Message...

"The bookmarks and history system will not be functional because one of
Firefox's files is in use by another application. Some security software
can cause this problem."

Any ideas ?

On 9/6/2022 8:58 PM, Adam wrote:
>
> Message...
>
> "The bookmarks and history system will not be functional
> because one of Firefox's files is in use by another application.
> Some security software can cause this problem."
>
> Any ideas ?

I don't have a solution for you.

We can try some background material.

Ubuntu uses "snap" for packaging, as well as the traditional ".deb"
used in Synaptic package manager.

Snap uses a squashfs image with supporting (executable) files in it.

Snap daemon (snapd) comes with handcuffs. It limits where applications
can access files. Without making a fuss, the user is limited to their
home directory. The snap developer can apparently do things, to extend
the reach, but the Mozilla staff won't be doing that.

This is fine, because the home directory for Firefox, where the profiles
folders go, is also in the home directory.

So on the surface at least, all looks normal.

Snaps also use other security features for applications. You'd have
to look into the "snapcraft" site perhaps, to learn more about what
the latest set of handcuffs looks like.

The entire Snap subsystem can be removed in ubuntu, using apt to do it.
But snap has been boobytrapped, by also providing a snap version
of the entire desktop ("Gnome3-xxx"). I don't know if there is a .deb version
of the desktop available in 2204 release or not.

And I'm not sure what amount of debug I can do here, when a snap
is involved. An strace could run on a single PID. I've done that
before, and it dumps disk reading calls in the log output. But Firefox
consists of maybe five processes, and they're connected via pipes to
communicate with one another. This complicates the debug process.

*******

You *can* ask the OS "what process has my profile file open".
Your data files, should be in an area not governed by the snap
squashfs for executable files.

https://www.tecmint.com/find-out-who-is-using-a-file-in-linux/

lsof -u tecmint # Dump list of open files for username "tecmint"

The process-name is on the left. The file-name which is open, is
on the right. You could grep on "mozilla" or grep on "firefox" to
examine a subset of a larger output from the command.

/home/bullwinkle/.mozilla/firefox/tadk6apu.default-release/bookmarkbackups/some.jsonlz4

So the command could be:

lsof -u AdamsUserID | grep -i mozilla | grep -i firefox # you can chain greps if you want,
# to make filtering easier to understand.
# -i is "case insensitive", a habit of mine

Since lsof is filtering already by username like that, there's
a good chance it needs to be elevated to work.

sudo lsof -u AdamsUserID | grep firefox

You would do that while Firefox was running, to see if you
can catch the details of some processes doing it. Even seeing
multiple Firefox processes humping the same file, is not
really all that good. If Firefox condones that, they will use
a semaphore of some sort, so only one Firefox process attempts
to write to the bookmarks at a time.

In any case, you might get lucky, and the guilty party sticks
their hand up.

I tried a Google and Google is not being helpful right now,
and it has little fits like that.

Paul

On 09/06/2022 09:12 PM, Paul wrote:
> On 9/6/2022 8:58 PM, Adam wrote:
>>
>> Message...
>>
>> "The bookmarks and history system will not be functional
>> because one of Firefox's files is in use by another application.
>> Some security software can cause this problem."
>>
>> Any ideas ?
>
> I don't have a solution for you.
>
> We can try some background material.
>
> Ubuntu uses "snap" for packaging, as well as the traditional ".deb"
> used in Synaptic package manager.

xerus@T430:~$ snap list
error: no snaps found
xerus@T430:~$

I haven't "installed" a snap version yet.

Ran into some hiccups trying out a snap version (20.04 LIVE) so did NOT
proceed further. Problem was couldn't get Chromium to even Open.

In general, I don't think snap is needed until near EOL of a Linux
version. Users should be able to turn snap ON near EOL.

I'm using 16.04. <duck> :-)

Anyways, I was browsing away when my system sort of locked up churning
away doing something. So I started closing windows one after the other.
It was taking forever and still churning away. So I finally logged out.
Then, when I logged back in, Firefox had that message banner across the
top. And, here we are.

>
> Snap uses a squashfs image with supporting (executable) files in it.
>
> Snap daemon (snapd) comes with handcuffs. It limits where applications
> can access files. Without making a fuss, the user is limited to their
> home directory. The snap developer can apparently do things, to extend
> the reach, but the Mozilla staff won't be doing that.
>
> This is fine, because the home directory for Firefox, where the profiles
> folders go, is also in the home directory.
>
> So on the surface at least, all looks normal.
>
> Snaps also use other security features for applications. You'd have
> to look into the "snapcraft" site perhaps, to learn more about what
> the latest set of handcuffs looks like.
>
> The entire Snap subsystem can be removed in ubuntu, using apt to do it.
> But snap has been boobytrapped, by also providing a snap version
> of the entire desktop ("Gnome3-xxx"). I don't know if there is a .deb
> version
> of the desktop available in 2204 release or not.
>
> And I'm not sure what amount of debug I can do here, when a snap
> is involved. An strace could run on a single PID. I've done that
> before, and it dumps disk reading calls in the log output. But Firefox
> consists of maybe five processes, and they're connected via pipes to
> communicate with one another. This complicates the debug process.
>
> *******
>
> You *can* ask the OS "what process has my profile file open".
> Your data files, should be in an area not governed by the snap
> squashfs for executable files.
>
> https://www.tecmint.com/find-out-who-is-using-a-file-in-linux/
>
> lsof -u tecmint # Dump list of open files for username "tecmint"
>
> The process-name is on the left. The file-name which is open, is
> on the right. You could grep on "mozilla" or grep on "firefox" to
> examine a subset of a larger output from the command.
>
>
> /home/bullwinkle/.mozilla/firefox/tadk6apu.default-release/bookmarkbackups/some.jsonlz4
>
>
> So the command could be:
>
> lsof -u AdamsUserID | grep -i mozilla | grep -i firefox #
> you can chain greps if you want,
> # to
> make filtering easier to understand.
> # -i
> is "case insensitive", a habit of mine
>
> Since lsof is filtering already by username like that, there's
> a good chance it needs to be elevated to work.
>
> sudo lsof -u AdamsUserID | grep firefox
>
> You would do that while Firefox was running, to see if you
> can catch the details of some processes doing it. Even seeing
> multiple Firefox processes humping the same file, is not
> really all that good. If Firefox condones that, they will use
> a semaphore of some sort, so only one Firefox process attempts
> to write to the bookmarks at a time.
>
> In any case, you might get lucky, and the guilty party sticks
> their hand up.
>
> I tried a Google and Google is not being helpful right now,
> and it has little fits like that.
>
> Paul

