GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 618052
"Can't play a text file without video."
Last modified: 2010-05-19 15:39:07 UTC
On a fresh install of Ubuntu 10.04 with no additional gstreamer plugins installed, Totem will display "Can't play a text file without video." and not even attempt to search for plugins when fed an MKV file with embedded subtitles.
1) Does this also happen for gst-launch-0.10 playbin2 uri=file:///path/to/foo.mkv 2) Could you please link to a sample file, or attach it (if it's <1MB) 3) Is this with the latest core/base (0.10.29)? What's the output of gst-inspect-0.10 playbin2 | grep Version
4) Could you do this: $ GST_DEBUG=*:5 totem /path/to/foo.mkv 2>&1 | grep -v REFCOUNT > dbg.log ... wait for error, then close totem or (better) just use Control-C to kill it $ bzip2 dbg.log and attach the dbg.log.bz2 file please (if it's too big, add a GST_DEBUG_NO_COLOR=1 to the above/first command please, before the GST_DEBUG=*:5).
The bug manifests itself differently among numerous MKV files. Sometimes the prompt will show, other times it won't and gstreamer ffmpeg is offered for installation. gstreamer bad (which contains assrender) is never offered.
BTW, here's a log: http://www.mediafire.com/?gbgt2gmdd4c Fresh Lucid install.
This problem is also present on a fresh Maverick pre-Alpha install with the 0.10.29 bits. It is mitigated somewhat. ffmpeg and bad will be offered along with a general stream error prompt and the "Can't play a text file without video." prompt However, it only offered once. If you choose not to install the plugins, you offered the opportunity again until you exit and restart Totem.
*you are not offered the opportunity again until you exit and restart Totem.
Jeez, sorry for the comment spam but I can't reliably replicate the symptoms. Some MKV files cause Totem to become completely unresponsive, some only want bad to offered, some only want ffmpeg to be offered, some want to be offered, some offer but throw no errors. I don't get it. >__<
*some want both to be offered (i'm so terrible. finals are destroying me.)
Should be fixed in git I think (this time hopefully for real). *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 610866 ***
Are you sure it's the same bug? The error message I speak of refers to files that do have a video component.
Not 100% sure, no. Ok, so let me clarify: you are saying that this is an issue with totem's codec install feature, right? So you are playing an mkv file with subtitles and video, but are missing the right video codec. At this point the expected outcome is that totem will inform you that the video codec is missing and try to install it, but what actually happens is that you get the 'can't play text file without video' error. Correct?
(Answer to #1: http://pastebin.com/4Qn4PPD5) With respect to the gstreamer 0.10.28 that I reported against, that is correct. The "Can't play text file without video" remains gstreamer 0.10.29, but the codecs are actually offered this time.
Ok, so I've just tested this with gstreamer git and totem git, and things seem to work as expected for me (it tries the codec installer and when not found shows me a warning dialog that I'm missing the video codec). > With respect to the gstreamer 0.10.28 that I reported against, that is correct. Ok, but you should really report/test the latest upstream version first if you file a bug in upstream bugzilla. > The "Can't play text file without video" remains gstreamer 0.10.29, but the > codecs are actually offered this time. Ok, so I guess there's no need to re-open this then.