Vivaldi keeps craching with Fontconfig error: Cannot load default config file: No such file: (null). Arch linux

nickname13

Hi,
My vivaldi keeps crashing. The issue is here for the last 3-4 updates. When I run it on terminal I always get this error before the crash:
"Fontconfig error: Cannot load default config file: No such file: (null)"

Searched the internet for that and I got a generic solution to export the path for the font.
export FONTCONFIG_FILE=/etc/fonts/fonts.conf
export FONTCONFIG_PATH=/etc/fonts/

Done that didn't work.

Not sure if the root cause is in vivaldi but it shouldn't cause segmentation error.
here are the last logs:

*[5289:5301:1117/104545.859266:ERROR:ssl_client_socket_impl.cc(960)] handshake failed; returned -1, SSL error code 1, net_error -202
[5255:5255:1117/104556.190740:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104556.214900:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104556.214971:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104556.977574:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104556.994042:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104556.994161:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104557.602688:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104557.627904:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104557.630766:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104557.630873:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104558.392124:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104558.408631:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
[5255:5255:1117/104558.410067:ERROR:CONSOLE(0)] "Unchecked runtime.lastError: Could not find guest", source: chrome-extension://mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli/browser.html (0)
Fontconfig error: Cannot load default config file: No such file: (null)
[5255:5255:1117/104632.977128:ERROR:thumbnail_capture_contents.cc(288)] page load error
Segmentation fault (core dumped)"*

I tried to report the crash using the debug executable found from here: https://help.vivaldi.com/article/reporting-crashes-on-linux/

but I think it is not reproducible with that executable.

Using arch linux.
kernel: core/linux 5.9.8.arch1-1

Vivaldi 3.4.2066.106 (Stable channel) (64-bit)
Revision 9faa7da6e287d30fe3948ac5d9d62aefe7977da5
OS Linux
JavaScript V8 8.6.395.25
Flash (Disabled)

P.S.
I noticed that vivaldi has been moved to the official arch channel not sure if this is related

A Former User

Well and do you have /etc/fonts/fonts.conf? FYI:

$ pacman -Qo /etc/fonts/fonts.conf
/etc/fonts/fonts.conf is owned by fontconfig 2:2.13.91+48+gfcb0420-2

I think (only think) the crash could as well be caused by

[5255:5255:1117/104632.977128:ERROR:thumbnail_capture_contents.cc(288)] page load error

I noticed that vivaldi has been moved to the official arch channel not sure if this is related

Not at all.

Steffie

Just confirming same, fwiw.

steffie@archlinuxTower[~] 20:14:22 Tue Nov 17 $> pacman -Qo /etc/fonts/fonts.conf
/etc/fonts/fonts.conf is owned by fontconfig 2:2.13.91+48+gfcb0420-2

nickname13

yes that was the first thing I checked (forgot to mention it)

"pacman -Qo /etc/fonts/fonts.conf
/etc/fonts/fonts.conf is owned by fontconfig 2:2.13.91+48+gfcb0420-2"

I also tried to delete all the cache and config files for a clean install run but the issue is still there.

I think (only think) the crash could as well be caused by

My eye got stack only on the font config error. I will run it again o terminal and see on the next crash if i have the same thumbnail error.

Steffie

@nickname13 You said in OP:

When I run it on terminal I always get this error before the crash

Can i ask -- what specific activities are you doing immediately before the crash -- the identical stuff each time, or purely random / variable?

Also, if you open a clean/test profile, does it still crash?

nickname13

@Steffie
random staff.
most of the times it crashes on the background.

Steffie

@nickname13 OK... & the profile?

A Former User

@Steffie Cool, I didn’t even notice it isn’t at startup.

nickname13

@Steffie I will have to test it. Never used the profile. I will use the guest profile for some time.

But in the past I tried to clean everything (cache and config) and I only kept the bookmarks. Isn't that pretty much the same?

A Former User

@nickname13 No, because I have a suspicion it is because of bookmarks.

One other thing to try, make a new empty bookmarks folder & set it as speed dial. Make sure it’s the first folder there (so no bookmarks are visible in a new tab). Stop using the SD altogether (for some time).

nickname13

@all
Thanks a lot.
Will try all those things

@Gwen-Dragon I saw those but there was not reported any crash I think. just the logs. anyway thanks!

Steffie

@nickname13 Just to clarify, so we all know we're talking about the same thing ... i'm not alluding to anything rocket-sciencey, just simply this:

nickname13

@Steffie Yes thanks. There is also a guest profile there so I will use that one instead of creating a new profile

nickname13

After 24 hours with no crash following @potmeklecbohdan advice on creating an empty bookmark folder and set it as speed dial. I can safely say that this workaround works perfectly.

Thanks everybody.

P.S. so I guess the real issue is when it fails to fetch thumbnails for my bookmarks? and how is this prevented with the speed dial folder? Anyway....

A Former User

@nickname13 I don’t know why… simply, when I once wanted to inspect the SD coz of modding, V crashed. & it kept crashing every time soon after switching to another SD folder. Before & after this it behaved pretty well, coz I have the SD just coz I’m too lazy to disable all the folders there (& I have the first of them empty).

I didn’t report it back then as I couldn’t reproduce it with what I thought caused it in a clean profile, but now that I’m not the only one… please report it.