kdebase4 @4.6.0 - KDE applications don't start

[habmalnefrage@…]

Hi,

I'm using Snow Leopard and tried to install kdebase4 to use Dolphin. The installation succeeded without errors. But when I try to start any KDE4 application from the terminal window, nothing happens. The same issue occurs when started via the X11-Symbol in the dock (that was started via startx in the terminal window). When I call the applications from Finder, a program icon jumps in the dock up and down for a while, but after that the icon's context menu shows, that the program doesn't answer. I already followed the usual 'sudo chown -R ...' and 'launchctl...' instructions, with no success. After having read some similar tickets I haven't found out a solution yet and hope, you can help.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

Replying to habmalnefrage@…:

The same issue occurs when started via the X11-Symbol in the dock (that was started via startx in the terminal window).

On Mac OS X, you don't start X11 by typing "startx"; you start X11 by opening the X11 application in the Utilities folder in your Applications folder. Or, if using the MacPorts port xorg-server, then by opening the application X11 in the MacPorts folder in the Applications folder.

[habmalnefrage@…]

Cc Me!

[habmalnefrage@…]

On Mac OS X, you don't start X11 by typing "startx"; you start X11 by opening the X11 application in the Utilities folder in your Applications folder.

Thanx, Ryandesign, for your information. You're right (I'm changing from Linux). Sadly the effect stays the same. Other X applications, like Xterm and Xlogo, start without problems.

[jmroot (Joshua Root)]

Please remember to cc the maintainers. You do not need to be in cc when you are the reporter.

[nerdling (Jeremy Lavergne)]

How are you trying to launch the programs from the terminal? I'd recommend using the "open" command on the .app folder.

[habmalnefrage@…]

Replying to snc@…:

How are you trying to launch the programs from the terminal? I'd recommend using the "open" command on the .app folder.

I ran '/opt/local/var/macports/software/kdebase4/4.6.0_0/Applications/MacPorts/KDE4/dolphin.app/Contents/MacOS/dolphin' -> nothing happens. Using 'open /opt/local/var/macports/software/kdebase4/4.6.0_0/Applications/MacPorts/KDE4/dolphin.app/Contents/MacOS/dolphin' opens a new terminal window. Its command line shows the same call of Dolphin, followed by ;exit. But nothing else comes up. If I run 'open /opt/local/var/macports/software/kdebase4/4.6.0_0/Applications/MacPorts/KDE4/dolphin.app', only the jumping icon in the dock appears.

[habmalnefrage@…]

Replying to jmr@…:

Please remember to cc the maintainers. You do not need to be in cc when you are the reporter.

Sorry for not having cc'ed the maintainers. It's my first ticket and I didn't find the mail addresses. Usually they are shortened and end up at the @. Where can I find them when creating a new ticket?

[habmalnefrage@…]

Finally I got it working.
Here is what I did:

1. I uninstalled everything like described in the MacPorts documentation, chapter 2.5.
   
2. reboot
   
3. Installed MacPorts from scratch, port selfupdate (see chapter 2.3 of MacPorts documentation)
   
4. sudo -s, enter password
   
5. port install kdebase4. The following steps, especially 10 to 14, are those which I was requested to do after kdebase4's installation. They might differ in further package versions.
   
6. launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.freedesktop.dbus-system.plist
   
7. exit --> this will cancel super user session and continue working as normal user
   
8. launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchAgents/org.freedesktop.dbus-session.plist
   
9. 'sudo chown -R $USER ~/Library/Preferences/KDE' replacing $USER with my username. I think, it's important not to do this in a sudo-session, but with the sudo command, since ~ refers to the normal users home directory!

10. sudo port install python_select
    
11. sudo python_select python27
    
12. sudo port load mysql5-server
    
13. sudo -u _mysql mysql_install_db5
    
14. sudo port load openldap
    
15. I rebooted to start DBus for sure.
    

Dolphin and Konqueror might work now. The following steps install German language packs for spelling and KDE4:

16. sudo port install aspell-dict-de
    
17. sudo port install hunspell-dict-de_DE
    
18. sudo port install kde-l10n-de
    

After all of this, Dolphin and Konqueror start as well from terminal (starting dolphin in dolphin.app's subdirectory)as from dock (link to dolphin.app/konqueror.app)

Note: This documentation might be helpful for you, but is without any warranty! I just described how I got it working for me.

@maintainers: if you find this posting useful and complete, you can close the ticket now. If I find some issues with these applications, shall I open a new ticket for every single issue or one that collects all issues?

[giancarlo.degani@…]

Cc Me!

[nerdling (Jeremy Lavergne)]

Replying to habmalnefrage@…:

The following steps, especially 10 to 14, are those which I was requested to do after kdebase4's installation. They might differ in further package versions.

10. sudo port install python_select
    
11. sudo python_select python27
    
12. sudo port load mysql5-server
    
13. sudo -u _mysql mysql_install_db5
    
14. sudo port load openldap
    

From this information, it sounds like there are python scripts used that expect python to point to the same version they're built against.

Likely need to crawl through all installed files and change all references to python-2.7.

[geekosaur]

FWIW, I'm seeing that after a reboot the symlink ~/Library/Preferences/KDE/tmp-$HOST is dangling, and dtruss shows KDE programs hanging immediately after discovering that. mkdir ~/Library/Preferences/KDE/tmp-$HOST is sufficient to get KDE working.

[geekosaur]

Forgot to mention: Aqua build, and seen on both 10.5/PPC and 10.6/x86-64.

[nerdling (Jeremy Lavergne)]

allbery.b@: can you confirm the symlink continues to need fixing in 4.7.0?

[michaelld (Michael Dickens)]

Cc Me!

[NicosPavlov]

Does this issue still happen in the present version (4.11.1) ? Dolphin should have now been fixed upstream (from version 4.10.5, if I remember correctly).

[NicosPavlov]

Assuming the issue fixed in present version with the absence of feedback, and the fact that some serious bugs in dolphin have been fixed in 4.10.5.