artiq_dashboard Problem with Qt platform

JohnDVill

I am trying to run the artiq_dashboard for the beta release of Artiq using nix. I can run artiq_master, but when I try to run the artiq_dashboard command, I get the following error messages:

qt.qpa.plugin: Could not find the Qt platform plugin "xcb" in ""
This application failed to start because no Qt platform plugin could be initialized. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

Aborted (core dumped)

or the message:
aritq_dashboard: command not found
I've tried reopening my nix shell, editing my flake.nix file, upgrading the nix profile, and updating the nix flake, but none of these methods seem to be working.
What can I do to fix this problem? My understanding of Qt is that it is used for GUIs like artiq_dashboard, but other than that I don't know what Qt is used for.

I am using a Linux machine and running everything through Nix.

sb10q

Please post your flake.nix, flake.lock, and all the commands you used to reproduce the problem.

JohnDVill

Here are the files that I used:
flake.nix

{
  inputs.artiq.url = "git+https://github.com/m-labs/artiq.git";
  inputs.extrapkg.url = "git+https://git.m-labs.hk/M-Labs/artiq-extrapkg.git";
  inputs.extrapkg.inputs.artiq.follows = "artiq";
  outputs = { self, artiq, extrapkg }:
    let
      pkgs = artiq.inputs.nixpkgs.legacyPackages.x86_64-linux;
      aqmain = artiq.packages.x86_64-linux;
      aqextra = extrapkg.packages.x86_64-linux;
    in {
      defaultPackage.x86_64-linux = pkgs.buildEnv {
        name = "artiq-env";
        paths = [
          # ========================================
          # EDIT BELOW
          # ========================================
          (pkgs.python3.withPackages(ps: [
            # List desired Python packages here.
            aqmain.artiq
            ps.paramiko  # needed if and only if flashing boards remotely (artiq_flash -H)
            aqextra.flake8-artiq

            # The NixOS package collection contains many other packages that you may find
            # interesting. Here are some examples:
            #ps.pandas
            #ps.numpy
            #ps.scipy
            #ps.numba
            #ps.matplotlib
            # or if you need Qt (will recompile):
            #(ps.matplotlib.override { enableQt = true; })
            #ps.bokeh
            #ps.cirq
            #ps.qiskit
          ]))
          #aqextra.korad_ka3005p
          #aqextra.novatech409b
          # List desired non-Python packages here
          aqmain.openocd-bscanspi  # needed if and only if flashing boards
          # Other potentially interesting packages from the NixOS package collection:
          #pkgs.gtkwave
          #pkgs.spyder
          #pkgs.R
          #pkgs.julia
          # ========================================
          # EDIT ABOVE
          # ========================================
        ];
      };
    };
}

