External links launch process hangs for 2 minutes

[Ednaordinary]

Captchas

• [x] I have read the instructions.
• [x] I have searched existing issues and avoided creating duplicates.
• [x] I am not filing an enhancement request.
• [x] I have checked that this issue cannot be reproduced on Mozilla Firefox.
• [x] I have checked that this issue can be reproduced once I removed all my Mods and Custom CSS.

What happened?

The flatpak version of zen hangs for two minutes (on my system, at least) when opening from external apps like vesktop. The command executed by the launcher is:

/usr/bin/flatpak run --branch=stable --arch=x86_64 --command=launch-script.sh --file-forwarding app.zen_browser.zen @@u <my external link> @@

As shown above, trying to open this link hangs at 1 cpu core fully used for ~2 minutes. Executing this command in a terminal opens the tab immediately. I narrowed this down to the desktop file at '/var/lib/flatpak/app/app.zen_browser.zen/current/active/export/share/applications/app.zen_browser.zen.desktop'

Changing Terminal=false to Terminal=true fixes this for whatever reason (though momentarily opens a terminal when clicking the link of course)

Version

1.12.3b and 1.12.5b

What platform are you seeing the problem on?

Linux (Flatpak)

What component is this issue related to?

Other

[trews1]

I don't know if this is related or if I should open a new issue:

I'm on Linux Mint 22.1 and just recently started to use the Flatpak of Zen (1.12.5b). It is set as my default browser. When Zen is already running and I try to open a link externally from for example an e-mail or document it opens as expected.

However, if there is no instance of Zen running already and I try to open the same link, a Zen window appears, a new tab for the opened site appears but it does not load and doesn't even show the URL in the bar. In fact no sites can be loaded in that instance. Pinned tabs that I click just say they crashed and trying to reload them doesn't work, they are just eternally stuck on reloading. Opening a new tab and trying to access a site doesn't work either. Those never load too.

[Ednaordinary]

This sounds unrelated since it is after the launch process has occurred (the zen browser opens), unless the browser is launching in the launch process and also hangs for ~2 minutes? Somehow the launch process is being limited in some way so maybe it is hanging indefinitely in this case, though I don't think that would let you open emails and documents until 2 minutes later so it's probably unrelated.

does doing the Terminal=true workaround work?

[Ednaordinary]

~~Switching from X11 -> Wayland fixes this (no idea why)~~ maybe not?

[GasparAM]

Also ran into this issue. Launching the command form the terminal works. I'm on wayland with Hyprland. Looking at htop the command also has 100% CPU usage.

[dosubot[bot]]

Hi, @Ednaordinary. I'm Dosu, and I'm helping the desktop team manage their backlog. I'm marking this issue as stale.

Issue Summary

• Zen browser's flatpak version hangs for two minutes when opening links from external applications.
• A CPU core is fully utilized during the hang.
• Temporary fix involves changing the desktop file setting to open a terminal window.
• Switching from X11 to Wayland was suggested as a fix but later questioned.

Next Steps

• Please let us know if this issue is still relevant to the latest version of the desktop repository by commenting here.
• If no updates are provided, the issue will be automatically closed in 7 days.

Thank you for your understanding and contribution!

[Ednaordinary]

Issue is still present on the latest version

[dosubot[bot]]

Hi, @Ednaordinary. I'm Dosu, and I'm helping the desktop team manage their backlog. I'm marking this issue as stale.

Issue Summary:

• You reported a delay when opening external links in the Zen browser's Flatpak version, potentially due to desktop file configuration.
• Changing Terminal=false to Terminal=true resolves the delay but opens a terminal window.
• User trews1 mentioned a separate issue with site loading, and GasparAM noted high CPU usage during the hang.
• Switching from X11 to Wayland was suggested but later questioned.
• You confirmed the issue persists in the latest version.

Next Steps:

• Please let us know if this issue is still relevant to the latest version of the desktop repository by commenting here.
• If there is no further activity, this issue will be automatically closed in 7 days.

Thank you for your understanding and contribution!

[Ednaordinary]

unsure if this still happens. I no longer can reproduce the issue but my system has changed a lot since then (including that im now on the flatpak vesktop instead of apt installed).

[dosubot[bot]]

Hi, @Ednaordinary. I'm Dosu, and I'm helping the desktop team manage their backlog and am marking this issue as stale.

Issue Summary:

• You reported that the Flatpak version of Zen Browser hangs with high CPU usage when opening external links via the launcher command on Linux.
• The hang was linked to the desktop file's "Terminal=false" setting; changing it to "Terminal=true" fixed the hang but briefly opened a terminal window.
• Other users noted related issues with site loading and CPU usage; switching from X11 to Wayland was suggested but later questioned.
• You later mentioned you can no longer reproduce the issue after system changes and switching to the Flatpak version.
• The issue remains unresolved but appears less reproducible in current setups.

Next Steps:

• Please let me know if this issue is still relevant with the latest version of the desktop repository by commenting here to keep the discussion open.
• Otherwise, I will automatically close this issue in 10 days.

Thank you for your understanding and contribution!