No longer in Ubuntu 18.04

[ghost]

It's no longer present in Ubuntu 18.04. Installing from the deb doesn't work - running it results in an error. Any plans on making it work for 18.04?

Regards

[dammer]

@andrei
I found worкaround for 18.04:
download 2 packages for artful:
python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb
hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb
and install it throug Gdebi (python-wnck should be first)
After install i have error dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.Spawn.ChildExited: Process org.gnome.Hamster solution is here #165 now it work for me

[paulocastroo]

@andrei same here, all I get now after upgrading is:
Command: hamster
Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/bin/hamster", line 30, in <module> from hamster import client, reports ImportError: cannot import name client

But I'm sure there's a workaround for this, finding it currently.

@dammer tried your solution:
Command: hamster-cli
Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/bin/hamster-cli", line 29, in <module> from hamster import client ImportError: cannot import name client
Command: hamster-time-tracker
Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/bin/hamster-time-tracker", line 566, in <module> from hamster.lib import i18n ImportError: cannot import name i18n

[dammer]

@paulocastroo i newer work with python, only can show screenshot from my system with installation and work hamster-applet.

[abraxxa]

As noted in #165 I installed the hamster-applet and hamster-indicator packages from version 17.10 and its dependencies from 18.04 and then deleted the /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/storage directory.

[ghost]

Could we have an official package for 18.04 though? I understand that they're working on a new codebase, but still, this could go a long way towards keeping a large dedicated community.

[joachimjacob]

Hamster is top. But no official package available for Ubuntu 18.04? This is the only decent time tracking tool in Linux. Thanks for taking this on.

[ghost]

To be honest I don't know why they are rewriting it, it's a top quality software program and I have found virtually zero bugs while using it. Maybe some other team can take over the legacy code?

[omarkohl]

As commented by others downloading the packages for Ubuntu 17.10 works. Just leaving some better links:

• https://packages.ubuntu.com/artful/amd64/python-wnck/download
• https://packages.ubuntu.com/artful/all/hamster-applet/download

Then:

sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb

In my case it was NOT necessary to delete /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/storage

[ghost]

@omarkohl I also had to install python-notify otherwise the time wouldn't update in real time in the main window.
python-gnome2 was also required by the install. (better to install with gdebi perhaps)

[omarkohl]

It is possible that I already had all the dependencies installed because I upgraded my system from Ubuntu 17.10 to 18.04 (and in the process Hamster was uninstalled).
I didn't know gdebi but it sounds like a useful tool. Of course it has to be installed explicitly whereas dpkg is already there.

[elbenfreund]

As you know, this legacy hamster package is no longer maintained. And there are no plans for providing packaging for it.

I understand that this is disapointing, but we simply do not have the resources to provide those our self. If some else wants to do so, its FLOSS after all.

@andi5 while it is true that legacy hamster is reasonable stable for its users, it's codebase is utterly unmaintainable and a rewrite was the only way to make sure that we can provide our community with a future proof package that meets expectations. As FLOSS developers our resources are limited and a substantial amount of time has been diverted to fixing the hamster-shell-extension so it keeps playing nice with legacy-hamster while the rewrite is under way.

[cuu508]

I recently did a clean install of Ubuntu 18.04. After hitting some dead ends, here's how I got legacy hamster running again:

• I downloaded v1.04 source from Github releases
• I installed the dependencies mentioned in README plus python-gi-cairo
• I installed it with the "./waf configure" and "./waf install" commands as in README
• at this point I could launch the standalone app and the dbus service was running
• I installed the gnome-shell extension from source, following "Manual Installation For Testing and Development" instructions in its README. Installing from extensions.gnome.org might also work -- not sure.
• I'm now using it primarily through the shell extension and no issues so far

[ghost]

@cuu508 It's much easier to install with @omarkohl 's instructions: also see my comments below his.

