PCRE2 not supported in Ubuntu 17.10

[alex285]

when in run Tilix
glib.GException.GException@../../.dub/packages/gtk-d-3.5.1/gtk-d/src/glib/GException.d(40): PCRE2 not supported

Ubuntu 17.10
libvte-2.91-0 => 0.48.2

[gnunn1]

That's weird, all of the PCRE2 is supported since VTE 0.46. What does tilix --version show?

Also, what regex were you trying to use, wonder if this is more of a bad regex error that's getting a wrong error number.

[alex285]

Tilix is from master the time i filed the bug. im not trying to run a regex, it doesn't even launch. it happened after an update in Ubuntu which i have no idea which one

[gnunn1]

Do you have any custom hyperlinks?

Also what does tilix --version show?

[alex285]

@gnunn1

Do you have any custom hyperlinks?

no

Also what does tilix --version show?

cant run since it gives me
glib.GException.GException@../../.dub/packages/gtk-d-3.5.1/gtk-d/src/glib/GException.d(40): PCRE2 not supported

findings
i looked a bit into my update history and the relative changes that cause the issues seems to be

libvte-2.91 / libvte-2.91-common from 0.44.2-1ubuntu3 to 0.48.2-0ubuntu2

downgrading vte fixed the issue. note that 0.44 is on Zesty (17.04) and 0.48 is on Artful (17.10)

Tilix version
after the downgrade i can run Tilix again so

Versions
Tilix version: 1.5.6
VTE version: 0.44
GTK Version: 3.22.12

Tilix Special Features
Notifications enabled=0
Triggers enabled=0
Badges enabled=0

[gnunn1]

I'm going to have to fire up a VM to have a look at what's going on. Unfortunately I'm travelling today so it will probably be a couple of days before I can have a look.

[egmontkob]

See https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+bug/1666264 – apparently for 17.10 Artful they rolled back the PCRE changes in VTE.

I've been planning for months to write a bit harsh comment to that bug, just never got around to it. It's pathetic what they're doing.

Breaking Tilix would be another data point...

[egmontkob]

In the mean time I'm wondering... What about the Artful Tilix package, does that work? If so, how? Do they patch Vte-D or Tilix? If not, are they aware of it? ...

[gnunn1]

Thanks for the heads up @egmontkob, I've added a comment to the bug report. Seems like a very poor decision IMHO.

[jbicha]

This does not affect Ubuntu 17.10 Alpha yet because 17.10 only has tilix 1.5.4 but pcre2 support was added to tilix after 1.5.6.

Once Ubuntu gets tilix 1.5.8 or whatever, Ubuntu will just need to patch tilix to tell it that 0.46 isn't high enough for PCRE2.

Ubuntu won't avoid PCRE2 forever, but from Ubuntu's perspective, almost nothing is using PCRE2 yet. (In GNOME, vte/gnome-terminal is using it but not glib.) Thank you for commenting on the LP bug.

[gnunn1]

Thanks for the reply. Isn't selectively reverting commits in VTE going to cause issues though since potentially every VTE based terminal emulator is going to run into this as they upgrade to PCRE2.

Wouldn't it just be cleaner to pin gnome-terminal and vte to the previous version since all of the terminal emulators will check the version number and work OOTB with the older version. Otherwise you are going to be constantly patching apps that use the version check to determine if PCRE2 is supported.

Also, anything in PPAs would have issues. Many people use the web8upd PPA for example which I assume wouldn't be patched by Ubuntu.

Also, doesn't gnome builder 3.24 use the PCRE2 vte functions.

[jbicha]

Ubuntu's gnome-builder has the PCRE2 stuff patched out.

webupd8's PPA would have to grab the Ubuntu patch.

Like I said, Ubuntu won't patch vte like this forever. The real issue isn't 1666264 but 1636666 and the solution to that second bug is for more stuff in main to switch to PCRE2.

[gnunn1]

It still seems weird to go this route. Essentially VTE is reporting a version where it is expected that the PCRE2 functions are available but are not. I'd be concerned this is going to lead to weird issues particularly with any lesser used packages or PPAs.

Is leaving VTE at 0.44 not an option for Ubuntu, seems like a much better solution to me as it eliminates the need to individually patch individual applications.

[jbicha]

@gnunn1 I don't see how this decision will cause you much trouble at all personally. It's a downstream issue and it's up to Ubuntu to make sure Ubuntu's tilix package works.

I felt that it was better to update gnome-terminal with a revert patch than to leave it stuck at 3.20 for a few more Ubuntu releases. Once that revert patch becomes too much to handle or when more stuff in Ubuntu main converts to pcre2, we will reconsider.

[gnunn1]

It affects me in the sense that many people like the OP often build tilix from source to access the latest and greatest. At the end of the day it's your guys call, just offering an opinion on what I feel is a better solution. If it comes up in the future I'll send them to the linked Ubuntu issue.

[alex285]

@gnunn1 aside this issue, since you patch VTE, wouldn't be a good idea for a tilix-vte package? for Arch as well, without replacing original vte package, so Arch could ship it on [extra]?

