hey,ok, im pretty new in linux....
...does anyone know why the f... doesnt Mathematica 5.1 work under the newest Ubuntu version i386 kernel? After reporting lower lines in terminal it opens the mathematica terminal, but if i click Help menue or any other menue it crashes?
...and how do i manage X (what is that? i didnot find it under ubuntu.packages) to work - might be the same problem (-it has some problems with runing gifsicle too)?

alex@ilex:~/PROGRAMI/gifsicle/gifsicle-1.35$ mathematica

Warning: locale not supported by Xlib, locale set to C
Warning: X locale modifiers not supported, using default
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:PrimitiveParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:PrimitiveParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfBeginLine
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfBeginLine:PrimitiveTraverseHome()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:PrimitiveHelp()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfUp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfUp:PrimitiveTraverseUp()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfDown
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfDown:PrimitiveTraverseDown()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfLeft
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfLeft:PrimitiveTraverseLeft()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfRight
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfRight:PrimitiveTraverseRight()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:PrimitiveParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:PrimitiveParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:MenuEscape()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfLeft
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfLeft:MenuTraverseLeft()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfRight
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfRight:MenuTraverseRight()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfUp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfUp:MenuTraverseUp()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfDown
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfDown:MenuTraverseDown()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfSelect:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:MenuEscape()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:PrimitiveParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:PrimitiveParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfSelect:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:PrimitiveParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:PrimitiveParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfSelect:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfSelect:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:MenuEscape()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:PrimitiveParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:PrimitiveParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfSelect:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:PrimitiveParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:PrimitiveParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfSelect:ArmAndActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:Help()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:ManagerParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:ManagerParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfSelect:ManagerGadgetSelect()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:ManagerGadgetHelp()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfBeginLine
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfBeginLine:ManagerGadgetTraverseHome()'Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfUp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfUp:ManagerGadgetTraverseUp()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfDown
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfDown:ManagerGadgetTraverseDown()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfLeft
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfLeft:ManagerGadgetTraverseLeft()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfRight
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfRight:ManagerGadgetTraverseRight()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:ManagerParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:ManagerParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfBeginLine
Warning: ... found while parsing 'c <Key>osfBeginLine:SWTopLine()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfBeginLine
Warning: ... found while

....

Unknown keysym name: osfUp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfUp:MenuGadgetTraverseUp()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfDown
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfDown:MenuGadgetTraverseDown()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfHelp
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfHelp:ManagerGadgetHelp()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfActivate:ManagerParentActivate()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfCancel
Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>osfCancel:ManagerParentCancel()'
Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfSelect





.....& what i get when trying to compile gifsicle (animation tool):

alex@ilex:~/PROGRAMI/gifsicle/gifsicle-1.35$ ./configure
loading cache ./config.cache
checking for a BSD compatible install... (cached) /usr/bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking whether make sets ${MAKE}... (cached) yes
checking for working aclocal... missing
checking for working autoconf... missing
checking for working automake... missing
checking for working autoheader... missing
checking for working makeinfo... found
checking for gcc... (cached) gcc
checking whether the C compiler (gcc ) works... yes
checking whether the C compiler (gcc ) is a cross-compiler... no
checking whether we are using GNU C... (cached) yes
checking whether gcc accepts -g... (cached) yes
checking how to run the C preprocessor... (cached) gcc -E
checking for working const... (cached) yes
checking for inline... (cached) inline
checking for X... (cached) no
checking for gettimeofday prototype... (cached) 2
checking for random... (cached) yes
checking for strerror... (cached) yes
checking for strtoul... (cached) yes
checking for sys/select.h... (cached) yes
checking for inttypes.h... (cached) yes
checking for integer typedefs... (cached) yes
creating ./config.status
creating Makefile
creating config.h
config.h is unchanged

alex@ilex:~/PROGRAMI/gifsicle/gifsicle-1.35$ make
gcc -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I. -I. -g -O2 -c gifview.c
gifview.c:13:2: error: #error "You can't compile gifview without X."
make: *** [gifview.o] Error 1
alex@ilex:~/PROGRAMI/gifsicle/gifsicle-1.35$

Do you have any reason to believe this will work?

Anyway - simple answers first:

X:
this is (usually) the X-server program that renders all those graphics on your screen. Your version will be called Xorg. It is managed from the various screen dialogs or from /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Your config report says you don't have "X... (cached)" ... goodness knows what that means. But it is certainly true that you cannot view gifs without X.

Compiling gifsicle:
You are missing a whole heap of stuff for compiling. If this is the default ubuntu install, then it will not have any development packages. It dosn't even have gcc (this is why it fits on one CD.) You gotta go get them.

mathematica:
The locale is not supported. Like I said - you need to download more stuff to get this to work. (It looks like you have errors installing mathematica here)

Note: with student edition (unless hacked) you have paid for support from Wolfram. have you used it?

