Pulsemeeter GUI wont start

[stiw47]

Describe the bug
Archlinux with KDE. Pulsemeeter GUI wont start, either if run by clicking on pulsemeeter.desktop from menu, or run from command line by executing pulsemeeter.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. As said above, either: search for the Pulsemeeter in menu. or execute pulsemeeter from Terminal
2. See error from Terminal:

[stiw47@archmedia ~]$ pulsemeeter

(pulsemeeter:9281): Gtk-WARNING **: 08:12:04.811: Locale not supported by C library.
	Using the fallback 'C' locale.
ERROR: invalid json 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pulsemeeter", line 33, in <module>
    sys.exit(load_entry_point('pulsemeeter==1.2.14', 'console_scripts', 'pulsemeeter')())
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/site-packages/pulsemeeter/__main__.py", line 481, in main
    start_app(isserver, trayonly)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/site-packages/pulsemeeter/__main__.py", line 423, in start_app
    app = MainWindow(isserver=isserver, trayonly=trayonly)
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/site-packages/pulsemeeter/interface/main_window.py", line 48, in __init__
    self.windowinstance = self.start_window(isserver)
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/site-packages/pulsemeeter/interface/main_window.py", line 103, in start_window
    self.devices['hi'] = self.client.list_hardware_devices('sources')
                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/site-packages/pulsemeeter/socket/client.py", line 395, in list_hardware_devices
    return json.loads(self.send_command(f'get-hd {device_type}'))
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/json/__init__.py", line 346, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/json/decoder.py", line 337, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/json/decoder.py", line 355, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)

Expected behavior
Pulsemeeter GUI should appear

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• Distro: Archlinux, rolling, up to date
• Python Version: Python 3.11.3

Additional context
Add any other context about the problem here.

[stiw47@archmedia ~]$ sudo pacman -Q pipewire pipewire-pulse gtk3 libappindicator-gtk3 noise-suppression-for-voice pulse-vumeter-git python python-appdirs python-gobject python-pulsectl swh-plugins git python-setuptools glade pipewire-pulse pulseaudio
pipewire 1:0.3.70-2
pipewire-pulse 1:0.3.70-2
gtk3 1:3.24.37-1
libappindicator-gtk3 12.10.0.r298-1
noise-suppression-for-voice 1.03-1
pulse-vumeter-git 0.11.r2.93721e1-1
python 3.11.3-1
python-appdirs 1.4.4-8
python-gobject 3.44.1-3
python-pulsectl 1:23.5.1-1
swh-plugins 0.4.17-4
git 2.40.1-1
python-setuptools 1:67.7.0-1
glade 3.40.0+r14+g1fbca367-2
pipewire-pulse 1:0.3.70-2
pipewire-pulse 1:0.3.70-2

Pulsemeeter was installed several times from AUR. Tried with both versions, pulsemeeter and pulsemeeter-git, and got same behavior and same above error.

Virtual input and output devices have been created, and straight after computer reboot, if I try to run Pulsemeeter, I can see on desktop, it switched from default to Virtual_Input_1.

Also, if I try to run it, it shows the loading icon on the bottom panel shortly, then icon disappeared and nothing happens:

I think that server is running, just GUI wont start for some reason:

[stiw47@archmedia ~]$ pulsemeeter -s
Server: running
Pulseaudio: running
audio server: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.70)
Pulsemeeter version: 1.2.14
Config File: /home/stiw47/.config/pulsemeeter/config.json
OS: Linux-6.3.3-lqx1-1-lqx-x86_64-with-glibc2.37
Python version: 3.11.3 (main, Apr  5 2023, 15:52:25) [GCC 12.2.1 20230201]

I am aware this is not the first issue of this type, especially related with Arch/Manjaro, but I really didn't find solution by reading previous issues, also didn't find same error output in previous issues.

Many thanks in advance.

[gwydion67]

same issue, and yes the server starts but no gui shows up

[wnm210]

bump