# Running VLC without KDE



## MarcoB (Jan 23, 2011)

Hello,

Every time I try to start and open a file in VLC, it locks up and generates some errors


```
VLC media player 1.1.5 The Luggage (revision exported)
[0x285290fc] main libvlc: Found old config file at /home/marco/.vlc/vlcrc. VLC will now use /home/marco/.config/vlc/vlcrc.
Blocked: call to unsetenv("DBUS_ACTIVATION_ADDRESS")
Blocked: call to unsetenv("DBUS_ACTIVATION_BUS_TYPE")
[0x285290fc] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
Blocked: call to setlocale(0, "")
Blocked: call to sigaction(20, 0xbf8fcd9c, 0xbf8fcdb4)
Blocked: call to setlocale(0, "")
[0x2d06b1cc] qt4 interface error: Unable to load extensions module
Connecting to deprecated signal QDBusConnectionInterface::serviceOwnerChanged(QString,QString,QString)
kded(1278)/kdeui (KIconLoader) KSharedDataCache::Private::mapSharedMemory: Failed to establish shared memory mapping, will fallback to private 
memory -- memory usage will increase 
QMetaObject::invokeMethod: No such method KUniqueApplication::loadCommandLineOptionsForNewInstance()
kbuildsycoca4 running...
kbuildsycoca4(1281)/kdecore (services) KServicePrivate::init: The desktop entry file  "/usr/local/kde4/share/applications/kde4/koffice.desktop"  
has Type= "Application"  but no Exec line
```

When running VLC for the first time, the "open file" dialog causes VLC to run a bunch of "kdeinit4" processes, and it locks up. After killing vlc and restarting it, the lockup doesn't happen.

My point is that I want to use VLC, without a lot of kdeinit4 processes running, and without having to start VLC twice every time I want to use it. Afaik KDE isn't a dependency of VLC so the kdeinit4 processes shouldn't be needed. Is there a solution for using qt4 apps without KDE?

Thanks,

Marco


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## Daisuke_Aramaki (Jan 28, 2011)

kdeinit4 is just a process launcher that is used to execute common KDE programs. kdeinit4 will be launched when you try other kde programs as well, for example, kile, amarok etc. You may not have kde desktop installed in any way, but using these programs in another wm or desktop will launch kdeinit4.

If you have other qt4 apps installed, try launching them and see if you get the same error. Also, for vlc, try this on the command line, and post the results.


```
vlc -vvv --reset-plugins-cache
```


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## MarcoB (Jan 28, 2011)

> You may not have kde desktop installed in any way, but using these programs in another wm or desktop will launch kdeinit4.


I have KDE installed but I don't use it now (using fluxbox at the moment). Kdeinit4 isn't launched when vlc is started, but only when I try to open a file, and then it locks up.



> If you have other qt4 apps installed, try launching them and see if you get the same error.


I thought vlc was a qt4 app and not a kde app. Like e.g. LyX that uses qt4 but doesn't start kde. So I don't see why vlc needs kde. Also, I have run vlc in the past whithout needing kde.



> Also, for vlc, try this on the command line, and post the results.
> 
> 
> ```
> ...



