Text disappearing

1st Official Post

    So, there are a few references I've found related to "text disappearing", however any of the recent (< 2 yrs old) ones are buried inside threads with other main titles and/or are themselves several months old.

    I'm getting similar behavior as the other reports: after some time, all text from the GUI will stop displaying. Buttons shapes, icons, etc... will all still be there, just the text on each is gone. This seems to happen after the unit comes out of suspend for me, but I can't confirm that's the only time it happens. I may have had the first instance be after I stooped a video playback. A reboot fixes it.

    I've seen reports for a few a couple of different KODI versions on several Intel NUC users and at least one Chromebox. I'm running LE 9.6.2 on an ASUS Chromebox CN60 (Haswell) connected via HDMI.

    There seems to be a couple of trains of thought:

    1) Some sort of custom EDID configuration... but that seems to have been problematic for a few folks, and it seems odd that only text (and not the rest of the display elements) would go away if the unit didn't like the EDID it got back from the display

    2) Changing the default font for the UI to Ariel.

    The latter seems like an easy test and/or fix, but thought I'd throw it out here for any other thoughts/ideas.

    Thanks.

    -Steve

    Yeah unfortunately, it seems rather random, and takes weeks to appear...

    Given it's been discussed here more than once thought I'd see if it was a known issue with either a generally accepted fix/workraound or something on the docket for a future build.

    I'll see if I can figure out a way to force the failure so I can capture it...

    Thanks.

    Well changing to Ariel front from the skin default didn't prevent the issue. Unfortunately I wasn't in the position to SSH in and grab the log to paste... will look to next time.

    Quote from Da Flex
    1. activate debug logging at GUI (HUD will appear)
    2. reboot
    3. reproduce the error
    4. login by SSH
    5. run pastekodi (can take a while)
    6. post the resulting link

    The disappearing font issue struck again tonight when i had opportunity grab the dump afterward, here it is:

    http://ix.io/3tdi

    Interestingly, it looks truncated...

    Edited 2 times, last by scaesare (July 17, 2021 at 3:07 PM).

    This looks interesting, it would have been generated right at the time I had finished playing a video and returend back to the main interface:

    Code
    2021-07-16 18:55:48.811 T:140283718789248   ERROR: Control 55 in window 10025 has been asked to focus, but it can't
    Quote from Da Flex
    Code
    2021-07-16 17:34:07.514 T:140283718789248  NOTICE: ADDON: bs.crap.addon v0.7.04 installed

    Stop, using banned add-ons. We don't support such systems, and it could be the cause of your issue, too.

    Case closed.

    I feel like I touched nerve here. I had no idea there were "banned' add-ins, until I Googled it after your response and found this page. I'll probably uninstall it if it's problematic as I only did so for a player that streams free web content anyway. So thanks for the heads up, I don't want to run afoul of any forum rules.

    However, the disappearing text issue appeared prior to that. The first time it occurred was a week or two after my initial fresh install. At the time the only add-in addition to the defaults was Chrome from the LibreElec repo.

    Thanks for the reply.

    Quote from chewitt

    For the record .. on LE 9.2.6 on Intel HW we are still rendering via Xorg which means GL not GLES surface (GLES will be in the future once we dump Xorg) but crap add-ons are still crap add-ons :)

    Yup, I'm definitely getting the message on the add-ons, thanks. :|

    I assume GLES has a number of benefits (hence moving to it), is your feeling this text rendering problem may be one of them?

    • Official Post
    Quote from scaesare

    I'll probably uninstall it if it's problematic as I only did so for a player that streams free web content anyway.

    Probably..? People seem to define what is "free" very loosely, whenever banned add-ons are installed. To be clear: you can install whatever you want on your Kodi setup, but don't expect support here whenever a repo/add-on, wizard or kodi-fork with questionable content comes into play. Not to mention that such 3rd party crap is capable of seriously hindering Kodi core functionality.

    Quote from scaesare

    I feel like I touched nerve here.

    For years now, Kodi has tried to shake off the accusations of being an illegal piece of software. The good side of our reputation gets damaged every time people are advocating and promoting the use of the such add-ons via Youtube tutorials and web pages.