I take it mathematica is required by your institution?

i have some reasons....

I have ubuntu-development packages installed and i also installed lots of extra packages (including gcc,g++ - so when compiling written programs it works) - so i dont see why gifsicle doesnt work! But i think it has some problems with X. (?)...

About X. i can view graphic outputs form graphical programs (ex. super mongo) and movies works fine with mplayer - though i am not sure about gif format images...
..so u think that there might be a problem because X. does not come with basic CD version of Ubuntu (i cant see why not)? Perhaps u know what package is it in... (Xorg?) to instal with Synaptic?

...i have to say that about mathematica i also dont know what should i install more - any sugestions?

and THANX!

Ubuntu CD comes with the x-window system.

I found this on Ubuntuforums:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=89899
... this directly adresses your issue.

I note that gifsicle is in the universe repositories (dapper, but not breezy, in-ter-rest-ing). Enable this repo and apt-get install gifsicle (I think - check) and it will install flawlessly...
http://packages.ubuntu.com/dapper/graphics/gifsicle




Being a Free Software proponent, I feel obligated to push GNU stuff:
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/html_single/Sc...ith-GNU-Linux/
... serious scientific computing should not be done with proprietary apps supplied only in binary form. Simply put: if you should actually discover something this way, you have no way of knowing if it is a discover about nature or an artifact of the computation process.

Most people I know use mathematica or matlab for "back of envelope" calculations, then they re-code everything in C for peer review. (But, see octave.)

Serious science is not pretty.

Tnx, it helped a little...

i tried this:
"These are the steps I followed to make things work:
* the locale and translation table errors are due to some X11 directories having been moved around out to their "hystorical" location. just go to
$ cd /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/
$ sudo rm locale
$ sudo ln -s /usr/share/X11/XKeysymDB XKeysymDB
$ sudo ln -s /usr/share/X11/locale/ locale
* run mathematica with -noSplashScreen option to avoid the crash-the-window-list problem"

...linking locales did not work for me...it starts complainig about fonts, so i left that line out!

After copying "XKeyDB..." like said in uper link, if i run mathematica from terminal as
%"mathematica" , gnome panel freezes. ...so i tried using
%"mathematica -noSplashScreen"
and it doesnt freeze...but i could not find any soultion for opening Help in mathematica,yet...i also dont understand why all other tasks from StartupPalette work (i.e. if i run "Ten minutes Tuttorial" it works fine), except "Help Browser" or "Help" - which causes mathematicas open windows to crash!

after runing %"mathematica -noSplashScreen" i still get:
Warning: locale not supported by Xlib, locale set to C
Warning: X locale modifiers not supported, using default

...and after clicking on "Help" mathematica crashes and prints:
Mathematica has received the signal: SIGSEGV and has exited.
Segmentation fault

I
...Thnx again! And i agree about "scientifical usage of mathematica" (- finally i understand why "all" linux users say it s... )! ...its better using C & other graphical tools for serial work, but sometimes mathematica is nice for quick usage, so i would like it to be fully operational...

Especially since you have paid so much for it!

What were the font complaints? Similar?
Probably similar solution - find what is missing in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/ which is in /usr/share/X11/, and make a link.

Hey,
well its for my coledge needs...unfortunatelly i could not get original version from them!

so:
...if i link locales to it doesnt work at all! just complains about the fonts, starting with sth. like error about reading unicode and StartupWarning:
"Asseprtion 'Vertical LineBoxMetaclass Defaults.ch I=((void)o)' failed at span box.c:2981"

and then get...

"An illegal right-hand side value specefied for the cell style option "FontColour"", which doestn stop complainig about...

Linking Fonts in /usr/share/X11 doesnt help!

Thnx anyway!

I had the same problem with errors like:

Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name: osfActivate

and I just did the sudo ln -s /usr/share/X11/XKeysymDB XKeysymDB instruction above an it worked. Almost too easily...

This is the third time I have edited this post. Originally I had a problem with these irritating squares whenever I tried to delete / backspace. Then the mouse would not 'click' anything. For those who are as new to mathematica as me - I needed to turn off numlock to solve that.

craig

hi - just had the same problem after updating to modular xorg and generally updating gentoo after I had neglected it for two years.

I followed what was descriebed here and also got the "An illegal right-hand side value was specified for the cell style option "FontColor"" error.

I solved it by adding the following lines to the Mathematica exectuable scripts (they are called "Mathematica" and "MathKernel"):

LC_ALL="C"
LANG="C"

Now, everything works fine.

Hope that helps, although the answer might come a bit late

Cheers,
Rainer