flake.lock

{
  "nodes": {
    "artiq": {
      "inputs": {
        "artiq-comtools": "artiq-comtools",
        "mozilla-overlay": "mozilla-overlay",
        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs",
        "sipyco": "sipyco",
        "src-migen": "src-migen",
        "src-misoc": "src-misoc",
        "src-pythonparser": "src-pythonparser"
      },
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1653537640,
        "narHash": "sha256-iyHThZG2AoMKRbRcYtOh/36eIX4LLILfZpsQXw2t/9A=",
        "ref": "master",
        "rev": "d4780861196fe1e7a800270514b5592a7ead3689",
        "revCount": 8056,
        "type": "git",
        "url": "https://github.com/m-labs/artiq.git"
      },
      "original": {
        "type": "git",
        "url": "https://github.com/m-labs/artiq.git"
      }
    },
    "artiq-comtools": {
      "inputs": {
        "nixpkgs": [
          "artiq",
          "nixpkgs"
        ],
        "sipyco": [
          "artiq",
          "sipyco"
        ]
      },
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1653464839,
        "narHash": "sha256-v8opJPrCfZBH6zsnskTPUCeWYvYnyiIc8I/DWv5OrHE=",
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "artiq-comtools",
        "rev": "00e15e85cf4255e1462b2cc73f4e55590c826f85",
        "type": "github"
      },
      "original": {
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "artiq-comtools",
        "type": "github"
      }
    },
    "extrapkg": {
      "inputs": {
        "artiq": [
          "artiq"
        ]
      },
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1651810374,
        "narHash": "sha256-2gSObimK9y/by3wHhH2RNgs3+wJrorPgTSDORzUAgrA=",
        "ref": "master",
        "rev": "2f8241dbc76a079e25559857ac9441de296b17c4",
        "revCount": 22,
        "type": "git",
        "url": "https://git.m-labs.hk/M-Labs/artiq-extrapkg.git"
      },
      "original": {
        "type": "git",
        "url": "https://git.m-labs.hk/M-Labs/artiq-extrapkg.git"
      }
    },
    "mozilla-overlay": {
      "flake": false,
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1650459918,
        "narHash": "sha256-sroCK+QJTmoXtcRkwZyKOP9iAYOPID2Bwdxn4GkG16w=",
        "owner": "mozilla",
        "repo": "nixpkgs-mozilla",
        "rev": "e1f7540fc0a8b989fb8cf701dc4fd7fc76bcf168",
        "type": "github"
      },
      "original": {
        "owner": "mozilla",
        "repo": "nixpkgs-mozilla",
        "type": "github"
      }
    },
    "nixpkgs": {
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1653087707,
        "narHash": "sha256-zfno3snrzZTWQ2B7K53QHrGZwrjnJLTRPalymrSsziU=",
        "owner": "NixOS",
        "repo": "nixpkgs",
        "rev": "cbd40c72b2603ab54e7208f99f9b35fc158bc009",
        "type": "github"
      },
      "original": {
        "owner": "NixOS",
        "ref": "nixos-21.11",
        "repo": "nixpkgs",
        "type": "github"
      }
    },
    "root": {
      "inputs": {
        "artiq": "artiq",
        "extrapkg": "extrapkg"
      }
    },
    "sipyco": {
      "inputs": {
        "nixpkgs": [
          "artiq",
          "nixpkgs"
        ]
      },
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1651624017,
        "narHash": "sha256-engReD8l4xzQQJP8BJ7gILUyA1KH5d60lexDVfnoiRM=",
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "sipyco",
        "rev": "efda015e9994faf6cafc19b239d8e69ca4d26226",
        "type": "github"
      },
      "original": {
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "sipyco",
        "type": "github"
      }
    },
    "src-migen": {
      "flake": false,
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1650337393,
        "narHash": "sha256-rm1SlFmF2ASz0vIy2nDEzGlyRw2oYNeJRr8Kh8Mg2Qc=",
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "migen",
        "rev": "d4e3f34177c32f09904397179e6ed9c83175e528",
        "type": "github"
      },
      "original": {
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "migen",
        "type": "github"
      }
    },
    "src-misoc": {
      "flake": false,
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1649324486,
        "narHash": "sha256-Mw/fQS3lHFvCm7L1k63joRkz5uyijQfywcOq+X2+o2s=",
        "ref": "master",
        "rev": "f1dc58d2b8c222ba41c25cee4301626625f46e43",
        "revCount": 2420,
        "submodules": true,
        "type": "git",
        "url": "https://github.com/m-labs/misoc.git"
      },
      "original": {
        "submodules": true,
        "type": "git",
        "url": "https://github.com/m-labs/misoc.git"
      }
    },
    "src-pythonparser": {
      "flake": false,
      "locked": {
        "lastModified": 1628745371,
        "narHash": "sha256-p6TgeeaK4NEmbhimEXp31W8hVRo4DgWmcCoqZ+UdN60=",
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "pythonparser",
        "rev": "5413ee5c9f8760e95c6acd5d6e88dabb831ad201",
        "type": "github"
      },
      "original": {
        "owner": "m-labs",
        "repo": "pythonparser",
        "type": "github"
      }
    }
  },
  "root": "root",
  "version": 7
}

I only used two commands to get these errors:
artiq_master runs without error.
artiq_dashboard runs with the errors. It'll give one of the two of the above errors.

This part isn't necessarily part of the problem, but might play into how the dashboard runs. I've been trying to run artiq_dashboard with a plugin using the plugin flag, -p , but I have been getting an error where the artiq dashboard doesn't recognize the flag. Is there a difference between previous Artiq Dashboards and the dashboard for Artiq-7 Beta that will cause a recognition error?
(Edit: Formatting)

sb10q

I cannot reproduce any of those issues. How did you enter the shell? Did you set any environment variables such as PYTHONPATH?

The error aritq_dashboard: command not found sounds like you simply spelled the command wrong, or did not enter the Nix shell before executing it.

There never was a dashboard plugin system in upstream ARTIQ. What plugin are you referring to?

JohnDVill

The problem occurred when entering into the wrong terminal. I found that with my installation, artiq_master has to run in the root terminal due to some permission issues with files in the directory where device_db.py is stored, but the artiq_dashboard has to run in a non root terminal because the non root terminal contains the Qt platform.

sb10q

Nothing in ARTIQ has to be run as root. I suggest fixing your device_db permissions instead.

JohnDVill

Thank you for the heads up! I've been able to fix the problem by changing permissions.

Thank you for all your help!