Bug 501750 - With old config data, activity switcher is non-functional until restarting plasmashell
Summary: With old config data, activity switcher is non-functional until restarting pl...
Status: REPORTED
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Activity Switcher sidebar (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.3.3
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-03-19 16:49 UTC by Quentin Guyot
Modified: 2025-08-19 20:21 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


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Description Quentin Guyot 2025-03-19 16:49:28 UTC
SUMMARY
The activities sidebar doesn't allow me to switch activities unless I restart plasmashell (typically I do plasmashell --replace, but there might be a better way.)

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Log into Plasma
2. change activities with the sidebar


OBSERVED RESULT
Nothing changes.

EXPECTED RESULT
Plasma goes to the selected activity

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS

Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.3
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.12.0
Qt Version: 6.8.2


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
I can use KRunner to change activities before restarting plasmashell, but not always. sometimes, KRunner will simply refuse to display the activity I'm searching.
Comment 1 TraceyC 2025-03-20 00:02:08 UTC
I'm not able to reproduce this on git-master or Plasma 6.3.3

Set the right side of the screen to show the Activity Manager
STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Log into Plasma after a restart
2. Show the Activity Manager, click on a different Activity

Result: When I click on any of the Activities, the desktop switches to that activity.

Does this happen with a brand new user?
Comment 2 Quentin Guyot 2025-03-20 08:04:03 UTC
A new user works fine.

My setup is quite old (I had the same bug with Plasma 5, ~2 years ago), 
so maybe there are things in the various configuration files that aren't 
used any more, but I don't know where to start looking.


Le 20/03/2025 à 01:02, TraceyC a écrit :
> https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501750
>
> TraceyC <kdedev@tlcnet.info> changed:
>
>             What    |Removed                     |Added
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>                   CC|                            |kdedev@tlcnet.info
>               Status|REPORTED                    |NEEDSINFO
>           Resolution|---                         |WAITINGFORINFO
>
> --- Comment #1 from TraceyC <kdedev@tlcnet.info> ---
> I'm not able to reproduce this on git-master or Plasma 6.3.3
>
> Set the right side of the screen to show the Activity Manager
> STEPS TO REPRODUCE
> 1. Log into Plasma after a restart
> 2. Show the Activity Manager, click on a different Activity
>
> Result: When I click on any of the Activities, the desktop switches to that
> activity.
>
> Does this happen with a brand new user?
>
> --
> You are receiving this mail because:
> You reported the bug.
Comment 3 TraceyC 2025-03-20 17:08:56 UTC
From what I see, you can try renaming this file:

~/.config/kactivitymanagerd-switcher

And then logging out and logging back in. Does that help?
Comment 4 Quentin Guyot 2025-03-20 22:09:28 UTC
Logging in and out wouldn't help determine if a change would work. Your 
latest comment reminded me of my old way to solve it, years ago, which 
was logging out then in again.

I tried your suggestion followed by a reboot. It didn't help.

Le 20/03/2025 à 18:08, TraceyC a écrit :
> https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501750
>
> --- Comment #3 from TraceyC <kdedev@tlcnet.info> ---
>  From what I see, you can try renaming this file:
>
> ~/.config/kactivitymanagerd-switcher
>
> And then logging out and logging back in. Does that help?
>
> --
> You are receiving this mail because:
> You reported the bug.
Comment 5 Bug Janitor Service 2025-04-04 03:46:39 UTC
🐛🧹 ⚠️ This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least 15 days. Please provide the requested information, then set the bug status to REPORTED. If there is no change for at least 30 days, it will be automatically closed as RESOLVED WORKSFORME.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures, please read https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 6 Quentin Guyot 2025-04-06 15:37:27 UTC
Apparently this needs info.

1. I tried the suggestion. It changed nothing (as I already mentioned in another comment).

2. Here's a maybe more thorough description:
-When i boot on my system (I auto login with SDDM if that helps), I can't switch activities using the activity switcher.
-Sometimes I can switch activities with KRunner, sometimes not (I haven't found the pattern yet.)
-If I want to be able to switch or manage activities with the sidebar, I need to restart Plasmashell. I used to log out then back in in order to do that for a while, until I realized I could just restart plasma with plasmashell --replace (which is what I've been doing for a while.)

That's all that comes to mind. If you need more, ask and I'll answer.