#1124399 Bug# 1.26.4-1 caja: Cannot save desktop icon position; --desktop option missing and metadata file is not written

Package:
caja
Source:
caja
Description:
file manager for the MATE desktop
Submitter:
Date:
2025-12-31 17:43:02 UTC
Severity:
normal
Tags:
#1124399#5
Date:
2025-12-31 16:59:48 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer,

I am reporting a critical regression in the MATE Desktop Environment
(caja) on Debian Testing (Trixie). Desktop icons do not maintain their
position after a restart or session logout/login; they are always
forcibly aligned to the top-left corner.

This behavior occurred after migrating to Trixie and was not present in
previous Debian releases (e.g., Bookworm).

### Diagnostic Steps Performed:

We have systematically tested all configuration settings and user-level
files, confirming the issue is a system-level bug preventing the desktop
manager from running or writing data.

1.  **Missing Desktop Manager Process:**
     The process responsible for managing the desktop icons is not being
launched at session startup. The standard process management check
reveals no Caja process running with desktop-management arguments.

2.  **Crucial Command is Obsolete/Removed:**
     Attempting to manually start the desktop manager fails, suggesting
the command is no longer supported or has been renamed in this version:
     -   Command: `/usr/bin/caja --desktop`
     -   Error Output: `Could not parse arguments: Opzione --desktop
sconosciuta` (Unknown --desktop option)

3.  **Metadata Write Failure:**
     The system fails to create or write the critical configuration file
that stores icon positions.
     -   The required folder (`~/.local/share/caja/`) was found missing
and had to be created manually.
     -   After ensuring the folder exists, restarting the session,
repositioning icons, and attempting to force a write (via `killall
caja`), the metadata file remains empty:
         -   `ls -l ~/.local/share/caja/` output:
             ```
             totale 0
             -rw-rw-r-- 1 blum blum 0 [date] desktop-metadata
             ```
             (The file is created by 'touch' but is never written to by
Caja).

### Conclusion:

Since the `--desktop` command is unavailable and the corresponding
feature is not being correctly launched by the MATE session, the system
is fundamentally unable to save icon coordinates.

Please investigate this regression in the startup process of the desktop
component for the `caja` package version 1.26.4-1.

Thank you for your time and assistance.
---

#1124399#10
Date:
2025-12-31 17:34:24 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainers,

I am providing an update on Bug#1124399. I have discovered an additional
critical regression related to the Caja package on Debian Trixie: the
Trash Applet on the MATE panel is also broken.

The issue is not just cosmetic (the icon is missing), but functional:

1.  **Icon is Missing:** After setting all dconf keys correctly and
confirming the icon cache is empty, the Trash Applet on the panel was
invisible (only an empty space was shown).
2.  **Functionality is Broken:** Clicking the empty space where the
applet was located triggers a terminal error message, indicating a
deeper functional failure:
     -   Error Message: "Errore durante l'esecuzione di Caja. Operazione
non supportata." (Error executing Caja. Operation not supported.)

As a temporary workaround, I have removed the broken applet from the
panel. However, this confirms that the `caja` package in version
1.26.4-1 on Trixie is failing both the desktop icon management and the
panel applet functionality.

Thank you for your time.
---
Claudio