kate is my favorite text editor, and everything was working fine until recently. Whenever launching Kate, whether by opening a text file or by clicking the Kate icon, a dialog box pops up that KDEInit could not launch ‘konsole’. In the background, a konsole window flashes briefly before disappearing.
The baffling thing is, that if I click the “run Kate” shortcut, instead of the Kate shortcut, then Kate launches normally. I’m running 11.2 with all the updates installed. Any ideas?
Please post result of
zypper lr -d
here is the output:
# | Alias | Name | Enabled | Refresh | Priority | Type | URI | Service
--+----------------------------+------------------------------------+---------+---------+----------+--------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------
1 | KDE:KDE4:Factory:Desktop | KDE:KDE4:Factory:Desktop | Yes | Yes | 99 | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/KDE4:/Factory:/Desktop/openSUSE_11.2/ |
2 | Packman | Packman repository (openSUSE_11.2) | Yes | Yes | 99 | rpm-md | http://packman.mirrors.skynet.be/pub/packman/suse/11.2/ |
3 | openSUSE_11.2+KDE4_Factory | openSUSE_11.2+KDE4_Factory | Yes | Yes | 99 | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/gryffus/openSUSE_11.2+KDE4_Factory/ |
4 | repo-debug | openSUSE-11.2-Debug | No | Yes | 99 | NONE | http://download.opensuse.org/debug/distribution/11.2/repo/oss/ |
5 | repo-non-oss | openSUSE-11.2-Non-Oss | Yes | Yes | 99 | yast2 | http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/11.2/repo/non-oss/ |
6 | repo-oss | openSUSE-11.2-Oss | Yes | Yes | 99 | yast2 | http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/11.2/repo/oss/ |
7 | repo-source | openSUSE-11.2-Source | No | Yes | 99 | NONE | http://download.opensuse.org/source/distribution/11.2/repo/oss/ |
8 | repo-update | openSUSE-11.2-Update | Yes | Yes | 99 | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/update/11.2/
Thanks much.
Try doing it from a terminal:
kate
If there is info there when you do it, post it here
Does it work this way?
I am unsure of the distinction you are making about the way you are launching…
Ok, running “kate” from the command prompt launches Kate just fine. Also, I’m attaching a screenshot showing a search of Kate from the launch menu. Clicking the “Kate” shortcut crashes. Clicking “Run Kate” launches the program just fine.
http://thumbnails33.imagebam.com/8633/056b2b86329801.jpg](http://www.imagebam.com/image/056b2b86329801)
If you go to the menu editor and to kate, and edit the command to just: kate
removing the -b %U
save
what happens
Ok, editing the shortcut command to just “kate” gives the following result:
http://www.thinkwelldesigns.com/Graphics/KateError2.jpg
While the original command “kate -b %U” just flashes the Kate window & Terminal window before they disappear, leaving the following dialog:
http://www.thinkwelldesigns.com/Graphics/KateError3.jpg
Thanks for your help so far.
Change it back and post result of this
rpm -qi kate
Name : kate Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version : 4.3.5 Vendor: openSUSE
Release : 0.1.4 Build Date: Sun 14 Feb 2010 05:13:58 AM EST
Install Date: Fri 25 Jun 2010 08:07:52 AM EDT Build Host: build32
Group : Productivity/Editors/Other Source RPM: kdesdk4-4.3.5-0.1.4.src.rpm
Size : 2877585 License: GPLv2+
Signature : RSA/8, Sun 14 Feb 2010 05:15:23 AM EST, Key ID b88b2fd43dbdc284
Packager : http://bugs.opensuse.org
URL : http://www.kde.org/
Summary : Advanced Text Editor
Description :
Kate is an advanced text editor for KDE.
Authors:
--------
The KDE Team <kde@kde.org>
Distribution: openSUSE 11.2
Ah, that might give us a clue. I’m running KDE 4.4.4 and this output shows Kate 4.3.5. On my desktop (OpenSuse 11.2, same as on my laptop here), “rpm -qi kate” shows Kate 4.4.4.
How can I correct this?