This is what I get when starting vlc whith the options above, and opening a file:

```
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: translation test: code is "C"
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: checking plugin modules
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: removing plugins cache file /usr/local/lib/vlc/plugins/plugins-04041e-1e8.dat
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: recursively browsing `/usr/local/lib/vlc/plugins'
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: saving plugins cache /usr/local/lib/vlc/plugins/plugins-04041e-1e8.dat
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: module bank initialized (348 modules)
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: opening config file (/home/marco/.config/vlc/vlcrc)
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: CPU has capabilities MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 FPU 
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: looking for memcpy module: 3 candidates
[0x285290fc] main libvlc debug: using memcpy module "memcpymmxext"
[0x2855613c] main input debug: Creating an input for 'Media Library'
[0x2855613c] main input debug: Input is a meta file: disabling unneeded options
[0x2855613c] main input debug: using timeshift granularity of 50 MiB
[0x2855613c] main input debug: using timeshift path '/tmp'
[0x2855613c] main input debug: `file/xspf-open:///home/marco/.local/share/vlc/ml.xspf' gives access `file' demux `xspf-open' path 
`/home/marco/.local/share/vlc/ml.xspf'
[0x2855613c] main input debug: creating demux: access='file' demux='xspf-open' path='/home/marco/.local/share/vlc/ml.xspf'
[0x2d029f3c] main demux debug: looking for access_demux module: 2 candidates
[0x2d029f3c] main demux debug: no access_demux module matching "file" could be loaded
[0x2d029f3c] main demux debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.598 ms - Total 0.598 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.598 ms)
[0x2855613c] main input debug: creating access 'file' path='/home/marco/.local/share/vlc/ml.xspf'
[0x2d029f3c] main access debug: looking for access module: 2 candidates
[0x2d029f3c] filesystem access debug: opening file `/home/marco/.local/share/vlc/ml.xspf'
[0x2d029f3c] main access debug: using access module "filesystem"
[0x2d029f3c] main access debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.032 ms - Total 1.032 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.032 ms)
[0x28539abc] main stream debug: Using AStream*Stream
[0x28539abc] main stream debug: pre buffering
[0x28539abc] main stream debug: received first data after 6 ms
[0x28539abc] main stream debug: pre-buffering done 296 bytes in 0s - 43 KiB/s
[0x2d03a1bc] main stream debug: looking for stream_filter module: 5 candidates
[0x2d03a1bc] main stream debug: no stream_filter module matching "any" could be loaded
[0x2d03a1bc] main stream debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.309 ms - Total 0.309 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.309 ms)
[0x2d03a1bc] main stream debug: looking for stream_filter module: 1 candidate
[0x2d03a1bc] main stream debug: using stream_filter module "stream_filter_record"
[0x2d03a1bc] main stream debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.219 ms - Total 0.219 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.219 ms)
[0x2855613c] main input debug: creating demux: access='file' demux='xspf-open' path='/home/marco/.local/share/vlc/ml.xspf'
[0x2d029ffc] main demux debug: looking for demux module: 1 candidate
[0x2d029ffc] playlist demux debug: using XSPF playlist reader
[0x2d029ffc] main demux debug: using demux module "playlist"
[0x2d029ffc] main demux debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.251 ms - Total 0.251 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.251 ms)
[0x28516a1c] main demux meta debug: looking for meta reader module: 1 candidate
[0x28516a1c] main demux meta debug: no meta reader module matching "any" could be loaded
[0x28516a1c] main demux meta debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.268 ms - Total 0.268
 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.268 ms)
[0x2855613c] main input debug: `file/xspf-open:///home/marco/.local/share/vlc/ml.xspf' successfully opened
[0x28516a1c] main xml debug: looking for xml module: 2 candidates
[0x28516a1c] main xml debug: using xml module "xml"
[0x28516a1c] main xml debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.397 ms - Total 0.397 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.397 ms)
[0x2d029ffc] playlist demux debug: parsed 0 tracks successfully
[0x28516a1c] main xml debug: removing module "xml"
[0x2855613c] main input debug: EOF reached
[0x2d029ffc] main demux debug: removing module "playlist"
[0x2d03a1bc] main stream debug: removing module "stream_filter_record"
[0x2d029f3c] main access debug: removing module "filesystem"
[0x2855613c] main input debug: TIMER input launching for 'Media Library' : 19.094 ms - Total 19.094 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 19.094 ms)
[0x28516a1c] main interface debug: looking for interface module: 1 candidate
[0x28516a1c] main interface debug: using interface module "hotkeys"
[0x28516a1c] main interface debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.314 ms - Total 0.314 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.314 ms)
[0x28516a8c] main interface debug: looking for interface module: 1 candidate
Blocked: call to unsetenv("DBUS_ACTIVATION_ADDRESS")
Blocked: call to unsetenv("DBUS_ACTIVATION_BUS_TYPE")
[0x2850257c] main playlist debug: rebuilding array of current - root Playlist
[0x2850257c] main playlist debug: rebuild done - 0 items, index -1
[0x2850257c] main playlist debug: Activated
[0x28516a8c] main interface debug: using interface module "inhibit"
[0x28516a8c] main interface debug: TIMER module_need() : 37.218 ms - Total 37.218 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 37.218 ms)
[0x2d077acc] main interface debug: looking for interface module: 1 candidate
[0x2d077acc] main interface debug: using interface module "signals"
[0x2d077acc] main interface debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.780 ms - Total 0.780 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.780 ms)
[0x2d077a5c] main interface debug: looking for interface module: 1 candidate
[0x2d077a5c] main interface debug: using interface module "globalhotkeys"
[0x2d077a5c] main interface debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.206 ms - Total 1.206 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.206 ms)
[0x285290fc] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
[0x2d0779ec] main interface debug: looking for interface module: 2 candidates
Blocked: call to setlocale(0, "")
Blocked: call to sigaction(20, 0xbf8fcd9c, 0xbf8fcdb4)
Blocked: call to setlocale(0, "")
[0x2d33d82c] main generic debug: looking for extension module: 0 candidates
[0x2d33d82c] main generic debug: no extension module matched "any"
[0x2d33d82c] main generic debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.431 ms - Total 0.431 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.431 ms)
[0x2d0779ec] qt4 interface error: Unable to load extensions module
[0x2d0779ec] main interface debug: using interface module "qt4"
[0x2d0779ec] main interface debug: TIMER module_need() : 3597.377 ms - Total 3597.377 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 3597.377 ms)
Connecting to deprecated signal QDBusConnectionInterface::serviceOwnerChanged(QString,QString,QString)
kded(3117)/kdeui (KIconLoader) KSharedDataCache::Private::mapSharedMemory: Failed to establish shared memory mapping, will fallback to private 
memory -- memory usage will increase 
QMetaObject::invokeMethod: No such method KUniqueApplication::loadCommandLineOptionsForNewInstance()
kbuildsycoca4 running...
kbuildsycoca4(3120) KBuildMimeTypeFactory::createEntry: Missing <comment> field in "application/x-ssh-key.xml" 
kbuildsycoca4(3120) KBuildMimeTypeFactory::createEntry: Missing <comment> field in "application/x-pem-key.xml" 
kbuildsycoca4(3120) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry MimeType in ".hidden/kommander.desktop" is not compliant with XDG standard 
(missing trailing semicolon). 
kbuildsycoca4(3120) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry MimeType in "/usr/local/share/applications/sodipodi.desktop" is not compliant 
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon). 
...
kbuildsycoca4(3120) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories in "/usr/local/share/applications/gcalctool.desktop" is not compliant 
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon). 
kbuildsycoca4(3120)/kdecore (services) KServicePrivate::parseActions: The action "Full" in the desktop file 
"/usr/local/share/applications/tsclient.desktop" has no Name or no Exec key 
kbuildsycoca4(3120) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories in "/usr/local/share/applications/realplay.desktop" is not compliant 
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon). 
kbuildsycoca4(3120) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry MimeType in "/usr/local/share/applications/realplay.desktop" is not compliant 
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon). 
kbuildsycoca4(3120)/kdecore (services) KServicePrivate::init: The desktop entry file  "/usr/local/kde4/share/applications/kde4/koffice.desktop"  
has Type= "Application"  but no Exec line
```


