Kdenlive AppImage vs Flatpak

I recently posted that have chosen Kdenlive for creating videos:

https://bkhome.org/news/202305/fixed-kdenlive-project-setup.html

In EasyOS 5.3.1, Kdenlive is available as an AppImage and a Flatpak, so which one to use?

Firstly, installed the AppImage, version 23.04.1, and ran it from a terminal to see startup messages. Pulling out some highlights:

mlt_repository_init: failed to dlopen /tmp/.mount_kdenli62zXlw/usr/lib/mlt-7/libmltmovit.so
  (libGLX.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)
...
no alsa devices available

The MLT movit plugins are consequently not available. Easy does not have libGLX.so.0 -- it is available in a package, just not installed. Anyway, Kdenlive works, tested a video and sound also works.

What do the movit plugins do, are they important? Transition effects, filters, time effects -- don't have the experience to know whether they are important to have.

Uninstalled the AppImage and installed the Flatpak, also version 23.04.1. It is the nature of Flatpaks that I expect it to be more self-contained, and yes, it doesn't complain about missing libGLX.so.0 and MLT movit plugins are available.

So, if install that missing libGLX.so.0, then should get the AppImage working same as the Flatpak. OK, in PKGget (the package manager), installed 'libglvnd', which has libGLX.so.0.

Uninstalled the Flatpak, installed the AppImage, started from a terminal, and startup aborted:

qt.glx: qglx_findConfig: Failed to finding matching FBConfig for QSurfaceFormat(version 2.0, options QFlags<QSurfaceFormat::FormatOption>(), depthBufferSize -1, redBufferSize 1, greenBufferSize 1, blueBufferSize 1, alphaBufferSize -1, stencilBufferSize -1, samples -1, swapBehavior QSurfaceFormat::SingleBuffer, swapInterval 1, colorSpace QSurfaceFormat::DefaultColorSpace, profile  QSurfaceFormat::NoProfile)
qt.glx: qglx_findConfig: Failed to finding matching FBConfig for QSurfaceFormat(version 2.0, options QFlags<QSurfaceFormat::FormatOption>(), depthBufferSize -1, redBufferSize 1, greenBufferSize 1, blueBufferSize 1, alphaBufferSize -1, stencilBufferSize -1, samples -1, swapBehavior QSurfaceFormat::SingleBuffer, swapInterval 1, colorSpace QSurfaceFormat::DefaultColorSpace, profile  QSurfaceFormat::NoProfile)
Could not initialize GLX
/usr/bin/kdenlive.bin: line 3: 31275 Aborted                 /mnt/wkg/appimage/kdenlive/kdenlive-23.04.1.AppImage

Oh dear.

Uninstalled the AppImage, reinstalled the Flatpak, and it starts OK.

A point about both of them: terminal output at startup reports the "avfilter", "frei0r" and "ladspa" plugins not available. The frei0r package is available via PKGget, so at least one of those can be satisfied.

I have posted before with examples of AppImages aborting at startup, for example here:

https://bkhome.org/news/202303/wrapping-up-appimage-installer.html

It is harsh to say it, but AppImages are "flakey by design". The main advantage of them is a smaller download; if you have a limited monthly data allowance, then you might have to use an AppImage.

Right now the Kdenlive Flatpak is installed, staying with that.     

Tags: easy