Well, I uninstalled Kate via Yast, and then reinstalled it. Now ‘rpm -qi kate’ shows the current version of 4.4.4, but the problem still exists! >:(
linux-v3qj:/home/dave # rpm -qi kate
Name : kate Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version : 4.4.4 Vendor: obs://build.opensuse.org/KDE
Release : 118.2 Build Date: Mon 21 Jun 2010 02:58:13 PM EDT
Install Date: Mon 28 Jun 2010 01:56:02 PM EDT Build Host: build14
Group : Productivity/Editors/Other Source RPM: kdesdk4-4.4.4-118.2.src.rpm
Size : 3309320 License: GPLv2+
Signature : DSA/SHA1, Mon 21 Jun 2010 02:59:58 PM EDT, Key ID 27c070176f88bb2f
URL : http://www.kde.org/
Summary : Advanced Text Editor
Description :
Kate is an advanced text editor for KDE.
Authors:
--------
The KDE Team <kde@kde.org>
Distribution: KDE:KDE4:Factory:Desktop / openSUSE_11.2
Please open Software Management and view like this and do the switcher as shown
ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing
You may have to manually switch k3b back to Packman after
Downloaded a gob of updates; seems like some packages were from KDE 4.3.5, but still don’t work. Boy is this ever frustrating, just trying to get a simple text editor to launch without plastering up a dialog box and a konsole window. How hard can that be just to launch such a little program. >:( 
:sick:
Thanks for all your help, it’s much appreciated; I don’t mean to bite the hand that feeds me. :shame:
PS Isn’t there some way to figure out what command is powering the “Run Kate” icon and simply insert that into the standard “Kate” command so that file association still works correctly? The solution to this whole mess seems so tantalizingly simple, yet irritatingly obscure.
Post result of the following
rpm -qi kate
kde4-config -v
Also try this.
View your home user folder’s hidden files
Delete this folder: .kde4/share/apps/kate/
These files: (if any don’t exist, just move to the next)
.kde4/share/config/katepartpluginsrc
.kde4/share/config/katepartscriptrc
.kde4/share/config/katerc
.kde4/share/config/katesyntaxhighlightingrc
Try kate again
Thank you for staying with me on this problem!
linux-v3qj:/home/dave # rpm -qi kate
Name : kate Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version : 4.4.4 Vendor: obs://build.opensuse.org/KDE
Release : 118.2 Build Date: Mon 21 Jun 2010 02:58:13 PM EDT
Install Date: Mon 28 Jun 2010 01:56:02 PM EDT Build Host: build14
Group : Productivity/Editors/Other Source RPM: kdesdk4-4.4.4-118.2.src.rpm
Size : 3309320 License: GPLv2+
Signature : DSA/SHA1, Mon 21 Jun 2010 02:59:58 PM EDT, Key ID 27c070176f88bb2f
URL : http://www.kde.org/
Summary : Advanced Text Editor
Description :
Kate is an advanced text editor for KDE.
Authors:
--------
The KDE Team <kde@kde.org>
Distribution: KDE:KDE4:Factory:Desktop / openSUSE_11.2
linux-v3qj:/home/dave # kde4-config -v
Qt: 4.6.3
KDE Development Platform: 4.4.4 (KDE 4.4.4)
kde4-config: 1.0
I tried deleting all the kate config files, and the problem remains.
Should I just wait till OpenSuse 11.3 comes out and upgrade to that? It’s burning down the barn to get rid of the rats, but in the end, I want to be rid of the rats…
Can we assume kwrite is working OK
Yes, kwrite is working fine. I just like Kate so much better because of its multi-document interface.
If the problem isn’t clear to you at this stage, I guess I’ll just plan to reload my laptop when 11.3 is out and hope for the best. :\
Well, in resignation to barn burning, I deleted /usr/dave/.kde4. Still no fix.
I created a brand new user account, and VOILA!!! Kate works just fine. Don’t ask me what got hosed on my old user account that couldn’t be fixed by deleting the .kde4 folder but IS fixed by a new user account.
But, at least the problem’s fixed… 
Thanks for your assistance, caf4926, and I hope this thread can help someone.
Sort of good news
At least we know it was some setting in the /home/olduser
You didn’t delete the old account yet did you?
I’ll see if I can spot any other possibilities as a remedy
Rather than delete, try renaming a file or folder to -old
Eg: .somefolder
becomes .somefolder-old
Folders you could try:
.cache
.config
.local
.skel
.xdg_menu_cache