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Bug#1103770: Does not accept -name command line option

From martin f krafft@21:1/5 to All on Mon Apr 21 14:30:02 2025

Package: kitty
Version: 0.40.0-1
Severity: normal

Unfortunately, Kitty does not accept the `-name` command-line
option, and instead spews and error message. This is a problem when
it is used as a drop-in to `x-terminal-emulator`, which sometimes
gets passed the `-name` option (supported by every other terminal
emulator that I know).

Upstream will not do this:
https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/discussions/8554

-- System Information:
Debian Release: trixie/sid
APT prefers unstable
APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 6.12.22-amd64 (SMP w/32 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
Locale: LANG=en_NZ, LC_CTYPE=en_NZ.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE=en_NZ:en Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled

Versions of packages kitty depends on:
ii kitty-shell-integration 0.40.0-1
ii kitty-terminfo 0.40.0-1
ii libc6 2.41-7
ii libcairo2 1.18.4-1+b1
ii libdbus-1-3 1.16.2-2
ii libfreetype6 2.13.3+dfsg-1
ii libharfbuzz0b 10.2.0-1+b1
ii liblcms2-2 2.16-2
ii libpng16-16t64 1.6.47-1.1
ii libpython3.13 3.13.3-2
ii libssl3t64 3.5.0-1
ii libwayland-client0 1.23.1-3
ii libx11-6 2:1.8.12-1
ii libx11-xcb1 2:1.8.12-1
ii libxcursor1 1:1.2.3-1
ii libxkbcommon-x11-0 1.7.0-2
ii libxkbcommon0 1.7.0-2
ii libxxhash0 0.8.3-2
ii python3 3.13.3-1
ii python3.13 3.13.3-2
ii zlib1g 1:1.3.dfsg+really1.3.1-1+b1

Versions of packages kitty recommends:
ii kitty-doc 0.40.0-1
ii libcanberra0 0.30-17+b1

Versions of packages kitty suggests:
ii fonts-noto-color-emoji 2.047-1
ii imagemagick 8:7.1.1.47+dfsg1-1
ii imagemagick-7.q16 [imagemagick] 8:7.1.1.47+dfsg1-1

-- no debconf information

--
.''`. martin f. krafft <madduck@d.o>
: :' : proud Debian developer
`. `'` http://people.debian.org/~madduck
`- Debian - when you have better things to do than fixing systems

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="content-type"/>
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</head>
<body style="font-family: Lato, Calibri, Tahoma, sans-serif; max-width: 32em"> Package: kitty 
Version: 0.40.0-1 
Severity: normal
Unfortunately, Kitty does not accept the <code>-name</code> command-line option, and instead spews and error message. This is a problem when it is used as a drop-in to <code>x-terminal-emulator</code>,
which sometimes gets passed the <code>-name</code> option (supported by every other terminal emulator that I know).
Upstream will not do this: <a href="https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/discussions/8554">https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/discussions/8554</a>
– System Information: 
Debian Release: trixie/sid 
APT prefers unstable 
APT policy: (500, ‘unstable’), (1, ‘experimental’) 
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 6.12.22-amd64 (SMP w/32 CPU threads; PREEMPT) 
Locale: LANG=en_NZ, LC_CTYPE=en_NZ.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE=en_NZ:en 
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash 
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system) 
LSM: AppArmor: enabled
Versions of packages kitty depends on: 
ii kitty-shell-integration 0.40.0-1 
ii kitty-terminfo 0.40.0-1 
ii libc6 2.41-7 
ii libcairo2 1.18.4-1+b1 
ii libdbus-1-3 1.16.2-2 
ii libfreetype6 2.13.3+dfsg-1 
ii libharfbuzz0b 10.2.0-1+b1 
ii liblcms2-2 2.16-2 
ii libpng16-16t64 1.6.47-1.1 
ii libpython3.13 3.13.3-2 
ii libssl3t64 3.5.0-1 
ii libwayland-client0 1.23.1-3 
ii libx11-6 2:1.8.12-1 
ii libx11-xcb1 2:1.8.12-1 
ii libxcursor1 1:1.2.3-1 
ii libxkbcommon-x11-0 1.7.0-2 
ii libxkbcommon0 1.7.0-2 
ii libxxhash0 0.8.3-2 
ii python3 3.13.3-1 
ii python3.13 3.13.3-2 
ii zlib1g 1:1.3.dfsg+really1.3.1-1+b1
Versions of packages kitty recommends: 
ii kitty-doc 0.40.0-1 
ii libcanberra0 0.30-17+b1
Versions of packages kitty suggests: 
ii fonts-noto-color-emoji 2.047-1 
ii imagemagick 8:7.1.1.47+dfsg1-1 
ii imagemagick-7.q16 [imagemagick] 8:7.1.1.47+dfsg1-1
– no debconf information
<div id="signature" style="font-family: Lato, Calibri, Tahoma, sans-serif; max-width: 32em">-- 

