SOLVED Task bar in MGA 8 suddenly disappeared. SOLVED

[marchugo]

Hi,

Some days ago I lost the task bar at the lower side of the desktop screen. I tried several things to get it back, but helas.

My system: MGA 8, Plasma, 64 bit. All updates done regularly.

Situation:
- All the icons (programs, documents) on my desktop were still there, and were all working.

- I could start Firefox and Dolphin from the konsole.

- But I coudn't use the start menu, and couldn't use the wifi-network center.

- I could boot into the IceWM. It shows its task bar.

I tried to find the menu for the task bar via systemsettings5 in the konsole, but I do not see any entries to restore the task bar.

Well, in the end I re-reinstalled MGA 8 from a LIVE usb stick (reformatting the / root partition, but leaving Home intact). This did not bring back the task bar.
(after this reinstall, I'm on linux kernel 5.10.16 now).

So, now I'm stuck.

I can do some simple office work under IceWM, but of course I prefer my Plasma environment with task bar.

Has anyone an idea how to revive the task bar?

Complete reinstall, including wiping Home?

I remember seeing an update of X server last week, could that have to do with it, or not?

Regards,

Marc.

[Germ]

Try right click on the desktop > Add Widgets

[morgano]

Comment to tip by Germ: at least if desktop mode is set to folder view, it is *left* click. EDIT: And there you have alternative "Add panel..." /**EDIT

More generally:

One thing to test first in circumstances like this is to create/log in to a new/other user, so fresh default settings. Do the task bar (or other problem) work for that user?

No need to wipe whole home, just rename the file containing the settings before logging into Plasma as your normal user (which file i think you can find by web search) and a new will get created.

Don't forget to update your fresh old system

[doktor5000]

It's difficult to restore certain settings, as those are contained in the plasma desktop or applet settings. For the taskbar you'd need to look in ~/.config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc IIRC and you'd need to go through all the containments and edit manually - that is if you have a version where your taskbar is still contained.
A default one looks something like this: https://github.com/paulondc/kdeNeonDefa ... -appletsrc

[marchugo]

Try right click on the desktop > Add Widgets

@Germ
Thanks, that helped -partially.

I could add items from the widgets list that opened with a right click.

But now I have all seperated items on my desktop for start menu, blue tooth, date, calendar.
And I now have a seperate bar for System Tray, not an integrated bar at the bottom of the desktop screen.
Anyway, I’m getting on my way, so thanks. Will have to do some more searching i guess.

Just have to find out how to integrate a real task bar at the bottom.

Regards from Amsterdam,
Marc.

[morgano]

Can you right or left click desktop and find the alternative "Add panel..." ?

[marchugo]

Comment to tip by Germ: at least if desktop mode is set to folder view, it is *left* click.

More generally:

One thing to test first in circumstances like this is to create/log in to a new/other user, so fresh default settings. Do the task bar (or other problem) work for that user?

No need to wipe whole home, just rename the file containing the settings before logging into Plasma as your normal user (which file i think you can find by web search) and a new will get created.

Don't forget to update your fresh old system

@morgano:
Left click in the desktop screen does not do anything, don’t no why. Right click works, and shows a list of entries to put on the desktop (all as stand alone icons; I couldn’t find an integrated task bar. Will have to do some more searching.

Yes, earlier this week I created a test user in Plasma. That user did not have a task bar either.

A few minutes ago I updated my newly installed Live system with success, some 600 updates were installed fine. Thanks.

The big question remains, why the task bar suddenly disappeared a few days ago.

Marc.

[marchugo]

Can you right or left click desktop and find the alternative "Add panel..." ?

Bingo, that was the right advise!
I chose Add Panel > Default Panel, and this restored the integrated task bar at the bottom of the desktop.

Thanks all for your help.

Marc.

[marchugo]

It's difficult to restore certain settings, as those are contained in the plasma desktop or applet settings. For the taskbar you'd need to look in ~/.config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc IIRC and you'd need to go through all the containments and edit manually - that is if you have a version where your taskbar is still contained.
A default one looks something like this: https://github.com/paulondc/kdeNeonDefa ... -appletsrc

Thanks Doktor, I’ll have to dive into that.

Marc.

[Germ]

Glad you got it sorted!

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