[barretr]

Going on the very helpful installation instructions from @omarkohl, I stumbled upon the following error running hamster-time-tracker from the terminal, while executing hamster-cli works fine:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/bin/hamster-time-tracker", line 591, in <module> from hamster.configuration import runtime, dialogs, conf, load_ui_file ImportError: No module named configuration

[bitinerant]

If you want to do it all on the command line, I think this will get you all of the dependencies, plus https for the downloads. For me, this provided a working Hamster on a fresh Ubuntu 18.04.

cd /tmp
wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gnome-python-desktop/python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb
wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/h/hamster-applet/hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb
sudo apt -y install libwnck22 libwnck-common # dependencies of python-wnck
sudo dpkg -i python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb
sudo apt -y install python-gconf python-gnome2 libbonoboui2-0 libgnomecanvas2-0 libgnomeui-0 python-pyorbit libglade2-0 libbonoboui2-common libgnomecanvas2-common libgnome-keyring0 libgnomeui-common liborbit2 libgnome-keyring-common libidl-2-0 # dependencies of hamster-applet
sudo dpkg -i hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb
sudo apt -y install libcanberra-gtk-module # run-time dependency

[julienV]

the solution from @omarkohl worked for me on kubuntu 18.04
i just need to run sudo apt --fix-broken install after each dpkg command

[andyanderso]

Thanks @omarkohl - worked like a charm.

For those of us who also like to use hamster-indicator in gnome here are the links to add that back in:
https://packages.ubuntu.com/artful/all/hamster-indicator/download

Install with ->
sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/hamster-indicator_0.1+037dd2e-0ubuntu2_all.deb

[sereno]

Thanks @andyanderso that's helpful, but could you edit your link?

The link text is right (https://packages.ubuntu.com/artful/all/hamster-indicator/download) - but actually it's pointing to a dead github page

[andyanderso]

Thanks, @sereno. The link should work now.

[marquilio7]

@bitinerant Thank you very much! It works (btw, Im using Linux Mint 19 [based on ubuntu 18])

[tanius]

Putting the instructions by @bitinerant and by @andyanderso together and combining it with this technique here's a nice way to install everything (hamster-applet and hamster-indicator) under Ubuntu 18.04:

wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gnome-python-desktop/python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb
wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/h/hamster-applet/hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb
wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/h/hamster-indicator/hamster-indicator_0.1+037dd2e-0ubuntu2_all.deb

sudo apt install \
  ./python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb \
  ./hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb \
  ./hamster-indicator_0.1+037dd2e-0ubuntu2_all.deb \
  libcanberra-gtk-module

[marquilio7]

Thank you very much @tanius !

[MTindev]

Hello,

For me, on a fresh 18.04, after the installation according to the README, when typing $ hamster the error was :

/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/lib/configuration.py:33: PyGIWarning: GConf was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('GConf', '2.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
[...]
ImportError: No module named cairo

So, I installed two other packages, because "cairo" was missing :

$ sudo apt-get install python-cairo
$ sudo apt-get install python-gi-cairo

I redo the building and that works fine.

N.B. For the gnome-shell-extension, I installed it from the source (according to its README), because the available one in extensions.gnome.org was in error).

As seen in #357 and #269, theses packages may be added to the README ?

[zyphlar]

@tanius this technique worked for me but I also had to install libcanberra-gtk0 beforehand for libcanberra-gtk-module to work.

[nleo]

@tanius not woks Linux Mint 19 Tara Cinnamon

WARNING:root:Could not import gnomeapplet. Defaulting to upper panel
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/hamster-indicator", line 385, in <module>
    hamster_indicator = HamsterIndicator()
  File "/usr/bin/hamster-indicator", line 175, in __init__
    super(HamsterIndicator, self).__init__(applet)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/applet.py", line 205, in __init__
    self.new_name = widgets.ActivityEntry()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/widgets/activityentry.py", line 103, in __init__
    self.populate_suggestions()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/widgets/activityentry.py", line 234, in populate_suggestions
    self.activities = runtime.storage.get_activities(fact.activity)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/client.py", line 136, in get_activities
    return self._to_dict(('name', 'category'), self.conn.GetActivities(search))
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster/client.py", line 87, in conn
    '/org/gnome/Hamster'),
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 241, in get_object
    follow_name_owner_changes=follow_name_owner_changes)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/dbus/proxies.py", line 248, in __init__
    self._named_service = conn.activate_name_owner(bus_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 180, in activate_name_owner
    self.start_service_by_name(bus_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 278, in start_service_by_name
    'su', (bus_name, flags)))
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/dbus/connection.py", line 651, in call_blocking
    message, timeout)
dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.Spawn.ChildExited: Process org.gnome.Hamster exited with status 1

[ruedigerkupper]

I have the same problem as nleo reports. Any help?

