gdk-pixbuf-query-loaders segfaults

[Chopstick]

Hi Folks,
I'm not sure where to post this question. When I run gdk-pixbuf-query-loaders, is always crashes with a segmentation fault. The way I noticed this was when I tried to launch the Unison GUI and got this error:

Uncaught exception Gdk.Error("Gdk.Pixmap.create_from_xpm_data")

I googled it and found the suggestions to run

gdk-pixbuf-query-loaders  --update-cache

to rebuild the image cache. And when I tried this, I got the segfault. It seems to me that an application should not segfault like this, and this may be an indication that the image cache was not properly built in the first place, causing Unison to crash.

I have also noticed that other applications, in particular Firefox, do not show proper icons, but instead just show a red "x". This has been the case for a long time now (maybe 2 years), but I never had time to look into it (and it does not affect the function). Now I am wondering if this icon problem is related to the same gdk-pixbuf problem.

I tried reinstalling libgdk-pixbuf but to no avail. I also tried building it from source, but the installation fails at the make install step:

make install-data-hook
make[5]: Entering directory '/home/me/Downloads/gdk-pixbuf-2.32.2/gdk-pixbuf'
/bin/bash: line 10: 6637 Segmentation fault (core dumped) ../gdk-pixbuf/gdk-pixbuf-query-loaders > /usr/lib/gdk-pixbuf-2.0/2.10.0/loaders.cache
Makefile:2747: recipe for target 'install-data-hook' failed

I'm running kubuntu 16.04, but I recently upgraded from 14.04. On 14.04 I also had the problem with the icons in FF and the crash of the Unison GUI, but never investigated it.

Does anyone have an idea how to solve this issue? Am I right in assuming that the icon problem in FF may be related to the problem with gdk-pixbuf?

Thanks!

[Snowhog]

Missing icons, either blank spaces where they should be or a box with a x in it, usually is caused by a Desktop and/or Icon Theme that isn't one of the provided for defaults of the installed OS; one that you got else where and installed. What themes are you using? Have you tried switching them to one of the provided for defaults?

[Chopstick]

This was also my first thought when I noticed the missing icons. I did try different themes before, but it had no effect on the missing items.
I'm currently using the Breeze theme and on 14.04 I used the Air theme. Both are standard; I did not install any extra themes.

[Snowhog]

Okay, then the other likely possibility is that the application in question is expecting an icon that isn't part of those that come with the installed theme(s) or it (the application) is referring to an icon that does exist but it (the application) has it named differently.

[Worzel]

I'm running kubuntu 16.04, but I recently upgraded from 14.04. On 14.04 I also had the problem with the icons in FF and the crash of the Unison GUI, but never investigated it.

As I understand it the recommendation from Kubuntu is that 16.04 should be a clean install, not upgrade, as there were so many changes.

Possibly some of your problems may be resolved by a clean install.

[Chopstick]

@Snowhog: So, you don't think the FF icon problem may be related to the gdk-pixbuf-query-loaders problem?

@Worzel: I don't think a clean install will fix this, because I am pretty sure I already had both problems when I was running 14.04. I did not investigate the Unison error at the time, but I already had this problem with the Unison GUI.