i3-dmenu-launcher breaks on some desktop applications

[hyunlee1o]

I'm submitting a…

[x] Bug
[ ] Feature Request
[ ] Documentation Request
[ ] Other (Please describe in detail)

Current Behavior

When i launch Discord through dmenu through i3-dmenu-desktop it breaks the launch of discord.
Command: i3-dmenu-desktop --dmenu 'rofi -modi window#drun#run#ssh -show drun -sidebar-mode'

i3-dmenu-desktop log

File /usr/share/applications/qemu.desktop is broken: it contains Type=Application, but no Exec key/value pair. at /usr/local/bin/i3-dmenu-desktop line 256.
File /usr/share/applications/org.freedesktop.Xwayland.desktop is broken: it contains Type=Application, but no Exec key/value pair. at /usr/local/bin/i3-dmenu-desktop line 256.
[{"success":true}]
Uncaught exception:
 Error: write EPIPE
    at afterWriteDispatched (node:internal/stream_base_commons:160:15)
    at writeGeneric (node:internal/stream_base_commons:151:3)
    at Socket._writeGeneric (node:net:874:11)
    at Socket._write (node:net:886:8)
    at writeOrBuffer (node:internal/streams/writable:391:12)
    at _write (node:internal/streams/writable:332:10)
    at Writable.write (node:internal/streams/writable:336:10)
    at console.value (node:internal/console/constructor:299:16)
    at console.log (node:internal/console/constructor:376:26)
    at console.log (/usr/share/discord/resources/app.asar/node_modules/@sentry/utils/cjs/instrument.js:124:20)

Expected Behavior

When i run rofi -modi window#drun#run#ssh -show drun -sidebar-mode it works as expected.
Discord launches without issue.

Reproduction Instructions

1. Install discord for linux
2. Install rofi
3. Run i3-dmenu-desktop --dmenu 'rofi -modi drun -show drun'
4. Type discord and press enter

Environment

Output of i3 --moreversion 2>&-:

Binary i3 version:  4.23-7-g69f68dcd © 2009 Michael Stapelberg and contributors
Running i3 version: 4.23-7-g69f68dcd (pid 4874)
Loaded i3 config:
  /home/user/.i3/config (main) (last modified: lun 27 nov 2023 03:08:30, 1801173 seconds ago)

The i3 binary you just called: /usr/local/bin/i3
The i3 binary you are running: i3-with-al/bin/i3

Config file

# This file has been auto-generated by i3-config-wizard(1).
# It will not be overwritten, so edit it as you like.
#
# Should you change your keyboard layout some time, delete
# this file and re-run i3-config-wizard(1).
#
i3 config file (v4)

Please see http://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html for a complete reference!
set $mod Mod4
Font for window titles. Will also be used by the bar unless a different font
is used in the bar {} block below.
This font is widely installed, provides lots of unicode glyphs, right-to-left
text rendering and scalability on retina/hidpi displays (thanks to pango).
font pango:monospace 11
Before i3 v4.8, we used to recommend this one as the default:
font -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-C-70-iso10646-1
The font above is very space-efficient, that is, it looks good, sharp and
clear in small sizes. However, its unicode glyph coverage is limited, the old
X core fonts rendering does not support right-to-left and this being a bitmap
font, it doesn’t scale on retina/hidpi displays.
Use Mouse+$mod to drag floating windows to their wanted position
exec setxkbmap -option ctrl:swapcaps     # Swap Left Control and Caps Lock
popup_during_fullscreen smart

workspace_auto_back_and_forth no

workspace_layout tabbed

hide_edge_borders smart
for_window [title="qmmp*"] move workspace m
set $right_monitor HDMI-A-0

set $left_monitor HDMI-A-1

set $music_player "Clementine"
workspace m   output  $left_monitor #right

workspace p   output  $right_monitor #right

workspace w   output  $left_monitor #right

workspace ed  output  $right_monitor  #left

workspace tg  output  $left_monitor  #right

workspace t   output  $left_monitor  #right

workspace gc  output  $right_monitor  #right

workspace g  output  $right_monitor  #right
use xprop
assign [class="(?i)firefox$"] → p

assign [title="Firefox"] → p

assign [class="(?i)google-chrome*"] → gc

assign [class="^Emacs$"] → ed

assign [class="^Telegram$"] → tg

assign [class="^Clementine$"] → m

assign [class="^(?i)steam$"] → g

assign [class="^Lutris$"] → g

assign [class="TelegramDesktop"] → tg
exec --no-startup-id redshift

exec --no-startup-id qbittorrent

exec --no-startup-id udiskie -tn #sudo apt install udiskie

exec --no-startup-id flameshot #sudo apt install flameshot
exec --no-startup-id workrave #sudo apt install workrave
exec --no-startup-id indicator-sound-switcher # pip install indicator-sound-switcher
exec --no-startup-id mate-volume-control-status-icon
exec --no-startup-id clementine # sudo apt install clementine

exec --no-startup-id nicotine # sudo apt install nicotine

exec --no-startup-id nm-applet # sudo apt install network-manager-gnome

exec --no-startup-id nmcli radio wifi on # fix bad wifi
exec --no-startup-id i3-msg 'workspace 2; $music_player'
#exec --no-startup-id i3-msg 'workspace 3; exec sleep 60; exec steam'

