Ubuntu
seahorse package

problem importing gpg keys "Fatal: can't create directory '/home/hazrpg/~/.gnupg': No such file or directory

Bug #1852210 reported by Hassan Williamson
10
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
seahorse (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

There is a problem when importing a GPG private key from a backup, the error message says the File or Directory does not exist - and it looks like its because of the way it's trying to access it.

Here's the exact error (verbose as its displayed):

Import failed: Fatal: can't create directory '/home/hazrpg/~/.gnupg': No such file or directory

It looks like its trying to access ~/.gnupg and at the same time trying to put that in the /home/hazrpg/ directory (hazrpg being my username). It should be one or the other, so its probably a simple fix.

Steps to reproduce:

1) Open up seahorse.
2) Click on "File" -> "Import...".
3) Select any valid GPG key file (public, private, etc).
4) Verify its valid with the "Data to be imported:" section and then click on "Import".
5) Error message shows in red below the "Data to be imported:" section with the above message.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: seahorse 3.20.0-5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-66.75-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-66-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.9
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Tue Nov 12 11:38:18 2019
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-03-05 (252 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
SourcePackage: seahorse
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

Revision history for this message
Hassan Williamson (hazrpg) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Hassan Williamson (hazrpg) wrote :

Interesting, a PGP key can't be created either. I'll attach what happens when I try to.

Steps to reproduce:

1) Open seahorse.
2) Click on GnuPG keys.
3) Click on the + sign.
4) Select PGP key and click on continue.
5) Type in a Full Name and E-mail address.
6) Click Create.
7) Enter in a passphrase to protect the key.
8) Error message says "Couldn't generate PGP key" in the title, "No agent running" in the body and a "Close" button is displayed.

Revision history for this message
Hassan Williamson (hazrpg) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Hassan Williamson (hazrpg) wrote :

Further information...

Putting all the files into .gnupg folder didn't work even after a reboot (even though it was a direct backup of this directory).

However, when I then tried to generate a new one in the terminal using the following:

gpg --gen-key

And following the steps there, it created a key successfully AND when opening seahorse again... the old key was discovered too!

I've attached a screenshot of this too - the highlighted one is the new one and I've censored the email address from the new one because I don't want it being public.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Changed in seahorse (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
James Atayi (dabayi) wrote :

The error messages “Import failed: Fatal: can't create directory '/home/username/~/.gnupg': No such file or directory” and "Couldn't generate PGP key" only come for me when trying to import or create a key from LibreOffice Writer Version: 6.0.7.3, Build ID: 1:6.0.7-0ubuntu0.18.04.10
I am using Ubuntu Version: 18.04.4 LTS (Bionic Beaver)

From LibreOffice:
File -> Digital Signatures -> Digital Signatures …
Create a new GPG Key ends with: "Couldn't generate PGP key"
Import an existing GPG Key ends with: “Import failed: Fatal: can't create directory '/home/username/~/.gnupg': No such file or directory”

When started from LibreOffice Writer there is no GPG key available. But I already created one GPG Key that is available when I start from the applications manager.

From the application’s manager.

I can easily create and export a new GPG key when I start the application from the Applications manager. And the created GPG keys are visible in the GUI

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