Programs not showing/working in MX Linux kde

Goatmilk

Goatmilk

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After wrecking my xfce, I've just installed MX Linux kde and like it a lot better so far.

It has an epub reader installed - Foliate - but it doesn't seem to work and won't show up when clicking on it in the menu. Calling it via terminal produces the following:

$ foliate
libEGL warning: failed to get driver name for fd -1

libEGL warning: MESA-LOADER: failed to retrieve device information

libEGL warning: failed to get driver name for fd -1


(com.github.johnfactotum.Foliate:4627): Gdk-WARNING **: 17:26:38.758: The program 'com.github.johnfactotum.Foliate' received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'GLXBadFBConfig'.
(Details: serial 218 error_code 170 request_code 152 (GLX) minor_code 0)
(Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
To debug your program, run it with the GDK_SYNCHRONIZE environment
variable to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)
Click to expand...

I assume there is the solution right there spelled out for dummies, but unfortunately I cannot make heads or tails from it. Since I just wrecked my first Linux, I want to be more careful now (well, the next couple of days at least), so I better ask here:
Is there a safe way to fix this? Should I remove it and then try to reinstall? The thing went through the updates, so is there even a chance a new version will behave any differently?


Then I thought that the xfce weather thingy was nicer than its kde equivalent, and looked in MX Package Installer if I could find it there. I did, it's xfce4-weather-plugin

I installed it with MX Package Installer, but it doesn't show up anywhere, except in MX Package Installer which lists it as 'installed package' (green box with check), and it shows here:

# System: MX-23.3_KDE_x64 Libretto May 19, 2024
#
# List of user installed packages
# Package name Description

librewolf The Librewolf Browser
master-pdf-editor-4 Master PDF Editor is the complete solution for viewing, printing and editing PDF files.
synaptic Graphical package manager
xfce4-weather-plugin weather information plugin for the Xfce4 panel
Click to expand...

But it doesn't show up anywhere else and the terminal can't find it:

xfce4-weather-plugin: command not found

$ xfce4-weather
xfce4-weather: command not found
Click to expand...

But, I installed it.

Is it not showing because the kde task bar isn't a xfce panel? But wouldn't it produce some sort of error, if that were the case, like the Foliate program above?
 


Goatmilk said:
It has an epub reader installed - Foliate - but it doesn't seem to work and won't show up when clicking on it in the menu.
Click to expand...
Not a solution to your problem but for books management (PDF, eBook etc.) calibre is king.
It should be available in MX repo: sudo apt install calibre
 
CaffeineAddict said:
Not a solution to your problem but for books management (PDF, eBook etc.) calibre is king.
It should be available in MX repo: sudo apt install calibre
Click to expand...
I know, and Calibre will definitely be there once it goes on the main computer. I'm just not putting it on the old laptop because my Calibre library has some 1200 books in it.

But I'm interested to know what is wrong with this Foliate installation, particularly since it came with MX Linux kde.
 
Regarding xfce4-weather-plugin plugin, you're mixing up things, if you use KDE desktop but installing XFCE programs?

In some cases this might work for some programs but not for others, the biggest issue is you're pulling in XFCE dependencies to KDE desktop which will result in a ton of extra packages that you don't need.

If you're using KDE use KDE programs, there is KDE program for almost everything and if there isn't then install one that's unrelated to any other desktop unless there is no other choice.

And regarding foliate error, that's graphical issue, are you using AMD GPU?
If yes, update mesa library, perhaps install libegl-mesa0 and please share output of inxi -Gxxx
 
To be honest, I didn't even think of any dependencies - I just thought it was the better weather app. Maybe I should just stick to going to www.weather.com...

No idea bout the GPU, it says
Graphics Processor: Mesa Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset
Click to expand...

I vaguely recall some foggy memory about Intel and AMD being opposites, but that could well be something out of Win98 times...

Just to be on the safe side, before I install anything more:

Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Mobile 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel
arch: Gen-5 process: Intel 45nm built: 2008 ports: active: LVDS-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-3,
HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2, VGA-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:2a42 class-ID: 0300
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
loaded: intel dri: crocus gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1440x900 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 381x238mm (15.00x9.37") s-diag: 449mm (17.69")
Monitor-1: LVDS-1 mapped: LVDS1 model: AU Optronics 0x4277 built: 2010 res: 1440x900 hz: 60
dpi: 111 gamma: 1.2 size: 331x207mm (13.03x8.15") diag: 390mm (15.4") ratio: 16:10
modes: 1440x900
API: OpenGL v: 2.1 Mesa 23.1.2-1~mx23ahs renderer: Mesa Mobile Intel GM45 Express (CTG)
direct-render: Yes
Click to expand...
 
