Windows 10 Help/Manual generates "fantastic lxml" error.

[stevensrmiller]

Thanks to the Inkscape developers and community for publishing this fine program. I have no problems installing and running the Windows 64-bit version (0.92.1 r15371) on two of my three Windows 10 machines. On my third, however, if I choose Help/Inkscape Manual (or any of the other Help menu items that should take me to a Web page), I get a dialog box that says this:

Inkscape has received additional data from the script executed.  The script did not return an error, but this may indicate the results will not be as expected.

And below that, in a scrollable text window, it says this:

The fantastic lxml wrapper for libxml2 is required by inkex.py and therefore this extension.Please download and install the latest version from http://cheeseshop.python.org/pypi/lxml/, or install it through your package manager by a command like: sudo apt-get install python-lxml

Technical details:
No module named lxml

In Googling this issue, most of the material I can find is about OS X or Ubuntu, so that's been kind of fruitless. And, given that it works on two of my machines, it's not something I expect folks can do much to help me with from a distance. However, I am wondering if anyone with more detailed knowledge of how Inkscape works can suggest some debugging approaches I can try. For example, are there log files I can read? Is there a configuration option that might generate more detailed info? And, of course, if anyone else has experienced this and knows a fix, I'd be immensely grateful to know what it was.

Thanks!
Stevens

[Moini]

Just an idea: have you /updated/ the Inkscape version from 0.91? This can generate errors in the python installation (the uninstaller of 0.91 wasn't working correctly for Windows). You might try to uninstall 0.92.1 completely and then reinstall.

Log files for extensions (and the manual link is one, even if it's not in the correct menu for that) are available in your user config directory. Check Edit -> Preferences -> System for the correct folder.

The manual is available at: http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/

[stevensrmiller]

Just an idea: have you /updated/ the Inkscape version from 0.91? This can generate errors in the python installation (the uninstaller of 0.91 wasn't working correctly for Windows). You might try to uninstall 0.92.1 completely and then reinstall.

No, this is my first time using Inkscape. 0.92.1 is the only version I've installed on any of these machines.

Log files for extensions (and the manual link is one, even if it's not in the correct menu for that) are available in your user config directory. Check Edit -> Preferences -> System for the correct folder.

Thanks! I found an extension-errors.log file. Here's its contents from the last start-up of Inkscape:

Extension "Dia Input" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: dia
  description: In order to import Dia files, Dia itself must be installed.  You can get Dia at http://live.gnome.org/Dia

Extension "DXF Output" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: pstoedit
  description: pstoedit must be installed to run; see http://www.pstoedit.net/pstoedit

Extension "EPS Input" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: ps2pdf

Extension "LaTeX" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: latex

Extension "LaTeX" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: dvips

Extension "LaTeX" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: pstoedit

Extension "XFIG Input" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: fig2dev

Extension "GIMP XCF" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: gimp

Extension "PostScript Input" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: ps2pdf

Extension "Sketch Input" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: path
  string: skconvert

Nothing gets added to it after I replicate the error by selecting Help / Inkscape manual.

Does it tell you anything or suggest another line of investigation? Much appreciate the help.

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, we do usually see that error on Macs.  This is the first time I've ever heard of it in Windows.  Since I'm not a Mac user, I've been pretty much ignoring posts about it.  So I need to do a little research, to find out more about it.  After that, I'll let you know if I have any ideas.

Meanwhile, Moini's suggestions might well fix it.  Although I have to say I'm not sure the error log will help, since it's meant for helping to figure out why extensions  don't work.  And your problem doesn't seem to be about extensions.

(That fantastic wrapper certainly has been fantastic in it's performance with Inkscape, has it?)

[brynn]

Oops, you posted while I was typing.  As I said, I don't think that error log will be helpful.  But I'll let you know what I learn about the not so fantastic thing 

Edit
Although the error message seems to indicate you had tried to use an extension.  Very strange!  Back to research 

[brynn]

I'm not sure whether I'm more surprised to see this errror in Windows, or that it happened with using the Help menu to open webpage.

I found a more recent mention in a bug report about Windows:  https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/450927/comments/15  The good news, is that it contains a possible workaround!

Is python used to open the manual from the Help menu?  I guess it must be, if you're getting this error??

Are you able to decipher that message enough to determine whether any of those circumstances exist on the affected machine?  Or would you like a little deciphering?  I can probably  decipher a little, but some of it is beyond  me.

[brynn]

When you were trying to open the manual from the Help menu, had you, just before that, tried to use an extension, and nothing was happening?  That's the only scenario I can think for how this error happened.  It came in response to the extension request, but coincidentally popped up after you requested the manual (from the Help menu).

[stevensrmiller]

Thanks for taking a look at this.

When you were trying to open the manual from the Help menu, had you, just before that, tried to use an extension, and nothing was happening?

No, the error happens if the very first thing I do after starting Inkscape is select Help / Inkscape manual.

[brynn]

You might have missed my earlier messages.  I posted 3 in a row.  I found a mention in a more recent bug report, and about Windows, and with a possible workaround.  Couple of messages up.

Apparently python is used to open the webpages.  I'm not a programmer, so I can't just look it up.

[stevensrmiller]

I found a mention in a more recent bug report, and about Windows, and with a possible workaround.

Hey! That fixed it!

Specifically, I removed the definition of PYTHONHOME from my environment variables (it had been set to C:\csvn\python25, a remnant of some discontinued experiments with CollabNet Subversion Edge). Inkscape's Help / Inkscape Manual menu item brought up the manual Web page without a problem after that.

You are awesome! Thanks so much for the help!!!


 

[Moini]

Glad you got it solved

Brynn, as I wrote above, all menu items in Inkscape that open a web page are implemented as python extensions.

The extensions error log didn't say anything about the issue, unfortunately. Which isn't surprising, as it only keeps a log of errors that occur when loading extensions into the interface, not when using them.

[brynn]

Good news, stevensrmiller, glad to hear it!

Thanks Moini.  I didn't understand your original comment before.

[alen]

I found a mention in a more recent bug report, and about Windows, and with a possible workaround.

Hey! That fixed it!

Specifically, I removed the definition of PYTHONHOME from my environment variables (it had been set to C:\csvn\python25, a remnant of some discontinued experiments with CollabNet Subversion Edge). Inkscape's Help / Inkscape Manual menu item brought up the manual Web page without a problem after that.

You are awesome! Thanks so much for the help!!!


 

Hi. I found your topic when i searching for same error. I'm trying to use inkscape laser engraving extensions for get g codes. I got errors in my extension-error tex file like this:

Extension "DXF Input" failed to load because a dependency was not met.
Dependency:
  type: executable
  location: extensions
  string: inkex.py


so, i found your topic and solution. But i can't find any PYTHONHOME variable in my windows envirement variables settings.

Could you help me please? Thank you guys.

[Moini]

@alen: this issue is unrelated to your problem.