#exec --no-startup-id i3-msg 'workspace 1'

exec --no-startup-id feh --bg-scale ~/Wallpapers/debian-dark-4096x2160.png #sudo apt install feh

exec --no-startup-id autorandr -c 2horizontal #sudo apt install autorandr
Pulse Audio controls
#bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id amixer sset Master 5%+ unmute

#bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id amixer sset Master 5%- unmute
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5% && pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ 0

bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -5% && pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ 0

bindsym XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle # mute sound

bindsym XF86Favorites exec --no-startup-id $music_player
scrot & gimp - root
#bindsym Print exec scrot -e 'mv $f /tmp/ && gimp /tmp/$f'

bindsym Print exec flameshot gui
scrot & gimp - select window or rectangle
#bindsym Mod1+Print exec scrot -s -e 'mv $f /tmp/ && gimp /tmp/$f'
floating_modifier $mod
start a terminal
bindsym $mod+Return exec x-terminal-emulator
kill focused window
bindsym $mod+Shift+q kill

bindsym --release $mod+x exec xkill
start dmenu (a program launcher)
#bindsym $mod+d exec dmenu_run
There also is the (new) i3-dmenu-desktop which only displays applications
shipping a .desktop file. It is a wrapper around dmenu, so you need that
installed.
bindsym $mod+d exec --no-startup-id i3-dmenu-desktop
bindsym $mod+d exec "rofi -modi window,drun,run -show drun -sidebar-mode -terminal termite -color-window '#000000, #000000, #000000' -color-normal '#000000, #b3e774, #000000, #b3e774, #000000' -color-active '#000000, #b3e774, #000000, #b3e774, #000000' -color-urgent '#000000, #b3e774, #000000, #b3e774, #000000'"
bindsym $mod+d exec "i3-dmenu-desktop --dmenu 'rofi -modi window#drun#run#ssh -show drun -sidebar-mode'"
alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:
bindsym $mod+Left focus left

bindsym $mod+Down focus down

bindsym $mod+Up focus up

bindsym $mod+Right focus right
move focused window
bindsym $mod+Shift+j move left

bindsym $mod+Shift+k move down

bindsym $mod+Shift+l move up

bindsym $mod+Shift+ntilde move right
alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:
bindsym $mod+Shift+Left move left

bindsym $mod+Shift+Down move down

bindsym $mod+Shift+Up move up

bindsym $mod+Shift+Right move right
split in horizontal orientation
bindsym $mod+h split h
split in vertical orientation
bindsym $mod+v split v
enter fullscreen mode for the focused container
bindsym $mod+f fullscreen
change container layout (stacked, tabbed, toggle split)
bindsym $mod+s layout stacking

bindsym $mod+w layout tabbed

bindsym $mod+e layout toggle split
toggle tiling / floating
bindsym $mod+Shift+space floating toggle
change focus between tiling / floating windows
bindsym $mod+space focus mode_toggle
focus the parent container
bindsym $mod+a focus parent
focus the child container
#bindsym $mod+d focus child
set $ws1 "1"

set $ws2 "2"

set $ws3 "3"

set $ws4 "4"

set $ws5 "5"

set $ws6 "6"

set $ws7 "7"

set $ws8 "8"

set $ws9 "9"

set $ws10 "10"
switch to workspace
bindsym $mod+1 workspace $ws1

bindsym $mod+2 workspace $ws2

bindsym $mod+3 workspace $ws3

bindsym $mod+4 workspace $ws4

bindsym $mod+5 workspace $ws5

bindsym $mod+6 workspace $ws6

bindsym $mod+7 workspace $ws7

bindsym $mod+8 workspace $ws8

bindsym $mod+9 workspace $ws9

bindsym $mod+0 workspace $ws10

bindsym $mod+apostrophe exec i3-input -F 'workspace %s' -P 'go to workspace: '
move focused container to workspace
bindsym $mod+Shift+1 move container to workspace $ws1

bindsym $mod+Shift+2 move container to workspace $ws2

bindsym $mod+Shift+3 move container to workspace $ws3

bindsym $mod+Shift+4 move container to workspace $ws4

bindsym $mod+Shift+5 move container to workspace $ws5

bindsym $mod+Shift+6 move container to workspace $ws6

bindsym $mod+Shift+7 move container to workspace $ws7

bindsym $mod+Shift+8 move container to workspace $ws8

bindsym $mod+Shift+9 move container to workspace $ws9

bindsym $mod+Shift+0 move container to workspace $ws10

bindsym $mod+Shift+apostrophe exec i3-input -F 'move container to workspace %s' -P 'move to workspace: '
bindsym Control+$mod+Left workspace prev