Goatmilk said:
To be honest, I didn't even think of any dependencies - I just thought it was the better weather app.
Click to expand...
2 golden rules, at least for me is to not mix repositories and not mix desktop software or desktops, I've tried both scenarios and didn't like what it does.

Foliate just like xfce4-weather-plugin is not KDE software but GTK so I would not use it on KDE desktop.

Sadly I can't say if this is mesa issue related to Intel GPU or Foilate issue, but I did google out your errors and there are several reports with people having same problems with mesa.

See if instructions below help:

Intel video driver – MX Linux

mxlinux.org mxlinux.org
 
Thanks a lot for looking into it, I appreciate it.

Funny that Foliate isn't kde software either - it came with it. Or rather, it came with MX Linux. But I looked at the site you linked and I guess I stop there. For a program I will never use again once Calibre gets installed it just doesn't seem wise to start mucking about in the system (again). Actually, I'm not even using it now. I just was curious.

Guess I'll take Synaptic Package manager and delete both Foliate and the weather thing.

Heaven knows I'll find something else to wreck up my system with, but then it hopefully will be something pretty that's worth it...
 
Goatmilk said:
Funny that Foliate isn't kde software either - it came with it. Or rather, it came with MX Linux.
Click to expand...
I don't know MX Linux philosophy and why it would install various software upfront but you can also create an issue on GitHub for Foilate:
github.com

Issues · johnfactotum/foliate

Read e-books in style. Contribute to johnfactotum/foliate development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com github.com

State your Foilate version, GPU driver version, mesa version and inxi output, they should be able to tell you what's the problem.
 
I've deleted it...

(Yikes, I'm spamming this forum enough already...)
 
If you had not deleted it you could have gone to a terminal and tried to launch it from there and if there was a problem it should have spit out an error message, which may have given a clue to what was happening.
 
kc1di said:
In any event I use Calibre works great.
Though foliate works on my MX kde insall also. But if it's not work you should also let the MX dev's know on their forum found here
Click to expand...
I also use Calibre, and as soon as Linux lands on the main computer, it'll be installed.

I will look at the MX forum and probably subscribe, as I think I'll stick with MX Linux. But for now I think there is a good chance most of my troubles result from being a total Linux newbie, and not so much from the distro used.

Think about it, "Hey, guys, lifelong Windows user here. I've just installed Linux for the first time ever and I think I've found a bug..."

lol
 
Goatmilk said:
But for now I think there is a good chance most of my troubles result from being a total Linux newbie, and not so much from the distro used.
Click to expand...
Hey, I personally no longer consider my self a Linux newbie, I'm using Linux as daily driver for only 7 months and before that been using it very rarely and only in VM, and would like to share what I consider the most essential for any Linux newbie to master before anything else:

1. File system structure, you want to know what different directories on Linux are used for

2. Terminal commands, you want to memorize as many terminal commands as you can, this will take some time so,
split this into 2 parts, first knowing what various commands are used for in general followed by memorizing some popular options and how to use them, practice them.

3. Master your package manager, on MX Linux that's apt which is a wrapper around apt-get, apt-cache, apt-file etc.

4. Learn how to interpret logs and what information do different log files in /var/log store,
when something goes wrong with your system logs will tell you what's the problem so you want to know where to look for.

5. Last but not least, is to pay special importance to commands for hardware info gathering and module management, these include lsmod, modinfo, modprobe, inxi, lspci, lscpu etc.

If you master these 5 points you'll no longer feel like a newbie, the rest of complexity will resolve on it's own.

And probably most important IMO is to stick with one distro and one desktop until you know them well, ones that you like and want to use, changing distros and desktops in the beginning will only bring more confusion because every distro or desktop has unique gotchas and bugs that others don't have, and wasting your time to troubleshoot these add nothing special to your skills because there are too many potential problems to memorize them all.

