Public bug reported: Desktop Icons NG spawns ghost application windows in Activities overview and overlays real apps (Ubuntu 25.04 GNOME) Package affected: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng Version: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 (Ubuntu 25.04 "Plucky" updates repo)
Description: When using Ubuntu 25.04 with the Desktop Icons NG (DING) extension enabled, “ghost” application windows named Desktop Icons n (e.g., Desktop Icons 1, Desktop Icons 2) intermittently appear in the Activities overview / app switcher. These fake windows are spawned by the extension’s rendering process and are not real user applications. Occasionally, these "ghosts" also render above actual application windows, partially covering them and obstructing normal use. This creates visual clutter and interferes with workflow. Steps to reproduce: 1. Start a fresh session on Ubuntu 25.04 GNOME (Wayland session). 2. Ensure the Desktop Icons NG extension is enabled (gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng). 3. Open the Activities overview (Super key). - One or more windows named “Desktop Icons” appear in the app switcher. 4. Sometimes, after login or a shell refresh, these “Desktop Icons” windows are drawn over running applications. 5. Disabling the extension clears them. 6. Re-enabling the extension restores the bug. Expected result: Desktop icons are visible on the desktop but do not appear as extra windows in the Activities overview. They should never float above or obscure normal application windows. Actual result: Extra “Desktop Icons” windows appear in the overview, sometimes layered above other applications (see screenshot). Workarounds tested: - Restarting GNOME Shell (Alt+F2 → r) or logging out/in resolves the issue until it reoccurs. - Disabling the extension via gnome-extensions disable [email protected] removes the ghost windows. - Disabling Desktop Icons NG entirely prevents the bug. System Info: ``` lsb_release -rd Description: Ubuntu 25.04 Release: 25.04 apt-cache policy gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng: Installed: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 Candidate: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 Version table: *** 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 500 500 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu plucky-updates/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 48.0.0-3 500 500 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu plucky/main amd64 Packages ``` Bug Report: ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.04 Package: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.14.0-29.29-generic 6.14.8 Uname: Linux 6.14.0-29-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.32.0-0ubuntu5.3 Architecture: amd64 CasperMD5CheckResult: pass CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME Date: Tue Sep 9 12:16:49 2025 InstallationDate: Installed on 2025-09-08 (0 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 25.04 "Plucky Puffin" - Release amd64 (20250415.3) PackageArchitecture: all ProcEnviron: LANG=en_US.UTF-8 PATH=(custom, no user) SHELL=/bin/bash TERM=xterm-256color XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set> RebootRequiredPkgs: Error: path contained symlinks. SourcePackage: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) ** Affects: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug plucky wayland-session ** Attachment added: "Overview of bug" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2122408/+attachment/5907994/+files/Screenshot%20From%202025-09-09%2012-01-09.png ** Description changed: - Desktop Icons NG spawns ghost application windows in Activities overview and overlays real apps (Ubuntu 25.04 GNOME) + Desktop Icons NG spawns ghost application windows in Activities overview and overlays real apps (Ubuntu 25.04 GNOME) Package affected: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng Version: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 (Ubuntu 25.04 "Plucky" updates repo) - Description: When using Ubuntu 25.04 with the Desktop Icons NG (DING) extension enabled, “ghost” application windows named Desktop Icons n (e.g., Desktop Icons 1, Desktop Icons 2) intermittently appear in the Activities overview / app switcher. These fake windows are spawned by the extension’s rendering process and are not real user applications. Occasionally, these "ghosts" also render above actual application windows, partially covering them and obstructing normal use. This creates visual clutter and interferes with workflow. - Steps to reproduce: 1. Start a fresh session on Ubuntu 25.04 GNOME (Wayland session). 2. Ensure the Desktop Icons NG extension is enabled (gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng). 3. Open the Activities overview (Super key). - - One or more windows named “Desktop Icons” appear in the app switcher. + - One or more windows named “Desktop Icons” appear in the app switcher. 4. Sometimes, after login or a shell refresh, these “Desktop Icons” windows are drawn over running applications. 5. Disabling the extension clears them. 6. Re-enabling the extension restores the bug. - Expected result: Desktop icons are visible on the desktop but do not appear as extra windows in the Activities overview. They should never float above or obscure normal application windows. - Actual result: Extra “Desktop Icons” windows appear in the overview, sometimes layered above other applications (see screenshot). - Workarounds tested: - Restarting GNOME Shell (Alt+F2 → r) or logging out/in resolves the issue until it reoccurs. - Disabling the extension via gnome-extensions disable [email protected] removes the ghost windows. - Disabling Desktop Icons NG entirely prevents the bug. + System Info: + ``` lsb_release -rd Description: Ubuntu 25.04 Release: 25.04 apt-cache policy gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng: - Installed: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 - Candidate: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 - Version table: - *** 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 500 - 500 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu plucky-updates/main amd64 Packages - 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status - 48.0.0-3 500 - 500 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu plucky/main amd64 Packages + Installed: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 + Candidate: 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 + Version table: + *** 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 500 + 500 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu plucky-updates/main amd64 Packages + 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status + 48.0.0-3 500 + 500 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu plucky/main amd64 Packages ``` + + Bug Report: ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.04 Package: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng 48.0.0-3ubuntu0.2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.14.0-29.29-generic 6.14.8 Uname: Linux 6.14.0-29-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.32.0-0ubuntu5.3 Architecture: amd64 CasperMD5CheckResult: pass CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME Date: Tue Sep 9 12:16:49 2025 InstallationDate: Installed on 2025-09-08 (0 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 25.04 "Plucky Puffin" - Release amd64 (20250415.3) PackageArchitecture: all ProcEnviron: - LANG=en_US.UTF-8 - PATH=(custom, no user) - SHELL=/bin/bash - TERM=xterm-256color - XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set> + LANG=en_US.UTF-8 + PATH=(custom, no user) + SHELL=/bin/bash + TERM=xterm-256color + XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set> RebootRequiredPkgs: Error: path contained symlinks. SourcePackage: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2122408 Title: Desktop Icons NG creates ghost application windows in app switcher and overlays other apps (Ubuntu 25.04 GNOME) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng/+bug/2122408/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