<dt>.’‘`. martin f. krafft <a href="mailto:madduck@d.o">madduck@d.o</a></dt>
<dd>:’ : proud Debian developer <code>.</code>‘<code>http://people.debian.org/~madduck</code>- Debian - when you have better things to do than fixing systems</dd>
</dl>
</div>
</body>
</html>

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From Nilesh Patra@21:1/5 to martin f krafft on Tue Apr 22 14:40:01 2025

Hi martin,

On 21/04/25 5:48 pm, martin f krafft wrote:

Package: kitty
Version: 0.40.0-1
Severity: normal

Unfortunately, Kitty does not accept the |-name| command-line option, and instead spews and error message. This is a problem when it is used as a drop-in to |x-terminal-emulator|, which sometimes gets passed the |-name| option (supported by every other

terminal emulator that I know).

Upstream will not do this: https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/discussions/8554 <https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/discussions/8554>

I need some help from you to better understand this. Apologies in advance if any of this sounds stupid.

As per upstream we need to use "xdg-terminal-exec". However, I could not find an alternative system
by that name yet in Debian.

So are you asking me to add -name as an attribute as a patch for the Debian package?

Best,
Nilesh

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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From martin f krafft@21:1/5 to All on Wed Apr 23 16:20:01 2025

Regarding the following, written by "Nilesh Patra" on 2025-04-22 at 17:59 Uhr +0530:

As per upstream we need to use "xdg-terminal-exec". However, I
could not find an alternative system by that name yet in Debian.

To be honest, I am myself a bit unsure. `x-terminal-emulator` and
the alternatives system is a bit antiquated. Before we introduce
technical debt with patches we have to maintain against upstream,
this might be better discussed with the policy team?

--
.''`. martin f. krafft <madduck@d.o>
: :' : proud Debian developer
`. `'` http://people.debian.org/~madduck
`- Debian - when you have better things to do than fixing systems

"it usually takes more than three weeks
to prepare a good impromptu speech.
-- mark twain

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="content-type"/>
<meta content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" name="viewport"/>
</head>
<body style="font-family: Lato, Calibri, Tahoma, sans-serif; max-width: 32em"> <div class="admonition quote" style="background-color: transparent; border-radius: 0.75em; border: 1px solid #eee; box-shadow: 0 0.2em 0.5em #999 inset, 0 0 0.0625em #999 inset; margin: 1em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0; font-size: smaller">
<p class="admonition-title" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: auto; background-color: #eee; box-shadow: 0 0.2em 0.5em #999, 0 0 0.0625em #999; margin: 0; padding: 0.25em 0.25em 0.25em 0.5em; font-style: italic">Regarding the following, written by
“Nilesh Patra” on 2025-04-22 at 17:59 Uhr +0530:
<blockquote style="padding: 0 0.5em; margin: 0; font-style: italic; font-size: inherit; border-left: inherit; color: #666">
As per upstream we need to use “xdg-terminal-exec”. However, I could not find an alternative system by that name yet in Debian.
</blockquote>
</div>
To be honest, I am myself a bit unsure. <code>x-terminal-emulator</code> and the alternatives system is a bit antiquated. Before we introduce technical debt with patches we have to maintain against
upstream, this might be better discussed with the policy team?
<div id="signature" style="font-family: Lato, Calibri, Tahoma, sans-serif; max-width: 32em">-- 

<dt>.’‘`. martin f. krafft <a href="mailto:madduck@d.o">madduck@d.o</a></dt>
<dd>:’ : proud Debian developer <code>.</code>‘<code>http://people.debian.org/~madduck</code>- Debian - when you have better things to do than fixing systems</dd>
</dl>
“it usually takes more than three weeks 
to prepare a good impromptu speech. 
– mark twain </div>
</body>
</html>

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

From Nilesh Patra@21:1/5 to martin f krafft on Wed Apr 23 17:00:01 2025

XPost: linux.debian.policy

On 23 April 2025 7:36:44 pm IST, martin f krafft <madduck@debian.org> wrote: >Regarding the following, written by "Nilesh Patra" on 2025-04-22 at 17:59 Uhr +0530:

As per upstream we need to use "xdg-terminal-exec". However, I could not find an alternative system by that name yet in Debian.

