Gsettings does not work from inside a script

Ask Fedora
,
1

Installed kernel: 6.7.6-200.fc39.x86_64
Fedora release 39
Desktop: GNOME 45.4
Display Server: wayland

Followings works as expected (when executed from terminal) and color scheme changes:

$ gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'prefer-dark'
$ gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'prefer-light'

Followings does not works (i.e. nothing happens) (when executed from inside a bash script) and color scheme does not change:

$ cat Theme.sh
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'prefer-dark'
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme

bash ./Theme.sh
'prefer-dark'
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme
'prefer-light'
2

You could try using back ticks for the external command so …

`gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'prefer-dark'`

As example for dark theme setting.
You could also make two aliases one “dark-mode” and another “light-mode” that run the appropriate command from the terminal.

3

You want me to add backticks inside the bash script? Why does the bash script does not work?

4

This normally works.
Something must be wrong in your case.
Check the output:

id
echo ${DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS}
ls -a -l ~/.config/dconf
cat -A Theme.sh
5 
$ id
echo ${DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS}
ls -a -l ~/.config/dconf
\cat -A Theme.sh

uid=1000(lamy) gid=1000(lamy) groups=1000(lamy),10(wheel),975(docker) context=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023
unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 lamy 23 May 13  2023 /home/lamy/.config/dconf -> /mnt/Data/.config/dconf/
#!/usr/bin/env bash$
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'prefer-dark'$
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme$
6

I’m guessing the problem is related to the the fact that your dconf is stored on a separate partition which breaks interaction with dbus possibly due to incorrect target file ownership or insufficient permissions.

7

Permission and ownership can be seen as below

$ \ls -la ${HOME}/.config/dconf
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 lamy lamy 23 May 13  2023 /home/lamy/.config/dconf -> /mnt/Data/.config/dconf

$ \ls -la /mnt/Data/.config/dconf
total 80
drwxr-xr-x.   2 lamy lamy  4096 Mar 26 13:15 .
drwxr-xr-x. 126 lamy lamy  4096 Mar 26 01:16 ..
-rw-r--r--.   1 lamy lamy 73459 Mar 26 13:15 user

What should I do?

8

Try different ways to isolate the issue:

  • Return the dconf to its default location in your home directory.
  • Create a test user with default profile settings.

If the issue persists, it might be related to the method used to invoke the script.