No PackageKit update notifications in XFCE

[StyxD]

In F14, an icon would appear in the notification area when there were updates to be installed, clicking it would bring up the update manager. In F15 there is no such thing. I'm guessing it has to do with some doubtlessly edgy way Gnome 3 is supposed to notify about updates (I don't know, never used it). Is there a way to get the old behavior back?

[CronoCloud]

I think Gnome changed how they did notifications, or something. I'm in the same boat. Sure I can yum update manually, but I miss the notifications.

Ron Rogers Jr (CronoCloud)

[r0man00]

Hello!
I also have, not work update notifications in XFCE. How can I solve this problem? You do not succeed?

[StyxD]

No, I never succeeded. In fact, I removed gnome-packagekit completely and now just manually run yum check-update from time to time. Unless xfce-packagekit frontend is made (there is one for KDE right now), I don't think this is solvable.

[jwmueller]

I just came across this post... while certainly not perfect, I'd created the following script to run in the XFCE4 genmon plugin every x seconds (set it in the genmon properties). I set it to 300 seconds, knowing there may be a lag before it shows OK after I complete running updates. Of course, it assumes the oxygen icons are installed.

cat genmon-yum.sh
#!/bin/bash

updates=$( yum check-update )

if [ $? = 100 ]
then
echo -e "<img>/usr/share/icons/oxygen/22x22/emblems/emblem-important.png</img>"
echo -e "<tool>Updates Available</tool>"
echo -e "<click>gpk-update-viewer</click>"
else
echo -e "<img>/usr/share/icons/oxygen/22x22/actions/dialog-ok.png</img>"
echo -e "<tool>all updates applied</tool>"
echo -e "<click>gpk-update-viewer</click>"
fi

[Cuvou]

I noticed this problem too on Fedora 15 w/ XFCE. I first assumed it was something wrong with my particular install, but I noticed on F16 it still doesn't show update notifications in XFCE. :(

I wish Fedora would show more love to the other desktops instead of pouring all their work into Gnome 3 exclusively.

[cwickert]

I wish Fedora would show more love to the other desktops instead of pouring all their work into Gnome 3 exclusively.
I fully agree, but there is not much we as the Xfce people in Fedora can do because the problem is upstream: Richard is not only the maintainer of gnome-packagekit in Fedora but also the upstream developer. His decision to only support GNOME is a decision of the author of the program, not in his role as the Fedora package maintainer.

What you can do is:
- File bug reports in GNOME's bugzilla
- Write an update tool that is generic and works in all desktop environments.

Regards,
Christoph

[Frankly3D]

I just came across this post... while certainly not perfect, I'd created the following script to run in the XFCE4 genmon plugin every x seconds (set it in the genmon properties). I set it to 300 seconds, knowing there may be a lag before it shows OK after I complete running updates. Of course, it assumes the oxygen icons are installed.


Would you be willing to stick a free licence on your script, in case anyone wants to run with it?

[jwmueller]

I have no problems with anyone using any information I post here.

JW

[antus]

New xfce4 user here.. just updated from F14 to F16, tried to give gnome 3.2 a decent chance, but it was not what I wanted, so I did what the other 4 workmates in the room have done - swap to xfce4. Im pretty happy with it, its dead simple... everything I need (configurable toolbars, and a couple of applets) and nothing more. But I too missed the update notification tool.

So I created /usr/local/bin/genmon-yum.sh then made it executable, then yum install xfce4-genmon, then right click the panel handle -> add new items -> generic monitor. Then rightclick (genmon)XXX on the panel, pick properties, set command to genmon-yum.sh, uncheck label, set period to 10800 (im fine with 3 hourly checks) and it works well! It detected updates, and ran the right tool when clicked. Only downside is that it doesnt refresh autmatically when gpk-update-viewer exists. Still, thats good enough for now.

Thanks JW for the script. Nice and simple, and exactly to the point! IMHO if genmon could be made to autorefresh on application close, it could be packaged as a lightweight xfce4 update viewer, with dependancys on the oxygen icons and xfce4-genmon-plugin.

[jwmueller]

FWIW, you can force a refresh by right-clicking your genmon item, clicking "properties", then "close" (no updates necessary). Just another trick I've discovered.

jw

[survient]

Best plugin ever

[alan_ri]

What about this?

http://en.opensuse.org/index.php?title=File:OpenSUSE_12.1_Xfce_Update_Not ifier.png&filetimestamp=20111104112143

[Frankly3D]

What about this?

http://en.opensuse.org/index.php?title=File:OpenSUSE_12.1_Xfce_Update_Not ifier.png&filetimestamp=20111104112143

What about it.
if you supplied some info it would be helpful.