bindsym Control+$mod+Right workspace next
bindsym $mod+Shift+greater move workspace to output right

bindsym $mod+Shift+less move workspace to output left
bindsym $mod+l exec ~/.i3/fuzzy_lock.sh
bindsym $mod+l exec /Descargas/dotfiles/scripts/rofi-power "/.i3/fuzzy_lock.sh" # sudo apt install scrot
exec xautolock -detectsleep -time 5 -locker ~/.i3/fuzzy_lock.sh -notify 4 -notifier 'xset dpms force off' &
reload the configuration file
bindsym $mod+Shift+c reload
restart i3 inplace (preserves your layout/session, can be used to upgrade i3)
bindsym $mod+Shift+r restart
exit i3 (logs you out of your X session)
bindsym $mod+Shift+e exec "i3-nagbar -t warning -m 'You pressed the exit shortcut. Do you really want to exit i3? This will end your X session.' -b 'Yes, exit i3' 'i3-msg exit'"
Make the currently focused window a scratchpad
bindsym $mod+Shift+minus move scratchpad
Show the first scratchpad window
bindsym $mod+minus scratchpad show
focus_follows_mouse no
resize window (you can also use the mouse for that)
mode "resize" {

# These bindings trigger as soon as you enter the resize mode
# Pressing left will shrink the window’s width.
# Pressing right will grow the window’s width.
# Pressing up will shrink the window’s height.
# Pressing down will grow the window’s height.
bindsym j resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym k resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym l resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym ntilde resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt

# same bindings, but for the arrow keys
bindsym Left resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym Down resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym Up resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym Right resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt

# back to normal: Enter or Escape or Mod1+r
bindsym Return mode "default"
bindsym Escape mode "default"
bindsym Mod1+r mode "default"

}
bindsym $mod+r mode "resize"
Start i3bar to display a workspace bar (plus the system information i3status
finds out, if available)
bar {

status_command i3status

position top

tray_output $left_monitor

}
bar {
font pango:mono 11
status_command i3blocks
position top
mode dock
modifier None
}

Logfile URL: https://logs.i3wm.org/logs/6329955084402688.bz2

- Linux Distribution & Version: Debian GNU/Linux trixie/sid x86_64. Kernel: 6.5.0-5-amd64
- Are you using a compositor (e.g., xcompmgr or compton): No

[vbreder]

Can you go over to /usr/share/applications and find the .desktop file for Discord (probably "discord.desktop") and provide its contents as well? Thank you!

[hyunlee1o]

discord.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Discord
StartupWMClass=discord
Comment=All-in-one voice and text chat for gamers that's free, secure, and works on both your desktop and phone.
GenericName=Internet Messenger
Exec=/usr/share/discord/Discord
Icon=discord
Type=Application
Categories=Network;InstantMessaging;
Path=/usr/bin

[vbreder]

I can repro it.

It appears to me that after removing line Path=/usr/bin from the .desktop file, the command I put in Exec now executes correctly.

I'm not a Perl programmer, so I can't help troubleshoot the script, but I can suggest if you'd like to unblock yourself, using: https://github.com/enkore/j4-dmenu-desktop which is a drop-in replacement.

Although for sure it's also worth fixing the script itself which is shipped with i3.

[Maritims]

I've been looking into this issue and noticed that Discord is in fact launched once the following block is executed. I've been able to reproduce this with Bitwarden aswell which is another Electron-based app.

my ($dmenu_out, $dmenu_in);
my $pid = eval {
    open2($dmenu_out, $dmenu_in, $dmenu_cmd);
} or do {
    print STDERR "$@";
    say STDERR "Running dmenu failed. Is dmenu installed at all? Try running dmenu -v";
    exit 1;
};

It doesn't seem like this supposedly premature execution of the selected application is the intention of the script. I suspect that the combination with rofi -modes drun -show drun could be the cause of this behaviour. The $dmenu_cmd variable contains rofi -dmodes drun -show drun at this point in the script execution.

My theory about why the EPIPE error occurs is that Discord attempts to write something to STDOUT, but is unable to do so due to the inner workings of the open2 function and the $dmenu_out variable not being initialized? I'm not a seasoned perl programmer, so arriving at this conclusion was by process of elimination. Commenting out all code after this block confirmed that Discord is executed once the open2 function is executed, and replacing the $dmenu_out function argument with >&STDOUT, which lets the invoked child process (in this case Discord) write to the parent STDOUT results in Discord starting without the EPIPE error.

What is the pid returned by this eval block expected to represent? And surely the selected application isn't supposed to be executed by anything other than the system function call to i3-msg?