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## Daisuke_Aramaki (Jan 28, 2011)

I don't use vlc. Yes there are a lot of qt4 apps that don't rely on kde. I was mistaken with vlc. Sorry. I will look into the command output and see if there is something amiss.


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## Daisuke_Aramaki (Jan 28, 2011)

So the problem doesn't seem to be on the vlc side. It appears that kdeinit4 is the problem. When you start vlc for the first time, kdeinit4 gets launched but for some reason messes up. But launching vlc again doesn't seem to cause the problem. Just to double check, may be you can start kdeinit4 first, by issuing the command in a terminal. And then launch vlc. Also try to see what happens if you launch some kde apps, like konqueror or kate etc., just to be sure if the kdeinit4 launch is the culprit.

Could be that kde4 installation had been faulty. Did you do a clean install or did you upgrade? More after going through the messages.


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## MarcoB (Jan 28, 2011)

I've installed kde for some time and every once in a while I try it (same for gnome), but usually I return to fluxbox which is a lot faster  Kde gets upgraded when I "portupgrade -a" (weekly).

I'll try other kde apps and see what happens.


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## MarcoB (Jan 28, 2011)

Tried with konqueror (with starting kdeinit4 first and konqueror directly) and then there are no problems (besides from the fact that there are like 10 instances of kdeinit4 started). Starting vlc after starting kdeinit4 gives no problems either. Question remains why vlc wants to start kdeinit4 and how I can start vlc without it.


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