VLC not opening (and numerous other apps) with Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS

So a couple years ago, I noticed that VLC stopped opening. I later found this true for a range of other applications I'd downloaded previously - Calibre, E- book viewer, E-book editor, Deep in Voice Recorder, LRF viewer, Simple Screen Recorder and SM Player.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled VLC (the most important one for me) from the terminal to no avail, and found little elsewhere of anyone having similiar difficulties.

I'm an ABSOLUTE NOOB when it comes to coding, computers and running software, at the ABSOLUTE BEGINNER LEVEL - assume I know nothing. I can copy and paste commands into the terminal... that's about it.

When I type "vlc media player" into the terminal, it comes up with this -

**jack@jack-HP-ZBook-17:~$ vlc media player

VLC media player 3.0.9.2 Vetinari (revision 3.0.9.2-0-gd4c1aefe)

[00005614a13565b0] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.

[00005614a1438350] skins2 interface error: cannot instantiate dialogs provider

[00007f62940015b0] filesystem stream error: cannot open file /home/jack/media (No such file or directory)

[00007f62a0000da0] main input error: Your input can't be opened

[00007f62a0000da0] main input error: VLC is unable to open the MRL 'file:///home/jack/media'. Check the log for details.

[00005614a1438350] [cli] lua interface: Listening on host "*console".

VLC media player 3.0.9.2 Vetinari

Command Line Interface initialized. Type `help' for help.

[00007f62980015f0] filesystem stream error: cannot open file /home/jack/player (No such file or directory)

[00007f62a0000da0] main input error: Your input can't be opened

[00007f62a0000da0] main input error: VLC is unable to open the MRL 'file:///home/jack/player'. Check the log for details.**

Then the cursor keeps hanging there, as if waiting for another command. I don't know how to check the log.

Haven't looked much into the other apps that aren't working - I've just found workarounds, and alternative softwares that do seem to work.

Still, would love to have the problem fixed.

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers Fox

changed the description

Hi,

vlc media player

just type vlc, here you're asking vlc to open the media media and player

it looks like you don't have the interface installed, check that you have the packet vlc-plugin-qt installed or the equivalent on your distribution

note that this kind of question is rather suited for the forum

closed

If it affects many apps, it's probably not a VLC problem, so you'll have to refer to Ubuntu fora or user support.