    Playing the innocent party, when you have one of the biggest and most prolific repository of banned add-ons installed, is not really convincing.

    Quote from Klojum

    Probably..? People seem to define what is "free" very loosely, whenever banned add-ons are installed. To be clear: you can install whatever you want on your Kodi setup, but don't expect support here whenever a repo/add-on, wizard or kodi-fork with questionable content comes into play. Not to mention that such 3rd party crap is capable of seriously hindering Kodi core functionality.

    For years now, Kodi has tried to shake off the accusations of being an illegal piece of software. The good side of our reputation gets damaged every time people are advocating and promoting the use of the such add-ons via Youtube tutorials and web pages.

    Playing the innocent party, when you have one of the biggest and most prolific repository of banned add-ons installed, is not really convincing.

    Display Spoiler

    Well, the reason I said I'd "probably" uninstall is because, as I mentioned, I was not even aware of the concept of banned add-ins until I got the response in this thread, and my initial reading of the Banned Add-ins page, doesn't make it clear if the issue was the use or the discussion of such on a forum:

    "This is an example list of repositories and add-ons that have been identified as violating the Kodi Official:Forum rules. This means they have been banned from any official Kodi forums, websites, IRC channels and any social media accounts that are under the control of Team Kodi or the XBMC Foundation."


    What's more, that page goes on to state:

    "The basic rule of thumb for what is not allowed, is that if the Add-on is offering something for free that you would normally expect to pay for by any other means, then it'll most likely be using pirate feeds."

    So, given that (as can be seen in my log dump), the ONLY add-in I had installed from that repo was "Browser Launcher", it would seem my actions don't meet the criteria for being banned.

    Hence, my needing to digest the whole thing and stating I'd "probably" uninstall it, as apparently the issue may be even there mere existence of the repo in your installation, not if you are actually using a plugin that violates any terms of service or attempts to pirate content, which is... weird.


    What's more, the Kodi Forum rules state:

    "2.5 Piracy Policy

    Kodi's Official Piracy Policy

    All discussions dealing directly with or linking to add-ons, websites, or services that violate US copyright laws ("pirated content") will be closed when a forum moderator has been made aware of them. The original poster or add-on creator may provide a link to a website not hosted by Kodi for further discussion and inquiries.

    Discussions for add-ons that link directly to pirated content and enables the user to access that content through the add-on will be shut down.

    All links to pirated content will be removed. Requests on where to obtain pirated content will also removed.

    "Pirated content" add-ons, websites, and services typically do not include the following (to be determined on a case-by-case basis if necessary):

    A. The add-on does not actually perform the act of accessing pirated content ("mistaken identity") [For example, Sickbeard, which performs no actual downloading or streaming.]

    B. The add-on has the potential to access pirated content, but is potentially useful for downloading legal content as well. [For example, an add-on that downloads torrents is not, itself, a problem, since a torrent can cover a wide variety content, including legally distributed videos.]

    C. The add-on links/accesses content in a similar way to a normal web browser. This is done under the assumption that if the content owner did not want the content streamed, the owner should have not made the content available to be streamed in their site. [For example, the Bluecop Repository.]

    D. The add-on accesses content with permission of the content owner, the content is "copyleft", or the add-on accesses content without the clear disapproval of the content owner. Kodi will do its best to comply with DMCA-related takedown requests.

    Thread originators or add-on developers may petition Forum Moderators to re-open a thread that was closed if he or she believes one of the above exceptions applies.

    Fair use exceptions apply for issues such as small video samples for testing and debugging, fanart and related artwork, video and audio summaries, subtitles, etc.

    These rules apply only to the http://XBMC.org/Kodi.tv websites. At no point will any user be prevented from using Kodi as they so choose, nor will they be prevented from adding additional add-ons from any source they choose to use."

    So the repo itself does not access pirated content. The sole add it from that repo I installed also does not access pirated content. So it's not immediately obvious to me that my actions violated anything...


    As for "Playing the innocent party", see above... the sole add-on from that repo is an add-on that attempts to launch a browser from a library item containing a URL. Is that considered violation-type behavior, or are assumptions being made?