[f2404]

@alex285 Arch is not even shipping tilix, why would it ship tilix-vte?

[alex285]

@f2404 ouch! i didnt know Tilix wasn't in [extra] because i always have it from source, but point remains, that Tilix needs a patched VTE to enable all the features, both in Ubuntu and Arch, and im not sure if all features are enabled on Fedora, so it makes sense to have a vte-tilix package, rather using upstream VTE or replacing upstream VTE (in case of AUR)

besides what if/when Tilix gets on [extra]?

[f2404]

@alex285 In fact, @dsboger is already providing some patched vte packages via AUR: one, two
I guess those may be adopted to Arch [extra] repo along with tilix itself if (when) they decide to take it.

[gnunn1]

@alex285 I don't do packaging but having said that I don't think my patches should really be in extra or a mainline repository. It's really more appropriate for AUR or PPA due to their experimental nature.

[gnunn1]

I'm closing this since IMHo it's an Ubuntu issue and up to them to deal with it.

[alex285]

@gnunn1 why not leave it open for people that will have the same issue? it is upstream, but it is still a bug that affects Tilix, in the most popular distro

perhaps just add "Ubuntu something" in the title?

[gnunn1]

@alex285 github's issue management isn't great and I don't like to leave a bunch of issues open that are out of my control, hence I close them. If you want, feel free to add a FAQ item to the tilix website for this issue as that is the best location for it.

[alex285]

@gnunn1 i added an item as you suggested on FAQ
hope i did it right! but back to the original issue, whats the recommended workaround on this?

@jbicha please opinion?

[egmontkob]

IMO wipe out artful's braindamagedly patched vte and install a mainstream one :)

[f2404]

@alex285 Use Arch ;)

[alex285]

@egmontkob which is why i asked @jbicha if there will be a PPA to offer an upstream VTE for Ubuntu 17.10 in case that the decision remains

[brisssou]

so I need to build tilix from the sources?

[jbicha]

Yes, or just stick with the version of tilix in Ubuntu or maybe someone will make a Snap or a Flatpak or a PPA you could use.

[brisssou]

ok cool. Thanks for the clarification.

[gsemet]

Hello. I see this issue for Guake on 17.10. What a shame, I hope they reenabled PCRE2 on 18.04

[arigit]

@jbicha recently returned to ubuntu with 18.04.1 and noticed the journal polluted by these errors, using the official ubuntu tilix:

Package: tilix
Version: 1.7.7-1ubuntu2
Priority: optional
Section: universe/gnome
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>

In the journal:

(../../src/vtegtk.cc:1906):int vte_terminal_match_add_gregex(VteTerminal*, GRegex*, GRegexMatchFlags): runtime check failed: (g_regex_get_compile_flags(gregex) & G_REGEX_MULTILINE)

Is this supposed to be patched by ubuntu devs?

@nobeh also tried tilix from the webupd8 PPA, the version got upgraded to

Package: tilix
Version: 1.8.3-1~webupd8~bionic0
Priority: optional
Section: gnome

However the issue persists, even after a reboot. Were you able to work around this problem?

[nobeh]

@arigit On Ubuntu 18.04+, I managed to use the following PPA with a working tilix, use at your own risk ⚠️

https://launchpad.net/~nilarimogard/+archive/ubuntu/test4

[stuaxo]

My installed version works (I guess I got it from apt) - but just tried building and seemed to hit this:

 ./tilix 
glib.GException.GException@../../../.dub/packages/gtk-d-3.8.3/gtk-d/generated/gtkd/glib/GException.d(41): PCRE2 not supported

[bilelmoussaoui]

@stuaxo Please read this #916 (comment)

[stuaxo]

Cheers - looks like Ubuntu isn't going to sort this any time soon, is building Tilix as a flatpak worth a go instead ?

[bilelmoussaoui]

It's a work on progress. The flatpak works already but it crashes from time to time. Few things need to be improved first before getting a fully workig terminal. Then, you will be able to get the latest release easily

[FFY00]

You can just use dub to compile this and then install the final binary.

[stuaxo]

I did use dub to build this, but I hadn't installed it yet, since tilix is my main terminal emulator, and running this gives the error above.

[egmontkob]

FYI

Ubuntu has finally dropped their pcre revert nightmare. For dingo onwards they'll go with pcre2.

http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/main/v/vte2.91/vte2.91_0.54.2-2ubuntu2/changelog
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+bug/1666264
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pcre3/+bug/1792544

[gnunn1]

Awesome, thanks for the heads up.

[egmontkob]

Oh wait... they've dropped it from vte, but not yet from Tilix. Let's hope they'll fix it in time.

[benjamin-rood]

Might I suggest adding the ppa to the readme, for those who want to install a more up-to-date version of Tilix?

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/terminix
sudo apt-get update

I could do a PR with that addition to the README if you want?

You've made a brilliant terminal emulator, the only one I like on Linux. Thank you, and I'm sorry that you're having to deal with this silliness from Ubuntu.