Public bug reported:
The `onboard` package (version 1.4.1-5ubuntu6) shipped with Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS
crashes with a segmentation fault shortly after launch. This is an
**accessibility-critical bug** as Onboard is a primary input method for users
who cannot use a hardware keyboard.
The issue is **already fixed in upstream version 1.4.3.post9**. This bug
requests updating the Ubuntu package to a supported upstream version
(≥1.4.2).
### Steps to Reproduce
1. Fresh install of Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS
2. Use X11 session (Wayland disabled)
3. Install onboard: `sudo apt install onboard`
4. Enable GNOME accessibility when prompted
5. Launch onboard: `/usr/bin/onboard`
6. Wait a few seconds
### Expected Behavior
Onboard opens and remains stable as an on-screen keyboard.
### Actual Behavior
Onboard window appears briefly, then crashes with:
```
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
```
With debug logging (`onboard --debug debug`), the last lines before crash are:
```
DEBUG AutoShow unlock('lock_visible') []
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
```
### Environment
- **Ubuntu version:** 24.04.3 LTS (Noble Numbat)
- **Kernel:** 6.14.0-36-generic
- **Session type:** X11 (XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11)
- **Desktop:** GNOME
- **Affected packages:**
- onboard 1.4.1-5ubuntu6
- onboard-common 1.4.1-5ubuntu6
- onboard-data 1.4.1-5ubuntu6
### Workaround (Configuration-based)
Disabling AutoShow and related features via GSettings allows the
packaged version to run stably:
```bash
gsettings set org.onboard.auto-show enabled false
gsettings set org.onboard.auto-show hide-on-key-press false
gsettings set org.onboard.auto-show tablet-mode-detection-enabled false
gsettings set org.onboard.auto-show keyboard-device-detection-enabled false
gsettings set org.onboard.keyboard input-event-source 'GTK'
gsettings set org.onboard.keyboard key-synth 'XTest'
```
However, this disables useful functionality.
### Solution: Update to Upstream 1.4.3
I built and tested **upstream version 1.4.3.post9** from
https://github.com/onboard-osk/onboard on the same system:
- **AutoShow disabled:** Stable, ran for 2+ minutes
- **AutoShow enabled:** Stable, no segfault
The upstream maintainers confirmed they only support versions ≥1.4.2,
and the bug appears to be fixed in that version.
### Impact
- **Severity:** High (accessibility-critical)
- **Users affected:** Anyone using Onboard on Ubuntu 24.04.x with default
settings
- **Functionality lost:** On-screen keyboard crashes, blocking input for users
who depend on it
### Request
Please consider updating the `onboard` package from 1.4.1 to 1.4.3 (or
later) to resolve this segfault and align with the upstream-supported
version.
### References
- Upstream repository: https://github.com/onboard-osk/onboard
- Upstream version with fix: 1.4.3.post9
- My diagnostic fork with detailed notes: https://github.com/owenpkent/onboard
- See `README-dev-notes.md` and `onboard-crash-report.txt`
## Tags to Add
- `segfault`
- `accessibility`
- `a11y`
- `crash`
** Affects: onboard (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Attachment added: "onboard-crash-report.txt"
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2136781/+attachment/5934523/+files/onboard-crash-report.txt
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2136781
Title:
Onboard 1.4.1 segfaults on Ubuntu 24.04.3 with AutoShow enabled; fixed
in upstream 1.4.3
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