F-spot 0.8.0 crashes after import

Binary package hint: f-spot

I'm having a very frustrating issue with F-spot Photo Manager, version 0.8.0-1, in Ubuntu 10.10. I've scanned the forums for days but have not happened upon a solution thus far. The application always crashes after importing photos --without moving the original files-- and will continue to crash after repeated attempts to launch the application.

The only suitable work-around to open F-spot again is to delete the config folder in /home/username/.config/f-spot. But I can't seem to be able to "import" any photos into the library without the same process repeating itself.

I've tried "importing" photos with "Detect Duplicates" turned off, but the same process occurs.

Here is the output when launching F-spot from the terminal:

[Info 17:14:20.634] Initializing Mono.Addins
Exception in Gtk# callback delegate
Note: Applications can use GLib.ExceptionManager.UnhandledException to handle the exception.
System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Argument is out of range.
at System.DateTime.DaysInMonth (Int32 year, Int32 month) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor.DateFromIndexDescending (Int32 item) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor.DateFromIndex (Int32 item) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor.TickLabel (Int32 item) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.GroupSelector.HandleAdaptorChanged (FSpot.GroupAdaptor adaptor) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at (wrapper delegate-invoke) FSpot.GroupAdaptor/ChangedHandler:invoke_void__this___GroupAdaptor (FSpot.GroupAdaptor)
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor+<DoReload>c__AnonStorey19.<>m__6 B () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.Driver+<RunIdle>c__AnonStorey11.<>m__50 () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.Idle+IdleProxy.Handler () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.ExceptionManager.RaiseUnhandledException(Syst em.Exception e, Boolean is_terminal)
at GLib.Idle+IdleProxy.Handler()
at Gtk.Application.gtk_main()
at Gtk.Application.Run()
at FSpot.Driver.Startup()
at Hyena.Gui.CleanRoomStartup.Startup(Hyena.Gui.Start upInvocationHandler startup)
at FSpot.Driver.Main(System.String[] args)

After deleting the f-spot folder in /.config and launching F-spot from the terminal again, F-spot launches properly and presents me with the usual "Import" dialogue. This is the terminal output thus far:

[Info 17:15:33.873] Initializing Mono.Addins

(f-spot:2969): GdkPixbuf-WARNING **: GdkPixbufLoader finalized without calling gdk_pixbuf_loader_close() - this is not allowed. You must explicitly end the data stream to the loader before dropping the last reference.

And after choosing my folders to import and selecting the option to write metadata to the files, I click "Import", and the process seems to complete properly, but as soon as the import is finished, the application crashes with this output:

[Warn 17:19:56.510] Metadata of file file:///media/05ded4ad-5542-4e60-a2c3-67db3c6c6744/ubuntu/Pictures/Photos/2010/05/09/P5090002.JPG may be corrupt, refusing to write to it, falling back to XMP sidecar.
[Warn 17:19:59.527] Metadata of file file:///media/05ded4ad-5542-4e60-a2c3-67db3c6c6744/ubuntu/Pictures/Photos/2010/05/15/P5150104.JPG may be corrupt, refusing to write to it, falling back to XMP sidecar.
TAGLIB# DEBUG: Added ns1 prefix for http://ns.adobe.com/illustrator/1.0/ namespace (XMP)
TAGLIB# DEBUG: Added ns2 prefix for http://ns.adobe.com/xap/1.0/sType/ResourceRef# namespace (XMP)
[Error 17:20:13.611] Error syncing metadata to file
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
at FSpot.Jobs.SyncMetadataJob.WriteMetadataToImage (FSpot.Photo photo) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.Jobs.SyncMetadataJob.Execute () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
[Warn 17:20:21.277] Metadata of file file:///media/05ded4ad-5542-4e60-a2c3-67db3c6c6744/ubuntu/Pictures/2010/05/08/P5080023.JPG may be corrupt, refusing to write to it, falling back to XMP sidecar.
[Warn 17:20:22.512] Metadata of file file:///media/05ded4ad-5542-4e60-a2c3-67db3c6c6744/ubuntu/Pictures/2010/05/15/P5150085%20(Modified).JPG may be corrupt, refusing to write to it, falling back to XMP sidecar.
[Error 17:20:38.884] Error syncing metadata to file
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
at FSpot.Jobs.SyncMetadataJob.WriteMetadataToImage (FSpot.Photo photo) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.Jobs.SyncMetadataJob.Execute () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
Marshaling destroy signal
Exception in Gtk# callback delegate
Note: Applications can use GLib.ExceptionManager.UnhandledException to handle the exception.
System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
at FSpot.Widgets.CollectionGridView.OnDestroyed () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at Gtk.Object.NativeDestroy (System.Object o, System.EventArgs args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at (wrapper managed-to-native) System.Reflection.MonoMethod:InternalInvoke (object,object[],System.Exception&)
at System.Reflection.MonoMethod.Invoke (System.Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, System.Reflection.Binder binder, System.Object[] parameters, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Reflection.MonoMethod.Invoke (System.Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, System.Reflection.Binder binder, System.Object[] parameters, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.Reflection.MethodBase.Invoke (System.Object obj, System.Object[] parameters) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.Delegate.DynamicInvokeImpl (System.Object[] args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.MulticastDelegate.DynamicInvokeImpl (System.Object[] args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.Delegate.DynamicInvoke (System.Object[] args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.Signal.ClosureInvokedCB (System.Object o, GLib.ClosureInvokedArgs args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.SignalClosure.Invoke (GLib.ClosureInvokedArgs args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.SignalClosure.MarshalCallback (IntPtr raw_closure, IntPtr return_val, UInt32 n_param_vals, IntPtr param_values, IntPtr invocation_hint, IntPtr marshal_data) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.ExceptionManager.RaiseUnhandledException(Syst em.Exception e, Boolean is_terminal)
at GLib.SignalClosure.MarshalCallback(IntPtr raw_closure, IntPtr return_val, UInt32 n_param_vals, IntPtr param_values, IntPtr invocation_hint, IntPtr marshal_data)
at Gtk.Object.gtk_object_destroy(IntPtr )
at Gtk.Object.Destroy()
at Gtk.Widget.Destroy()
at FSpot.UI.Dialog.ImportDialog.OnControllerStatusEve nt(ImportEvent evnt)
at FSpot.Import.ImportController+ImportEventHandler.i nvoke_void__this___ImportEvent(ImportEvent )
at FSpot.Import.ImportController+<FireEvent>c__AnonSt orey8.<>m__24()
at FSpot.Driver+<RunIdle>c__AnonStorey11.<>m__50()
at GLib.Idle+IdleProxy.Handler()
at Gtk.Application.gtk_main()
at Gtk.Application.Run()
at FSpot.Driver.Startup()
at Hyena.Gui.CleanRoomStartup.Startup(Hyena.Gui.Start upInvocationHandler startup)
at FSpot.Driver.Main(System.String[] args)

As seen in the output above, the problem appears to be because of a failure to sync the metadata with the photo files.

However, repeating the above process with the option to "Store metadata separately" produces the same crashing result with this output:

[Info 17:25:40.738] Initializing Mono.Addins

(f-spot:3067): GdkPixbuf-WARNING **: GdkPixbufLoader finalized without calling gdk_pixbuf_loader_close() - this is not allowed. You must explicitly end the data stream to the loader before dropping the last reference.
Exception in Gtk# callback delegate
Note: Applications can use GLib.ExceptionManager.UnhandledException to handle the exception.
System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Argument is out of range.
at System.DateTime.DaysInMonth (Int32 year, Int32 month) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor.DateFromIndexDescending (Int32 item) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor.DateFromIndex (Int32 item) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor.TickLabel (Int32 item) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.GroupSelector.HandleAdaptorChanged (FSpot.GroupAdaptor adaptor) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at (wrapper delegate-invoke) FSpot.GroupAdaptor/ChangedHandler:invoke_void__this___GroupAdaptor (FSpot.GroupAdaptor)
at FSpot.TimeAdaptor+<DoReload>c__AnonStorey19.<>m__6 B () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at FSpot.Driver+<RunIdle>c__AnonStorey11.<>m__50 () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.Idle+IdleProxy.Handler () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at GLib.ExceptionManager.RaiseUnhandledException(Syst em.Exception e, Boolean is_terminal)
at GLib.Idle+IdleProxy.Handler()
at Gtk.Application.gtk_main()
at Gtk.Application.Run()
at FSpot.Driver.Startup()
at Hyena.Gui.CleanRoomStartup.Startup(Hyena.Gui.Start upInvocationHandler startup)
at FSpot.Driver.Main(System.String[] args)

I've tried to eliminate all the different variables I can think of, but I haven't found a solution. This issue is present not only in Ubuntu 10.10 64-bit, but also in openSuse 11.3 and Linux Mint 10.

Thank-you for your patience and my apologies for the very long post.

Can anyone come up with a solution?

Many thanks.