[NikMel]

I have the same problem, now on Ubuntu 18.10. Starting 'hamster' results in:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/hamster", line 30, in
from hamster import client, reports
ImportError: cannot import name client

Similar problems when trying to run the dbus services:

• /usr/lib/hamster-time-tracker/hamster-service
  Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/hamster-time-tracker/hamster-service", line 19, in
  from hamster.lib import i18n
  ImportError: cannot import name i18n

• /usr/lib/hamster-time-tracker/hamster-windows-service
  Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/hamster-time-tracker/hamster-windows-service", line 54, in
  from hamster.lib import i18n
  ImportError: cannot import name i18n

I've built from git master (commit c3e5fb7):

1. ./waf configure build --prefix=/usr
2. sudo ./waf install

I've also gone through most of this thread and tried:

• Deleted /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/hamster
• Tried to install hamster 2.91 from the deb linked above

But to no avail, I get the exact same error.

I really miss hamster... And, in about 10 days I'm supposed to report my working hours for October :/

I'm at my wits end here and would be happy to try pretty much anything, so please suggest something....

All the best,
Niklas

[Sea-Wing-designs]

I would like to get hamster running on kubuntu 18.0. I have downloaded the package and installed the listed dependencies. I am a little lost on how to actually install the package. Could someone please point me to clear instructions to build and install Hamster. I don't follow how to "Adapt to my system" or if that is needed, and I get this: ./waf: command not found. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[diosney]

@Sea-Wing-designs I was able to run it perfectly in Kubuntu 18.04 64bits just do:

wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gnome-python-desktop/python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb
wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/h/hamster-applet/hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb
wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/h/hamster-indicator/hamster-indicator_0.1+037dd2e-0ubuntu2_all.deb

sudo apt install
./python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb
./hamster-applet_2.91.3+git20120514.b9fec3e1-1ubuntu2_all.deb
./hamster-indicator_0.1+037dd2e-0ubuntu2_all.deb
libcanberra-gtk-module

[Sea-Wing-designs]

Thank you @diosney. The first one, wget https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gnome-python-desktop/python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-4_amd64.deb, comes back with this:
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 404 Not Found
2019-05-16 08:20:05 ERROR 404: Not Found.

I tried without that and the applet will start to load and then stops.

[diosney]

@Sea-Wing-designs It seems that all packages are required, try download the missing one from other place, for example:

https://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gnome-python-desktop/python-wnck_2.32.0%2Bdfsg-3_amd64.deb
http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gnome-python-desktop/python-wnck_2.32.0+dfsg-3_amd64.deb

I did that procedure a while ago, maybe in the meantime it was removed.

[Sea-Wing-designs]

I tried those with wget and they seemed to work. But I am still in the place I was before, I can get the Hamster Overview to load, but not the indicator or the time tracker. I wonder if I need to remove everything and start over?

[Sea-Wing-designs]

I tried removing it entirely and going through the steps again and it is still doing the same thing. It starts to load and then stops after about 2 seconds.

[diosney]

@Sea-Wing-designs I've no idea what would be happening to you, with all those steps I was able to make it into working properly.

Did you tried a full update and upgrade after that?

[Sea-Wing-designs]

@diosney I did update and upgrade. I hope that I can get it working somehow.

[GeraldJansen]

@Sea-Wing-designs If you want to try a more recent v2.x version of Hamster from source, as it appeared from your first message, you can check out these instructions for Xubuntu 18.04. I just finished checking them on a fresh install. Kubuntu should be similar, although it is possible that some needed gnome packages are automatically installed on Xubuntu but not on Kubuntu. Make sure to uninstall (sudo apt-get purge) the old hamster-applet/indicator packages first!

