05-14-2020, 02:59 AM
|
#1 |
|
Junior Member
 Posts: 7
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2020
Device: Kindle
|
Preview displaying as blank white box
Hi,
I wonder if anyone can give me any pointers as to where to start digging on this one? Preview was working in v1.1 - but then suddenly stopped. I updated to 1.2 - same behaviour. I uninstalled/reinstalled ActiveTcl-8.6.9 - no difference. I tried with published epubs - just to make sure I hadn't done something weird in css - still blank. Essentially, instead of a preview - I just get a blank white box. If I randomly click inside the box, different lines of html are selected in the code view - so the preview is there, just invisible. I wondered if it was white text on a white background - but I don't see my cover image, or other images either. Interestingly, I get the same behaviour in PageEdit too. I am on macOS 10.15.4 - and as above, running latest versions of everything. Where should I start digging? Thank you 
|
|
|
|
05-14-2020, 08:27 AM
|
#2 |
|
Sigil Developer
 Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5703586
Join Date: Nov 2009
Device: many
|
Preview is mainly QtWebEngine so a few places to start:
1. Try updating Your video driver to the latest version 2. Try making sure no “anti-virus” software is interfering 3. Try booting into safe-mode to test if some other kernel extension is causing the problem 4. Try launching Sigil from Terminal.app to look for any debug error messages 5. Try running qtdiag downloaded from Qt to see what it says 6. Try setting some of the Qt environment variables described here and launching Sigil via Terminal.app to see if any help. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...51&postcount=4 Last edited by KevinH; 05-14-2020 at 08:32 AM. |
|
|
|
| Advert | |
|
|
|
05-14-2020, 08:38 AM
|
#3 |
|
Sigil Developer
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5703586
Join Date: Nov 2009
Device: many
|
Also, you said an earlier version of Sigil 1.1 worked so what did you change on your system? What software was added or updated around the time of the breakage?
A few other things: 1. Try renaming the Sigil.ini file to see if Ini file corruption is an issue. 2. Try starting up Sigil when in DarkMode to see if that changes anything. |
|
|
|
|
05-14-2020, 09:11 AM
|
#4 |
|
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 28,358
Karma: 203720150
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
|
It almost has to be something system/environment related if PageEdit is behaving similarly. Also make sure no new software happened to create any Qt environment variables that didn't previously exist. In addition to the environment variables mentioned in other threads, look for QTWEBENGINE_CHROMIUM_FLAGS.
|
|
|
|
|
05-14-2020, 09:38 AM
|
#5 |
|
A Hairy Wizard
Posts: 3,312
Karma: 20171571
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Charleston, SC today
Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire
|
Just throwing some 'simple' suggestions.... Is your font color set to white in your css???
|
|
|
|
| Advert | |
|
|
|
05-14-2020, 10:22 AM
|
#6 |
|
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2020
Device: Kindle
|
Thanks for all the pointers - I’m currently at work but I’ll work through the suggestions tomorrow and report back the results - I agree, I suspect it is some random app I’ve added or an update which has probably caused the issue. And, no, I’m pretty sure there’s nothing in the project causing it - the behaviour is the same for any book. Curiously, if I click and drag the text I can see it briefly floating above the gui in black / transparent.
|
|
|
|
|
05-14-2020, 06:38 PM
|
#7 |
|
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2020
Device: Kindle
|
OK, so starting up with Terminal produces the following errors:
Spoiler:
Sadly as an author not a programmer this doesn't help me much - but I can hope that this may give a clue to one or two of you chaps! Last edited by theducks; 05-14-2020 at 09:35 PM. Reason: spoilered |
|
|
|
|
05-14-2020, 07:08 PM
|
#8 |
|
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2020
Device: Kindle
|
Also, not sure how to translate the 'Qt environment variables' modifications suggested to apply them to OSX. Im beginning to wonder whether Time Machine is the solution best suited to my skill set!
|
|
|
|
|
05-15-2020, 02:01 AM
|
#9 |
|
Sigil Developer
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5703586
Join Date: Nov 2009
Device: many
|
The error message confirm the issue is with OpenGL.
In Terminal.app please type the following lines hitting return after each one: export QT_OPENGL="software" open /Applications/Sigil.app |
|
|
|
|
05-15-2020, 11:03 AM
|
#10 |
|
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2020
Device: Kindle
|
Perfect.
Thank you KevinH! |
|
|
|
|
05-15-2020, 08:59 PM
|
#11 |
|
Sigil Developer
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5703586
Join Date: Nov 2009
Device: many
|
Did setting that environment variable help? If so, it means something is funny with your graphics card driver. Exactly what gpu card are you using?
Please try running the Chromium browser. Does it exhibit the same issues? (QtWebEngine used by Sigil to create Preview is based on the Chromium browser engine). |
|
|
|
|
05-15-2020, 09:54 PM
|
#12 |
|
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 28,358
Karma: 203720150
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
|
It does seem odd that Sigil 1.1 initially worked and then stopped. I wouldn't expect that updating graphics drivers would break things (if that's what happened). Updating is typically the fix for something like this.
I'd be curious to see the output of printenv. |
|
|
|
|
05-15-2020, 10:15 PM
|
#13 |
|
Sigil Developer
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5703586
Join Date: Nov 2009
Device: many
|
Something is fishy. Qt uses opengl on macOS to do backing store for native menus. QtWebEngine runs its own process and uses an opengl shared context to have the renderer be separate from the chromium browser parts.
It is only the QtWebEngine part that is having problems. So how can opengl work for the main app process and not the QtWebEngine process? That makes no sense. The only Qt related Bug I can find is QTBUG-81693 and it seems QtWebengine uses a different test to decide what opengl features to use. That bug lists a workaround code that I may build a test version with just to see if it matters. |
|
|
|
|
05-16-2020, 05:57 AM
|
#14 |
|
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 28,358
Karma: 203720150
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
|
That's why I was wondering if something new/updated didn't set some system-wide QTWEBENGINE_CHROMIUM_FLAGS values.
One should be able to use --ignore-gpu-buglist as either a command-line argument to Sigil (it will be passed to QtWebEngineProcess) or as a value in the above env var for testing purposes. If it allows hardware acceleration to work again, then including that workaround code may be the best overall solution. |
|
|
|
|
05-16-2020, 07:33 AM
|
#15 |
|
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2020
Device: Kindle
|
The fishyness may possibly be explained because I am using macOS 10.15.4 on a MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009) via macOS Catalina Patcher (DosDude1) - essentially so I can run the current versions of author software without having to buy a new MacBook to install updates.
I know that has to do a certain amount of hocus pocus in order to cope with graphic card incompatibilities. There had been an update to the patcher in the period concerned, one element of which was a fix to certain graphics issues on some systems. That could have switched on virtual functionality that hadn't been there before? |
|
|
|
 |
«
Previous Thread
|
Next Thread
»
|
Similar Threads
|
||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
| file preview blank on calibre 4 | larysa | Editor | 35 | 10-19-2019 04:01 AM |
| Ended Sold White Otter Box SYMMETRY case for Galaxy S5 | ApK | Flea Market | 0 | 02-29-2016 08:21 PM |
| Sketchpad preview blank (black) | christopher22 | Kobo Reader | 3 | 01-11-2015 12:09 PM |
| Blank white icon after updating to v. 2.0 | vigrom | Marvin | 20 | 09-16-2013 11:23 PM |
| Touch Kobo Touch Blank White Screen After Upgrade | yasith | Kobo Reader | 6 | 12-31-2011 04:14 PM |
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:34 AM.