protonscr

Add support for Ptyxis terminal

steamopen Feature RequestValve-provided steam package
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#12457 · opened 2025-11-17 by TheDGOfficial · updated 2025-11-17 · 4 comments · github
TTheDGOfficial 2025-11-17 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date):
Package: steam-launcher
Version: 1:1.0.0.85
Priority: optional
Section: games
Source: steam
Maintainer: Valve Corporation <[email protected]>
Installed-Size: 20,5 MB
Provides: steam, steam-devices, steam-installer
Pre-Depends: dpkg (>= 1.17.0)
Depends: apt (>= 1.1), apt (>= 1.6) | apt-transport-https, ca-certificates, coreutils (>= 8.23-1~), curl, default-dbus-session-bus | dbus-session-bus | dbus-x11, file, libc6 (>= 2.15), libnss3 (>= 2:3.26), lsof, pkexec | policykit-1, python3 (>= 3.4), python3-apt, xdg-user-dirs, xterm | gnome-terminal | konsole, xz-utils, zenity
Recommends: steam-libs-amd64, steam-libs-i386, sudo, xdg-desktop-portal, xdg-desktop-portal-gtk | xdg-desktop-portal-backend, xdg-utils | steamos-base-files
Conflicts: steam-devices, steam-installer
Breaks: steam64
Replaces: steam, steam-devices, steam-installer, steam64
Homepage: http://www.steampowered.com/
Download-Size: 20,3 MB
APT-Manual-Installed: yes
APT-Sources: https://repo.steampowered.com/steam stable/steam amd64 Packages
Description: Launcher for the Steam software distribution service
 Steam is a software distribution service with an online store, automated
 installation, automatic updates, achievements, SteamCloud synchronized
 savegame and screenshot functionality, and many social features.

 Steam Beta Branch:  Steam Beta Update
 Steam Version:  1762289929
 Steam Client Build Date:  Tue, Nov 4 23:42 UTC -08:00
 Steam Web Build Date:  Tue, Nov 4 07:27 UTC -08:00
 Steam API Version:  SteamClient023
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Ubuntu 25.10
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
  • GPU: AMD

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

The default terminal got switched from gnome-terminal to ptyxis in Ubuntu 25.10 but steam-launcher depends on xterm | gnome-terminal | konsole, so it was not removed during upgrade. After the upgrade, I tried to remove it manually as I did not want an unnecessary second terminal installed in my system, it tried to install xterm instead and refused to remove gnome-terminal otherwise. I was quite confused on why this could be happening, so I used aptitude tool and then I found the root cause to be steam-launcher package's Depends: clause.

I saw the issue #665 but this is not a duplicate because I do not need Depends: x-terminal-emulator - changing it to just Depends: xterm | ptyxis | gnome-terminal | konsole would be okay for me. Also that issue is from 2013 so I doubt a switch to x-terminal-emulator is planned anytime soon so just adding ptyxis would be okay for now.

25.10 is not a LTS version, but the next version is a LTS and I doubt it will go back to gnome-terminal.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Upgrade to Ubuntu 25.10 from any lower version with steam-launcher package installed. I haven't checked if it causes an error on upgrade since the upgrade finished successfully even if it did I guess it wasn't a critical error (likely upgrade tool just defaulted to keeping the extra package).
  2. There's now 2 terminals on your system, ptyxis being the default and gnome-terminal being only held by steam-launcher package.
  3. Trying to remove gnome-terminal via apt manually tries to install xterm and refuses to remove it otherwise.
Jjn64 2025-11-17 github

I saw the issue https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/665 but this is not a duplicate because I do not need Depends: x-terminal-emulator - changing it to just Depends: xterm | ptyxis | gnome-terminal | konsole would be okay for me.

#665 is the correct solution for you as well. x-terminal-emulator is a virtual package provided by all(?) terminals packaged in Debian and Ubuntu, including ptyxis.

Adding a specific depends on ptyxis would be continuing the same mistake as depending on gnome-terminal and konsole. Depends on ptyxis should only be used if the package specifically depends on ptyxis and no other terminal (e.g. a plugin for ptyxis).

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2025-11-17 github

Closing in favor of the older issue report.

TTheDGOfficial 2025-11-17 github

Closing in favor of the older issue report.

Are there any plans to implement the older issue? It's been open since 2013. The first comment here is right but from what I read the main argument for explicit depends was that different terminal emulators expect different arguments for certain things Steam needs and no standard from either x-terminal-emulator or xdg-terminal-exec provide those (Please correct me if I'm wrong, that's just what I read in the related issues). In that case, I think Ptyxis can be added explicitly instead of waitiing another 12 years for x-terminal-emulator. It's going to be the default terminal in the next LTS.

If really one issue for all terminals is desired, then #1476 can be closed as | konsole is already in Depends now, and #3980 & #9265 can be marked as duplicate too.

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2025-11-17 github

While re-evaluating #1476, I came across a counter argument in the 1.0.0.78 changelog explaining why x-terminal-emulator was less than ideal (quoted in the closing comment of that issue report). That re-validates this request.

Upstream links