To be honest, I am myself a bit unsure. `x-terminal-emulator` and the alternatives system is a bit antiquated. Before we introduce technical debt with patches we have to maintain against upstream, this might be better discussed with the policy team?

OK, I am CC'ing that list in reply.

Policy team: could you please help us out here?

PS: martin, note that I will not take any action on this bug until trixie release.

Best,
Nilesh

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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From Simon McVittie@21:1/5 to Nilesh Patra on Wed Apr 23 18:00:02 2025

XPost: linux.debian.policy

Some missing context here is the original bug report from martin f krafft:

Unfortunately, Kitty does not accept the `-name` command-line
option, and instead spews and error message. This is a problem when
it is used as a drop-in to `x-terminal-emulator`, which sometimes
gets passed the `-name` option (supported by every other terminal
emulator that I know).

If the maintainers of kitty don't want to add a -name option, then I
think this should be closed as "won't fix". Policy is clear about the requirements for a terminal to be available via the x-terminal-emulator alternative:

To be an x-terminal-emulator, a program must:
- Be able to emulate a DEC VT100 terminal, or a compatible terminal.
- Support the command-line option -e *command* [...]
- Support the command-line option -T *title* [...]

Notably, the -name option does not appear anywhere on that list.

So if some other piece of software is making the assumption that every x-terminal-emulator supports an xterm-compatible "-name" option, then
that's a bug in the other piece of software, not a bug in kitty. The
same is true for "-title" (the x-terminal-emulator specification only
requires the short form -T to be supported).

*Some* x-terminal-emulator implementations, like xterm and
the Debian-specific gnome-terminal.wrapper, additionally support options
like "-name" and "-title", but there is no guarantee about those.

ptyxis and GNOME Console (kgx) don't support "-name" either.

It would be possible to have a wrapper script that parses a subset of
xterm command-line syntax and translates it to kitty syntax (/usr/bin/gnome-terminal.wrapper in the gnome-terminal package, which
does the same thing for gnome-terminal, would be a good starting point),
but I think it's entirely reasonable for the Debian maintainers of kitty
not to want to be responsible for maintaining such a thing.

On Wed, 23 Apr 2025 at 20:19:09 +0530, Nilesh Patra wrote:

On 23 April 2025 7:36:44 pm IST, martin f krafft <madduck@debian.org> wrote: >>Regarding the following, written by "Nilesh Patra" on 2025-04-22 at 17:59 Uhr +0530:

As per upstream we need to use "xdg-terminal-exec". However, I could not find an alternative system by that name yet in Debian.

The xdg-terminal-exec protocol does not involve /etc/alternatives, but
anyway it also doesn't (guarantee to) support a "-name" option. (It also doesn't support either "-title" or "-T".)

xdg-terminal-exec is a proposed specification for launching a command in
"any suitable terminal emulator", in a terminal-agnostic way, vaguely
similar to x-terminal-emulator. The reference implementation of this
protocol is available in the xdg-terminal-exec package in trixie, and
the protocol itself is described in /usr/share/doc/xdg-terminal-exec/README.md.gz in that package.

`x-terminal-emulator` and the alternatives system is a bit antiquated

Specifically, the main advantage of xdg-terminal-exec over
x-terminal-emulator, other than it not being Debian-specific, is that
that by default it will try to choose an appropriate terminal emulator
for the desktop environment. For example, suppose GNOME user Greta and
KDE Plasma user Kevin share a computer, they both use mutt as their email client and mailto: handler, and neither of them has reconfigured their preferred terminal.

With those prerequisites, when both users click on mailto: links, Greta
would reasonably expect to see mutt open in gnome-terminal or similar,
while Kevin would expect Konsole or similar. xdg-terminal-exec can do
this. x-terminal-emulator cannot: there is only one /etc/alternatives/x-terminal-emulator, system-wide, which cannot
simultaneously point to /usr/bin/gnome-terminal.wrapper and to /usr/bin/konsole, so at least one of our two users will be disappointed.

(xdg-terminal-exec is also configurable per-user via files in ~/.config, whereas the closest thing we have to being able to configure x-terminal-emulator per-user is for each user to figure out how to alter
their $PATH to include ~/bin or ~/.local/bin or similar, and then put a x-terminal-emulator symlink in that directory pointing to their
preferred implementation.)

smcv

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From Nilesh Patra@21:1/5 to All on Wed Apr 23 18:20:01 2025

XPost: linux.debian.policy

Control: tags -1 wontfix
Control: close -1

Thanks a lot Simon. I'm closing the bug as such then.

Best,
Nilesh

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Bug#1103770: Does not accept -name command line option

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