Re: [gentoo-user] Web browsers crash when trying to print.

[Dale]

Mick wrote:
> On Saturday, 15 February 2020 04:54:21 GMT Dale wrote:
>> Howdy,
>>
>> I first discovered this with Seamonkey.  I then tested this with Firefox
>> and got the same results.  When I go to File and select Print, the print
>> dialog window pops up for just a second and then the web browser
>> crashes.  Both seem to use the same print software.  I tried a different
>> version of Seamonkey but it does the same.  I also tested a fresh
>> profile of Seamonkey as well, Firefox also.  I don't print from Firefox
>> much.  Also, if I select Print Preview from the menu, it opens normally
>> but as soon as I click print, crash.
>>
>> I then tried a newer unstable version of cups just in case it would
>> help.  After that, I opened Kwrite and tried to print.  Its print dialog
>> opened and waited for me to hit print.  LOo did the same.  However, both
>> of those use a different software or at least they look very different
>> to print with.
>>
>> Usually going back a version or up a version fixes things like this.
>> Given that this didn't work in this case, I'm not sure where to go.  Two
>> versions of Seamonkey and Firefox both crash.  A newer version of cups
>> and it still crashes.  I did a search on BGO and didn't find anything
>> except for a fixed version of Chrome which I don't have on here.  I
>> suspect it uses different software to print anyway.  So no help there.
>> Forums had a thread that was from 2010.  It mentioned a USE flag which
>> cups doesn't even have anymore.  No solution on the forums.
>>
>> One other thing that may or may not be related.  I did a emerge -e world
>> a week or so ago.  Before that, I could print fine.  The reason I did
>> that was because I switched to a new gcc and I just wanted to be sure
>> everything was stable.  I went from gcc-8 to gcc-9.  It may not have
>> been needed but it was cold here and I didn't mind the extra heat.
>> Plus, it sometimes fixes other quirks I may not even see.  Here is the
>> info for Seamonkey, Firefox and cups.
>>
>>
>> root@fireball / # emerge -p seamonkey firefox cups
>>
>> These are the packages that would be merged, in order:
>>
>> Calculating dependencies... done!
>> [ebuild   R   #] www-client/seamonkey-2.49.9.1_p0::gentoo
>> USE="chatzilla dbus force-gtk3 gmp-autoupdate ipc jemalloc roaming
>> startup-notification system-harfbuzz system-icu system-jpeg
>> system-libevent system-libvpx system-sqlite -calendar -crypt
>> -custom-cflags -custom-optimization -debug -jack -minimal (-neon)
>> -pulseaudio (-selinux) (-system-cairo) -test -wifi"
>> [ebuild   R   ~] www-client/firefox-72.0.2::gentoo  USE="gmp-autoupdate
>> screenshot startup-notification system-av1 system-icu system-jpeg
>> system-libevent system-sqlite system-webp -bindist -clang -custom-cflags
>> -custom-optimization -debug -eme-free -geckodriver -hardened -hwaccel
>> -jack -lto -pgo -pulseaudio (-selinux) -system-libvpx -test -wayland
>> -wifi" CPU_FLAGS_X86="-avx2"
>> [ebuild   R   ~] net-print/cups-2.3.1::gentoo  USE="X dbus pam ssl
>> threads zeroconf -acl -debug -kerberos -lprng-compat (-selinux)
>> -static-libs -systemd -usb -xinetd" ABI_X86="32 (64) (-x32)" 0 KiB
>>
>> Total: 3 packages (3 reinstalls), Size of downloads: 0 KiB
>> root@fireball / #
>>
>>
>> I try to set the safest USE flags I can.  I usually follow things I've
>> read on this list.  If someone thinks changing one will help, I'm
>> willing to test it.  I can always use my test profile that is blank
>> anyway.  That way there will be no data loss even in a worst case
>> scenario.
>>
>> This is the gcc-config -l output.
>>
>>
>> root@fireball / # gcc-config -l
>>  [1] x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-8.3.0
>>  [2] x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-9.2.0 *
>> root@fireball / #
>>
>>
>> If needed, I could also revert back to gcc-8.  It takes a while but it
>> is doable as a last resort.
>>
>> I'm not sure if the printing is done within Seamonkey itself or if
>> Seamonkey and Firefox use some common external print software.  I'd
>> think the later since both behave the same way.  I'm just not sure.
>>
>> Any ideas or thoughts??
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Dale
>>
>> :-)  :-)
> I don't have seamonkey to know what it uses, but if it is sharing much with
> the code base of Firefox, then it is probably using GDBus to communicate with
> CUPS to print.
>
> The GUI menu is probably using the Gtk3 widget kit by default, to draw buttons
> and what not.
>
> For a better idea launch seamonkey/firefox using a terminal and see what it
> reports when you try to print.
>


Good catch.  I forgot that Mozilla stuff uses gtk.  This is what is in
the tree.


root@fireball / # equery list -p x11-libs/gtk+ x11-libs/gtk+
 * Searching for gtk+ in x11-libs ...
[IP-] [  ] x11-libs/gtk+-2.24.32-r1:2
[-P-] [  ] x11-libs/gtk+-3.24.10:3
[-P-] [  ] x11-libs/gtk+-3.24.11:3
[IP-] [  ] x11-libs/gtk+-3.24.13:3
root@fireball / #

Since there is only one version for gtk-2, I went back a version on
gtk-3, minor 11.  Now I can print.  Now to mask a buggy version of gtk-3. 

One reason it was important to print, we have had floods here in my
area, again this year.  It doesn't affect me but it does my neighbors. 
Anyway, I need to print the river data before it goes away.  The best
way to do that is to print it to a file.  Thing is, I only get about 36
to 48 hours to do that.  Now I got what I need. 

Thanks much.  This helped not only me but some others as well, including
some people I don't even know the names of myself. 

Dale

:-)  :-)