[Bug 631103] Re: [patch] maverick ffmpeg "Unknown input format: 'x11grab'"

[Alan Pope]

** Description changed:

  Binary package hint: ffmpeg
  
- This may be a duplicate of Bug #154793 or Bug #59849 but those are both
- quite old.
+ ffmpeg has an option '-x11grab' which enables it to record the desktop
+ to a video file. This is commonly used by the community making
+ screencasts on Ubuntu as it produces high quality video files with
+ little computational overhead.
  
- whilst ffmpeg on maverick appears to be compiled with --enable-x11grab,
- it doesn't work.
+ ffmpeg is compiled with the --enable-x11grab option enabled, but there
+ appears to be a missing dependency on libxfixes-dev (in main) (see
+ comment 3, below). As a result this feature which is compiled in is
+ broken. It worked fine in Lucid, so this feature has regressed.
+ 
+ Adding the necessary dependency and rebuilding ffmpeg fixes the issue
+ completely.
  
  alan at hactar:~$ ffmpeg -f x11grab -r 25 -s 1392x1040 -i :0.0 -vcodec huffyuv -sameq
  FFmpeg version 0.6-4:0.6-2ubuntu2, Copyright (c) 2000-2010 the FFmpeg developers
-   built on Jul 12 2010 01:02:19 with gcc 4.4.4
-   configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --enable-shared --disable-static
-   WARNING: library configuration mismatch
-   libavutil   configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
-   libavcodec  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
-   libavformat configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
-   libavdevice configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
-   libavfilter configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
-   libswscale  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
-   libpostproc configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
-   libavutil     50.15. 1 / 50.15. 1
-   libavcodec    52.72. 2 / 52.72. 2
-   libavformat   52.64. 2 / 52.64. 2
-   libavdevice   52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0
-   libavfilter    1.19. 0 /  1.19. 0
-   libswscale     0.11. 0 /  0.11. 0
-   libpostproc   51. 2. 0 / 51. 2. 0
+   built on Jul 12 2010 01:02:19 with gcc 4.4.4
+   configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --enable-shared --disable-static
+   WARNING: library configuration mismatch
+   libavutil   configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
+   libavcodec  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
+   libavformat configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
+   libavdevice configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
+   libavfilter configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
+   libswscale  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
+   libpostproc configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
+   libavutil     50.15. 1 / 50.15. 1
+   libavcodec    52.72. 2 / 52.72. 2
+   libavformat   52.64. 2 / 52.64. 2
+   libavdevice   52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0
+   libavfilter    1.19. 0 /  1.19. 0
+   libswscale     0.11. 0 /  0.11. 0
+   libpostproc   51. 2. 0 / 51. 2. 0
  Unknown input format: 'x11grab'
  
  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
  Package: ffmpeg 4:0.6-2ubuntu2
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-19.28-generic 2.6.35.3
  Uname: Linux 2.6.35-19-generic i686
  Architecture: i386
  Date: Sun Sep  5 21:16:55 2010
  EcryptfsInUse: Yes
  ProcEnviron:
-  PATH=(custom, user)
-  LANG=en_GB.utf8
-  SHELL=/bin/bash
+  PATH=(custom, user)
+  LANG=en_GB.utf8
+  SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: ffmpeg

** Tags added: regression-potential

-- 
[patch] maverick ffmpeg "Unknown input format: 'x11grab'"
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/631103
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Sponsors Team, which is a direct subscriber.

Status in “ffmpeg” package in Ubuntu: Confirmed
Status in “ffmpeg” package in Debian: Unknown

Bug description:
Binary package hint: ffmpeg

ffmpeg has an option '-x11grab' which enables it to record the desktop to a video file. This is commonly used by the community making screencasts on Ubuntu as it produces high quality video files with little computational overhead.

ffmpeg is compiled with the --enable-x11grab option enabled, but there appears to be a missing dependency on libxfixes-dev (in main) (see comment 3, below). As a result this feature which is compiled in is broken. It worked fine in Lucid, so this feature has regressed. 

Adding the necessary dependency and rebuilding ffmpeg fixes the issue completely.

alan at hactar:~$ ffmpeg -f x11grab -r 25 -s 1392x1040 -i :0.0 -vcodec huffyuv -sameq
FFmpeg version 0.6-4:0.6-2ubuntu2, Copyright (c) 2000-2010 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jul 12 2010 01:02:19 with gcc 4.4.4
  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --enable-shared --disable-static
  WARNING: library configuration mismatch
  libavutil   configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
  libavcodec  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
  libavformat configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
  libavdevice configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
  libavfilter configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
  libswscale  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
  libpostproc configuration: --extra-version=4:0.6-2ubuntu1 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libdirac --enable-libgsm --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-vaapi --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --enable-libvpx --disable-stripping --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-x11grab --enable-libfaad --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-librtmp --enable-libdc1394 --shlibdir=/usr/lib/i686/cmov --cpu=i686 --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-ffmpeg --disable-ffplay
  libavutil     50.15. 1 / 50.15. 1
  libavcodec    52.72. 2 / 52.72. 2
  libavformat   52.64. 2 / 52.64. 2
  libavdevice   52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0
  libavfilter    1.19. 0 /  1.19. 0
  libswscale     0.11. 0 /  0.11. 0
  libpostproc   51. 2. 0 / 51. 2. 0
Unknown input format: 'x11grab'

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: ffmpeg 4:0.6-2ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-19.28-generic 2.6.35.3
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-19-generic i686
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Sep  5 21:16:55 2010
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_GB.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: ffmpeg