Ubuntu
software-center package

Software centre crashes on opening

Asked by Suhas Kamath

This is what turns up when i type software-center in terminal:
2013-02-08 23:53:02,326 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - setting up proxy 'None'
2013-02-08 23:53:02,331 - softwarecenter.db.database - INFO - open() database: path=None use_axi=True use_agent=True
2013-02-08 23:53:02,768 - softwarecenter.backend.reviews - WARNING - Could not get usefulness from server, no username in config file
2013-02-08 23:53:02,948 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - show_available_packages: search_text is '', app is None.
2013-02-08 23:53:03,493 - softwarecenter.db.pkginfo_impl.aptcache - INFO - aptcache.open()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/pkginfo_impl/aptcache.py", line 243, in open
    self._cache = apt.Cache(GtkMainIterationProgress())
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/apt/cache.py", line 102, in __init__
    self.open(progress)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/apt/cache.py", line 145, in open
    self._cache = apt_pkg.Cache(progress)
SystemError: E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_universe_i18n_Translation-en, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
2013-02-08 23:53:06,246 - softwarecenter.db.enquire - ERROR - _get_estimate_nr_apps_and_nr_pkgs failed
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/enquire.py", line 115, in _get_estimate_nr_apps_and_nr_pkgs
    tmp_matches = enquire.get_mset(0, len(self.db), None, xfilter)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/appfilter.py", line 89, in __call__
    if (not pkgname in self.cache and
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/pkginfo_impl/aptcache.py", line 263, in __contains__
    return self._cache.__contains__(k)
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute '__contains__'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/software-center", line 176, in <module>
    app.run(args)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/app.py", line 1422, in run
    self.show_available_packages(args)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/app.py", line 1352, in show_available_packages
    self.view_manager.set_active_view(ViewPages.AVAILABLE)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/session/viewmanager.py", line 154, in set_active_view
    view_widget.init_view()
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/panes/availablepane.py", line 171, in init_view
    self.apps_filter)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/views/catview_gtk.py", line 238, in __init__
    self.build(desktopdir)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/views/catview_gtk.py", line 511, in build
    self._build_homepage_view()
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/views/catview_gtk.py", line 271, in _build_homepage_view
    self._append_whats_new()
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/views/catview_gtk.py", line 450, in _append_whats_new
    whats_new_cat = self._update_whats_new_content()
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/ui/gtk3/views/catview_gtk.py", line 439, in _update_whats_new_content
    docs = whats_new_cat.get_documents(self.db)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/categories.py", line 124, in get_documents
    nonblocking_load=False)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/enquire.py", line 317, in set_query
    self._blocking_perform_search()
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/enquire.py", line 212, in _blocking_perform_search
    matches = enquire.get_mset(0, self.limit, None, xfilter)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/appfilter.py", line 89, in __call__
    if (not pkgname in self.cache and
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/db/pkginfo_impl/aptcache.py", line 263, in __contains__
    return self._cache.__contains__(k)
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute '__contains__'

Question information

Language:
Russian Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu software-center Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Mark Rijckenberg
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

sudo apt-get --reinstall install python2.7 software-center

Hope that helps

Revision history for this message
Best Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said : 		#2

Open a Terminal and run these commands:

sudo apt-get purge software-center

rm -rf ~/.cache/software-center

rm -rf ~/.config/software-center

rm -rf ~/.cache/update-manager-core

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

sudo apt-get install software-center ubuntu-desktop

sudo dpkg-reconfigure software-center --force

sudo update-software-center

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#3

There is a well-known error contained in your output:

SystemError: E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_universe_i18n_Translation-en, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

This is covered by FAQ 1591

Open a terminal (ctrl-alt-t) and execute these three commands:

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists
sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists
sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists/partial

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#4

wget https://dl.dropbox.com/u/8850924/fixpackage
chmod +x ./fixpackage
sudo ./fixpackage

Revision history for this message
Suhas Kamath (suhas-kamath2008) said : 		#5

Thanks Mark Rijckenberg, that solved my question.