Upgrade 4.23 to 5.11 on Mint 18.3: Error

[Quoth]

I did this on Mint 20.1 and it was fine

Run "calibre" to start calibre 
quoth@Morag ~ $ calibre
qt.qpa.plugin: Could not load the Qt platform plugin "xcb" in "" even though it was found.
This application failed to start because no Qt platform plugin could be initialized. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

Available platform plugins are: eglfs, linuxfb, minimal, minimalegl, offscreen, vnc, wayland-egl, wayland, wayland-xcomposite-egl, wayland-xcomposite-glx, xcb.

Aborted

I did upgrade all the normal plugins, removed DeDrm 6.x and removed any other plugins that seemed likely to be a problem, or can only be updated after updating Calibre.

I took screen shots of plugin and copy/pasted serial numbers. I used that for the upgrade on the 20.1 system. Tested with some original Amazon downloads. Then copied my existing library, switched libraries and everything is OK.

So something missing on Mint 18.3, or is it an actual plugin is the problem?

[Quoth]

First hit on search
https://forum.qt.io/topic/111434/cou...m-plugin-xcb/3


@arsaa
There are a lot of hits if you Google for: Could not load the Qt platform plugin "xcb".

Start from e.g. https://forum.qt.io/topic/93247/qt-q...h-it-was-found, or others if they are more akin to your situation.

So I ran the debug flag (My understanding is it's only active till I logout)

quoth@Morag ~ $ export QT_DEBUG_PLUGINS=1
quoth@Morag ~ $ calibre
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() checking directory path "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms" ...
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqeglfs.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqeglfs.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "eglfs"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QEglFSIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("eglfs")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqlinuxfb.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqlinuxfb.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "linuxfb"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QLinuxFbIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("linuxfb")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqminimal.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqminimal.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "minimal"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QMinimalIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("minimal")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqminimalegl.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqminimalegl.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "minimalegl"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QMinimalEglIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("minimalegl")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqoffscreen.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqoffscreen.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "offscreen"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QOffscreenIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("offscreen")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqvnc.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqvnc.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "vnc"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QVncIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("vnc")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-egl.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-egl.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "wayland-egl"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QWaylandEglPlatformIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("wayland-egl")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-generic.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-generic.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "wayland"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QWaylandIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("wayland")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-xcomposite-egl.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-xcomposite-egl.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "wayland-xcomposite-egl"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QWaylandXCompositeEglPlatformIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("wayland-xcomposite-egl")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-xcomposite-glx.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqwayland-xcomposite-glx.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "wayland-xcomposite-glx"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QWaylandXCompositeGlxPlatformIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("wayland-xcomposite-glx")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() looking at "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so"
Found metadata in lib /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so, metadata=
{
    "IID": "org.qt-project.Qt.QPA.QPlatformIntegrationFactoryInterface.5.3",
    "MetaData": {
        "Keys": [
            "xcb"
        ]
    },
    "archreq": 0,
    "className": "QXcbIntegrationPlugin",
    "debug": false,
    "version": 331520
}


Got keys from plugin meta data ("xcb")
QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() checking directory path "/opt/calibre/bin/platforms" ...
Cannot load library /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so: (libxcb-xinerama.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)
QLibraryPrivate::loadPlugin failed on "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so" : "Cannot load library /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so: (libxcb-xinerama.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)"
qt.qpa.plugin: Could not load the Qt platform plugin "xcb" in "" even though it was found.
This application failed to start because no Qt platform plugin could be initialized. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

Available platform plugins are: eglfs, linuxfb, minimal, minimalegl, offscreen, vnc, wayland-egl, wayland, wayland-xcomposite-egl, wayland-xcomposite-glx, xcb.

Aborted

So

Cannot load library /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so: (libxcb-xinerama.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)

[Quoth]

The file DOES exist with execute flag.

[Quoth]

I deleted the files in /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms


Reinstalled

QFactoryLoader::QFactoryLoader() checking directory path "/opt/calibre/bin/platforms" ...
Cannot load library /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so: (libxcb-xinerama.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)
QLibraryPrivate::loadPlugin failed on "/opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so" : "Cannot load library /opt/calibre/plugins/platforms/libqxcb.so: (libxcb-xinerama.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)"

This isn't there
libxcb-xinerama.so.0
But it's not on the working Mint 20.1 either.