    All that having been said, I appreciate being directed to docs outlining the issues with certain content in some repos. However, the accusations aren't supported by the evidence in the logs... feel free to assume good faith and innocent until proven guilty. Most of us folks new to a product/forum aren't aware of all the nuances right off the bat.

    So, does anybody want to comment on the thread topic, which is the info in the logfile as requested when text disappears, a situation that manifested with a default install with only the Chrome add-in installed from the LibreElec repo?

    Thanks.

    Edited 4 times, last by scaesare (July 21, 2021 at 4:52 PM).

    • Official Post
    Quote from scaesare

    doesn't make it clear if the issue was the use or the discussion of such

    That doesn't matter. We don't want any of the banned add-on crap here or at the Kodi forum. Period.

    Quote from scaesare

    Most of us folks new to a product/forum aren't aware of all the nuances right off the bat.

    Yeah, as if nowadays lots of people are seeing and using the Internet for the first time... Most of the folks are too lazy to inform themselves of forum rules whenever they register at a forum, even when they are made aware of forum rules. That is my experience as a Kodi forum moderator. It's like installing a new Windows program: "Next, Next, Next, Finished!". Most folks assume everything is allowed and all is honky-dory.

    "Thanks to" the so-called piracy box sellers, youtube promoters and several uninformed journalists`, Kodi (and LibreELEC) was almost finished a few years ago. The superrepo repositories that are/were(?) present on your system do not install themselves. So forgive us/me for getting cranky whenever people are taking things like video piracy lightly. FYI, anything from 'superrepo' repositories, which have been around for a long time already, is considered contagious and malignant.

    And yes, those 3rd party add-ons can cause havoc on your system because in LibreELEC, the only user is "root" (which is basically God-mode), and that can totally wreck your system without you even knowing it. Thus making it difficult to troubleshoot such setups. At some point, one developer created an unofficial add-on that removed other add-ons from a Kodi setup. Or took over your Kodi device for cryptocurrency actions. All fun stuff, right?

    I'll end my rant here. I think you'll get the meaning.

    Display Spoiler
    Quote

    That doesn't matter. We don't want any of the banned add-on crap here or at the Kodi forum. Period.

    Yup fair enough.


    Quote

    Yeah, as if nowadays lots of people are seeing and using the Internet for the first time... Most of the folks are too lazy to inform themselves of forum rules whenever they register at a forum, even when they are made aware of forum rules. That is my experience as a Kodi forum moderator. It's like installing a new Windows program: "Next, Next, Next, Finished!". Most folks assume everything is allowed and all is honky-dory.

    Uh no, we can discuss how long we've been using the Internet, if you'd kike.

    Rather, like I said, earlier, the Forum Rules refer to the page I quoted earlier, which isn't exactly consistent or clear when it states: "The basic rule of thumb for what is not allowed, is that if the Add-on is offering something for free that you would normally expect to pay for by any other means, then it'll most likely be using pirate feeds.", yet the add-in in question doesn't meet the criteria.

    Quote

    I'll end my rant here. I think you'll get the meaning.

    Cool.

    As an aside, as per suggestion from Da Flex above, I'll try and get a snapshot of RAM usage at the time next time it manifest's itself again.

    Edited once, last by scaesare (July 21, 2021 at 8:55 PM).

    Hi ! Hello everybody, I'm new here.
    I ve got exactly the same problem on KODI 18.9 (adaptation by PATRICK) installed on an Asustor NAS. Sometimes (only sometimes !), font totally disapearing while reading a movie. Impossible to read any menu after, font totally disapear !
    Same problem if I'm on an original KODI just afer installation or with Andromeda Skin v2 using OpenSans font.
    Only way is to restart KODI.

    Quote from LaurentM

    Hi ! Hello everybody, I'm new here.
    I ve got exactly the same problem on KODI 18.9 (adaptation by PATRICK) installed on an Asustor NAS. Sometimes (only sometimes !), font totally disapearing while reading a movie. Impossible to read any menu after, font totally disapear !
    Same problem if I'm on an original KODI just afer installation or with Andromeda Skin v2 using OpenSans font.
    Only way is to restart KODI.

    - What computer did you install Libreelec on ?

    - Asustor NAS is a storage device, not a computer - as far as I know.

    - What version of LE are you running ?