 ultimate that includes these changes by default

chrissi55 wrote:OK as I posted in https://zoringroup.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14498&start=10#p64558

I uninstalled zorin-tray-icons gnome-shell extension and installed the kstatusnotifieritem!

And it worked for nextcloud, veracrypt, riot-web (now in version 1.3.0) so on

I understand that you might prefer using "Zorin Installation Support contact form for providing help to Ultimate customers" BUT solving problems in the forum helps substantially others with the same probs to reproduce and to solve without pushing same question via Support Portal again and again.

That why i prefer open information like forums

When i'm right "tray icon" shell extension has been enabled by default in zorin15 ultimate? So maybe it is a good idea to make a bulletin for all -> uninstall tray icon extension and install kstatus.....
or better having a new image of zorin15 ultimate that includes these changes by default

Chrissi55, I agree about the helpfulness of Public Statements and sharing solutions.
However...

I must point out that you can hardly complain about AZorin not replying to you if you are saying you did not actually contact him directly.

The Contact Form for the users of Ultimate is like the Red Telephone. Given that one, maybe two people, are currently sifting through all of those forms, it cannot be expected of them to go actively looking on the forum they entrusted to moderators for more requests.
The forum is a Huge Benefit to all, including the Zorins, and I admit it could stand to have more Moderators to help field questions (Any volunteers?)
The forum can help lighten the load for the Zorins as they work toward expanding their team and considering important bug fixes and specific O.S. related issues.
For me,it helps to observe other problems I have not yet had, as I can then prevent them, but I also have the chance to learn more about how the system operates and practice my [GNU/]linuxing.

[No GNU = No Linux ]

AZorin wrote:.....
The issue might be related to the active extensions or settings on your desktop. If you have installed third-party Gnome Shell Extensions and Gnome Tweaks, please open Gnome Tweaks and disable all extensions relating to tray icons except for the following extension: "Zorin kstatusnotifieritem/appindicator support". Afterwards, please re-login (to refresh the desktop) in order to fully apply the changes.
If the issue still persists, could you please let us know what changes you have made to the desktop since installing Zorin OS (eg. third-party Gnome Shell extensions, desktop settings changed)? This would help us to troubleshoot the issue and find a fix for you.

.....

I should mention that this does not work for me.
I installed "Zorin kstatusnotifieritem/appindicator support" as advised above and disabled "Kstatusnotifieritem/appindicator support" and all other tray gnome shell extensions.
Afterwards i rebooted and missed all my tray icons again.

So i did the opposite: re-installed the "Kstatusnotifieritem/appindicator support" and disbaled the "Zorin kstatusnotifieritem/appindicator support" and rebooted twice.
PLOP -> all my "tray - Homies where back in town"

So maybe there is something special with "Zorin kstatusnotifieritem/appindicator support" - can't figure out what it is.

It feels like a similar issue when AWN was around - the tray would always stick at White - the only 'solution' for me was to use alternative system notifications which then would not work after Zorin 6 if memory serves me correctly (system-incator-3 being the culprit).