The file lists on both SEEM the same.

[Quoth]

Now trying version 5.7.2

Still same error

So re-installing 5.11

I have other applications using python3 and QT5 and webkit. Baffled.

[Quoth]

I need to upgrade to 19.3 or 20.1 by April anyway, so started 18.3 to 19.0 in place upgrade
You do this,
https://www.tecmint.com/upgrade-to-linux-mint-19/
then 19.0 -> 19.3 and 19.3 to 20.1 (may need 20.0 first). After the 1st upgrade to 19.0 it's GUI based.

Everything is backed up and also I have an older inferior laptop already with 20.1, Calibre 5.11 and all my data files, about 300 G Byte

[Quoth]

It's staggering slower than a fresh install, which I normally did for Windows from 1991 to 2016. But it means all the applications don't need re-installing. Not for slow internet as it might need 6 Gbytes.

I'm sure Calibre 5.11 will work afterwards.

[kovidgoyal]

You need to install a missing dependency, newer versions of Qt need more XCB libraries thn older versions. Its mentioned on the calibre linux download page. search for xcb

[Quoth]

Yes, I already figured out that it's missing libxcb-xinerama0, but since support is ending for Mint 18.3 at the end of March or April and I couldn't figure out what I needed to fix it (seems a common problem on the QT forums for years) and my test laptop with Mint 20.1 is OK, I decided to upgrade to 19.3 or 20.1

perhaps it's as simple as sudo apt-get install libxcb-xinerama0 on older versions of Mint, but I've been putting off upgrading anyway.

[Quoth]

sudo apt-get install libxcb-xinerama0

does enable Calibre to run. Interesting it claimed libxcb-xinerama0 was a previously de-selected package.

Obviously on Mint 20.1 something installed that library.

Some cryptic messages in the terminal window on 1st run, but Calibre is working.

So seems to be a QT issue rather than Calibre, Linux Mint 18.4 or even having various other QT4 and QT5 programs installed. Even having the current QT development framework installed doesn't fix it.

[Quoth]

Now updated to 19.0 (which was slow and removed viber. Messed the theme a bit, but fixed).
Calibre still works.
Re-installed Viber, but it didn't reappear. May be a different location due to flatpack, and menus sometimes don't update till you logout & login.
Update via GUI to 19.3 (the last 32 bit but I'm on 64 bit). Looks like painless / faster.

Both 19.3 & 20.1 are good current choices

[Quoth]

The 19.3 GUI upgrade was quick and Calibre 5.11 still works.

[Quoth]

Conclusion:
Calibre 5.11 is OK on Linux Mint 20.1 without doing

sudo apt-get install libxcb-xinerama0

That fixes 18.3, but 18.3 support ends in April 2021.
The 19.0 is not a good version of Mint.
The 20.0 is not a good version of Mint.

Mint 19.3 is good and fast and supported for a reasonable time, it's 32 bit and 64 bit versions. It may or may not need libxcb-xinerama0 installed.
Mint 20.1 is good and 64 bit only.

So Calibre 5.11 with Apprentice DeDRM 7.1.0 is fine on Linux Mint 18.3, 19.3 and 20.1 with the Mate Desktop. I don't recommend 19.0 or 20.0. Only Kindle books for PW3 via PC download tested.

[Cactus Chef]

Have you thought about switching to the flatpak version? Might avoid this dependency hell problem you're in w/ Mint repos.

[Quoth]

There is NO problem.*
Installing a distro version is madness. Flatpak more so.
Only install Viber and Calibre from the main downloads, not Distro packages or Git.

* Options were explained
1) Installing the extra bits. It's a QT problem, not a Calibre issue. That works.
2) Mint 18.3 support expires April 2021, ANYWAY. Mint 19.3 (32bit and 64 bit) or Mint 20.1 (64 bit only) are the better solutions.

If there is the error on any particular Debian based Linux (inc Ubuntu and Mint), it will happen with other applications using QT.
Apply

sudo apt-get install libxcb-xinerama0

Doesn't take long. Problem solved.