I opted for Debian and one of my reasons why I like Debian is because I don't have to troubleshoot it due to it's stability so I can focus and put my efforts on mastering what's important instead of wasting my time with bugs and issues.

edit:
6. File system permissions is another thing you want to know well, chown, chgrp, chmod, umask, getfacl, setfacl.
You can set various permissions on files and directories, you won't set them often, but knowing how it works is essential.
 
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Thanks, I think changing to kde was okay for now, just to smoothe the beginnings. I keep xfce close, though, as it is said to be the more stable one. Could be that one day when Linux doesn't sound like Chinese to me I might give it another look.

For now, the program troubles continue. I've just installed Wireguard via Synaptic Package Manager, but it doesn't show up anywhere.

Terminal tells me
$ wireguard
wireguard: command not found

According to Synaptic Package Manager, it has installed wireguard and wireguard-tools

Something missing?

Wondering if that should be a new thread, but I already have so many....
 
Goatmilk said:
Terminal tells me
$ wireguard
wireguard: command not found
Click to expand...
It most certainly requires root access, when a program requires root access it's not in users PATH so it's not found.

therefore sudo wireguard should work.

Goatmilk said:
According to Synaptic Package Manager, it has installed wireguard and wireguard-tools
Click to expand...
Like I told you in previous post, master your package manager, get into habit to use apt to install and manage software, it will tell you much more about the software you're using than Synaptic.

For instance it will list all dependencies that get installed while you're installing something, which is useful to see how your system gets bloated if you install software that's not from your desktop makers.

Also apt show <packagename> and apt search <packagename> are very useful for info about some program.
 
Thanks, I tried sudo wireguard and it says

sudo: wireguard: command not found

Looked in the user installed-packages-list and there it is listed.

And apt show wireguard produced this:

$ apt show wireguard
Package: wireguard
Version: 1.0.20210914-1
Priority: optional
Section: net
Maintainer: Daniel Kahn Gillmor <[email protected]>
Installed-Size: 17.4 kB
Depends: wireguard-modules (>= 0.0.20191219) | wireguard-dkms (>= 0.0.20200121-2), wireguard-tools (>= 1.0.202
10914-1)
Homepage: https://www.wireguard.com
Download-Size: 8,216 B
APT-Manual-Installed: yes
APT-Sources: http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main amd64 Packages
Description: fast, modern, secure kernel VPN tunnel (metapackage)
WireGuard is a novel VPN that runs inside the Linux Kernel and uses
state-of-the-art cryptography (the "Noise" protocol). It aims to be
faster, simpler, leaner, and more useful than IPSec, while avoiding
the massive headache. It intends to be considerably more performant
than OpenVPN. WireGuard is designed as a general purpose VPN for
running on embedded interfaces and super computers alike, fit for
many different circumstances. It runs over UDP.
.
This metapackage explicitly depends on both the kernel module and the
userspace tooling.
Click to expand...
 
$ apt search wireguard
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
golang-golang.zx2c4-wireguard-dev/stable,stable 0.0.20220316-1 all
Userspace implementation of WireGuard in Go (library)

ifupdown-ng/stable 0.11.4~rc1-1+b2 amd64
Network Interface Management tool similar to ifupdown{,2}

wireguard/stable,stable,now 1.0.20210914-1 all [installed]
fast, modern, secure kernel VPN tunnel (metapackage)

wireguard-go/stable 0.0.20220316-1+b4 amd64
Userspace implementation of WireGuard in Go (program)

wireguard-tools/stable,now 1.0.20210914-1+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
fast, modern, secure kernel VPN tunnel (userland utilities)
Click to expand...

The package manager only installed wireguard and wireguard tools.

It left wireguard-go and golang-golang.zx2c4-wireguard-dev which are still unchecked, that is not installed.

Might that be the problem?

Should I install them? Or are there already there, when the terminal listed them above?

------------------------------------------------------
Edit: Installed the whole lot, and now it says:

sudo wireguard-go
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Running wireguard-go is not required because this │
│ kernel has first class support for WireGuard. For │
│ information on installing the kernel module, │
│ please visit: │
│ https://www.wireguard.com/install/ │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Usage: wireguard-go [-f/--foreground] INTERFACE-NAME
Click to expand...

Huh? Now what do I do if I want the laptop to use the safe connection to my FritzBox?

The Windows computer has a program and the Android pad has a wireguard app that you could simply switch to 'on' to have Wireguard enabled.
 
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