[Sea-Wing-designs]

Thank you, I will try that @GeraldJansen

[Sea-Wing-designs]

@GeraldJansen, those instructions worked, I think. The interface has changed a lot and I don't know if I am missing something or it is just the way it is now, but I don't see a window that has start and stop time. A cool thing is that it somehow grabbed all of my previous categories and tags.

[GeraldJansen]

@Sea-Wing-designs Yes, the v2.x interface based on Gtk3 lost a lot of niceness of the old hamster-applet, but on the other hand it is gaining some new niceness like the keyboard shortcuts (#387) :-) It probably picked up your old hamster.db as the DB backend is unchanged from hamster-applet.

[holderl5]

All,

I haven't tried this in 19.04, I made a docker container instead:
https://github.com/holderl5/docker-hamster

[pwhipp]

For anyone else here with a clean install: @GeraldJansen has provided good instructions but when you do the configure step make sure that everything is found. You may also need glib-genmarshal, libglib2.0-dev, libdbus-glib-1-dev, docbook-utils, gnome-doc-utils, xsltproc.

If importing existing data, copy ./local/share/hamster-applet/hamster.db from your old to your new system (as @GeraldJansen says, it appears to be compatible but note this issue).

When updating stuff like the start time etc. you may have to restart the app.

[GeraldJansen]

Thanks @pwhipp. I've moved the instructions to the main Hamster wiki (here) and added a link to your note.

[ederag]

@pwhipp

If importing existing data, copy ./local/share/hamster-applet/hamster.db from your old to your new system (as @GeraldJansen says, it appears to be compatible but note this issue).

Please file an issue, using an old database should work flawlessly.

When updating stuff like the start time etc. you may have to restart the app.

That might have been fixed in current master. Otherwise please file an issue.

[pwhipp]

@ederag
The problem with existing dbs is that they may contain entries with a hash or number as the first element of the activity. These appear blank in the current version of hamster. In my case I have a lot of activities relating to tracking systems and use "#nnn some explanation" to relate the activity to the issue in the tracking system (#nnn might be a JIRA issue number for example). To make my db compatible, I did an update on the activity table changing all the # characters at the start of the activity into 'ADM-' (and the search text to 'adm-'). That allowed my old db to work fine with the new code.

I'm not sure this warrants an issue of its own because I think it's covered by active work in progress but I can add it if you think its worthwhile.

[ederag]

@pwhipp Yes, please file an issue, because it is a relevant use case, not yet fixed,
and any old database should work out of the box.

[pwhipp]

@ederag Done - #423

[ederag]

After the waf update (#421), the installation works smoothly again in ubuntu-18.04.
(tested in a fresh virtualbox)

[ederag]

There was a report of successful installation in 18.04, after removal of all previous hamster files,
especially in /usr/local.

[cuu508]

I recently installed a fresh Ubuntu 19.04, and (to my surprise) managed to get the old Hamster 1.04 running. I basically grabbed the tarball, ran the waf commands as instructed in README and installed missing dependencies until it started up.

I then tried a few different Gnome Shell extensions from extensions.gnome.org until I found one that worked. I think it was this one: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1834/hamster-time-tracker/

[GeraldJansen]

I can confirm that the same extension version works fine together with the current master branch of hamster (installed manually on Ubuntu 19.04 following the current README).

[ederag]

So hamster can easily be installed on ubuntu, thanks for the confirmations !
Packaging is discussed on #252.

[ederag]

It should be possible to release v3.0 by the end of next week, but
Kind word of warning, posted here because #252 has no hits these weeks;
No-one answered a request about deadlines since last week.
Please understand that I know that packaging is tough work (did some for openSUSE),
someone else has to chime in or there will be no hamster 3.0 package in ubuntu 20.04 (LTS version).

[ederag]

Kind heads up: if everyone thinks "someone else will do it eventually",
the LTS deadline feb 27th will be missed.
The clean debian route is already cut.
#569 should help (if that was a concern to anyone), thanks to @matthijskooijman,
v3.0 will be released this week-end, so it's frozen now,
but please ask away questions about the installation process if need be.