After successfully compiling kdenlive using builder script when I start, it crashes with a breaking glass sound and the dialog box says "cannot create video preview window". Terminal messages say;

$kdenlive
kdenlive: //  INIT EFFECT SEARCH
kdenlive: WARNING: KLocale: trying to look up "" in catalog. Fix the program
kdenlive: WARNING: KLocale: trying to look up "" in catalog. Fix the program
kdenlive: ---------  close 1b
kdenlive: ---------  close 2b
kdenlive: ERROR: Sorry, cannot create MLT consumer, check your MLT install you miss SDL libraries support in MLT

What could be wrong? Please help.

I saw something like this. I think?? I assume there was more to the error message than that?

Assuming you are on Ubuntu Hardy you could try these steps:

1- Delete the kdenliverc file here: ~/.kde/share/config/kdenliverc

2- Change all the system sound settings to alsa; it seems to work better with that setting. I have ubuntu's system > preferences > sound set to alsa. Turn OFF "Enable software sound mixing (ESD)" and Turn OFF "enable sound beep".

3-Make sure libsdl1.2debian-all or -alsa is installed. If was not probably should rebuild?

Of course changing the default sound server to alsa may cause sound problems or glitches with other programs. You probably should logout and re-login after doing this. Then try starting kdenlive again.

No other audio daemons should be running. You can check like this:

ps -ef | grep pulse

ps -ef | grep jackd

ps -ef | grep artsd

ps -ef | grep esd

These should only show the command you just ran (...grep pulse). If anything else is shown then another audio daemon is likely running and may be blocking alsa access. If they do then the program will not be able to access the alsa sound driver.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Geoff,

I've sorted it now, the problem was sdl libraries. I needed the dev package.

I found this out when the configure script for mlt said, "sdl libraries not found; disabling".

Now I've got a working kdenlive. 1 hack and some -dev packages did it.

the hack was to sort out "avformat.h" not found error.