On 09/06/2022 09:58 PM, Adam wrote:
> On 09/06/2022 09:12 PM, Paul wrote:
>> On 9/6/2022 8:58 PM, Adam wrote:
>>>
>>> Message...
>>>
>>> "The bookmarks and history system will not be functional
>>> because one of Firefox's files is in use by another application.
>>> Some security software can cause this problem."
>>>
>>> Any ideas ?
>>
>> I don't have a solution for you.
>>
>> We can try some background material.
>>
>> Ubuntu uses "snap" for packaging, as well as the traditional ".deb"
>> used in Synaptic package manager.
>
> xerus@T430:~$ snap list
> error: no snaps found
> xerus@T430:~$
>
> I haven't "installed" a snap version yet.
>
> Ran into some hiccups trying out a snap version (20.04 LIVE) so did NOT
> proceed further. Problem was couldn't get Chromium to even Open.
>
> In general, I don't think snap is needed until near EOL of a Linux
> version. Users should be able to turn snap ON near EOL.
>
> I'm using 16.04. <duck> :-)
>
> Anyways, I was browsing away when my system sort of locked up churning
> away doing something. So I started closing windows one after the other.
> It was taking forever and still churning away. So I finally logged out.
> Then, when I logged back in, Firefox had that message banner across the
> top. And, here we are.
>

Just did a Restart, which included a file system check. And,
problem solved. Firefox opens without problem now. I even have my
bookmarks back. And, life is good again.

Okay already, I'll upgrade...maybe to 18.04. :-)

So far, I'm NOT a Snap fan. I'm not in favor of auto-download. Yuck!

>>
>> Snap uses a squashfs image with supporting (executable) files in it.
>>
>> Snap daemon (snapd) comes with handcuffs. It limits where applications
>> can access files. Without making a fuss, the user is limited to their
>> home directory. The snap developer can apparently do things, to extend
>> the reach, but the Mozilla staff won't be doing that.
>>
>> This is fine, because the home directory for Firefox, where the profiles
>> folders go, is also in the home directory.
>>
>> So on the surface at least, all looks normal.
>>
>> Snaps also use other security features for applications. You'd have
>> to look into the "snapcraft" site perhaps, to learn more about what
>> the latest set of handcuffs looks like.
>>
>> The entire Snap subsystem can be removed in ubuntu, using apt to do it.
>> But snap has been boobytrapped, by also providing a snap version
>> of the entire desktop ("Gnome3-xxx"). I don't know if there is a .deb
>> version
>> of the desktop available in 2204 release or not.
>>
>> And I'm not sure what amount of debug I can do here, when a snap
>> is involved. An strace could run on a single PID. I've done that
>> before, and it dumps disk reading calls in the log output. But Firefox
>> consists of maybe five processes, and they're connected via pipes to
>> communicate with one another. This complicates the debug process.
>>
>> *******
>>
>> You *can* ask the OS "what process has my profile file open".
>> Your data files, should be in an area not governed by the snap
>> squashfs for executable files.
>>
>> https://www.tecmint.com/find-out-who-is-using-a-file-in-linux/
>>
>> lsof -u tecmint # Dump list of open files for username "tecmint"
>>
>> The process-name is on the left. The file-name which is open, is
>> on the right. You could grep on "mozilla" or grep on "firefox" to
>> examine a subset of a larger output from the command.
>>
>>
>> /home/bullwinkle/.mozilla/firefox/tadk6apu.default-release/bookmarkbackups/some.jsonlz4
>>
>>
>>
>> So the command could be:
>>
>> lsof -u AdamsUserID | grep -i mozilla | grep -i firefox #
>> you can chain greps if you want,
>> # to
>> make filtering easier to understand.
>> # -i
>> is "case insensitive", a habit of mine
>>
>> Since lsof is filtering already by username like that, there's
>> a good chance it needs to be elevated to work.
>>
>> sudo lsof -u AdamsUserID | grep firefox
>>
>> You would do that while Firefox was running, to see if you
>> can catch the details of some processes doing it. Even seeing
>> multiple Firefox processes humping the same file, is not
>> really all that good. If Firefox condones that, they will use
>> a semaphore of some sort, so only one Firefox process attempts
>> to write to the bookmarks at a time.
>>
>> In any case, you might get lucky, and the guilty party sticks
>> their hand up.
>>
>> I tried a Google and Google is not being helpful right now,
>> and it has little fits like that.
>>
>> Paul
>