Desktop icons not showing, no metadata.json
📦 Version and System
$ GNOME Shell 3.36.3
$ nautilus --version
GNOME nautilus 3.36.3
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
$ cat /etc/*-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=20.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=focal
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="20.04.1 LTS (Focal Fossa)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS"
VERSION_ID="20.04"
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
VERSION_CODENAME=focal
UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal
$ cat $HOME/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/desktop-icons@csoriano/metadata.json
cat: /home/dan/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/desktop-icons@csoriano/metadata.json: No such file or directory
📜 Description of the Issue
Desktop icons aren't working and don't act as shortcuts. Instead they show a gear icon and open a text file. I noted the "no such file or directory" so I ran sudo apt reinstall gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons
but there were no changes I noticed.
I have upgraded Ubuntu for a few versions (since Unity days), but I'm not aware of a single customization I have ever made to any Gnome extension or to Gnome itself ever.