# Pre-build or Locally-build 3dSlicer under Ubuntu 16.04 does NOT start: Failed to obtain launcher executable name!

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** build, bug\
**Created:** [March 15, 2018, 11:44am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322 "2018-03-15T11:44:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MGM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@MGM](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/MGM)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 11:44am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/1 "2018-03-15T11:44:29Z")

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Hi everyone,

I tried to build 3dSlicer under Ubuntu 16.04, following all steps [here](https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Nightly/Developers/Build_Instructions)  
But, still can’t find how to run it ?

Please, anyone, have a simple instruction to make it running?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![brhoom](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/brhoom/32/1228_2.png) [@brhoom](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/brhoom)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 12:35pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/2 "2018-03-15T12:35:22Z")

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If the build was successfull:

your\_slicer\_build\_folder\_path/Slicer-build/Slicer

If you just want to run and use slicer, no need to build from the source, using the binary for ubuntu is much simpler.

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**Author:** ![MGM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@MGM](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/MGM)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/3 "2018-03-15T15:16:37Z")

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Hi brhoom,

Thank you for your reply.  
In fact, I tried with binary with “/Slicer-4.8.1-linux-amd64”  
I got " error: Failed to obtain launcher executable name !"

What do you think ?

Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brhoom](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/brhoom/32/1228_2.png) [@brhoom](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/brhoom)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/4 "2018-03-15T15:31:09Z")

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Try this:

- right click on the Slicer file
- switch to Permissions tab
- check the “Allow execution file as program”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MGM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@MGM](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/MGM)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 3:53pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/5 "2018-03-15T15:53:09Z")

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yes, I verified  
already checked

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**Author:** ![jcfr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/jcfr/32/17825_2.png) [@jcfr](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/jcfr)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/6 "2018-03-15T16:57:35Z")

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~~Hi brhoom,~~ Hi @MGM,

Let’s check that the folder contain all the expected files.

Can you run the following command and check that you get `6541` as an answer:

```auto
$ cd Slicer-4.8.1-linux-amd64
$ find . | wc -l
6541

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brhoom](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/brhoom/32/1228_2.png) [@brhoom](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/brhoom)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/7 "2018-03-15T18:18:53Z")

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So you have the same error in both the binary and the build version?

there are similar related problems. Try redownloading both stable and nightly binaries and check if you still get the same error in both of them.

If it does not work, probably something wrong with your system.

@jcfr: I am not the one who has the problem. BTW, There are people who reported similar problem  
[http://slicer-devel-archive.65872.n3.nabble.com/Windows-Built-but-gives-following-error-on-execution-td4034740.html](http://slicer-devel-archive.65872.n3.nabble.com/Windows-Built-but-gives-following-error-on-execution-td4034740.html)

> [@how to open slicer in linux ubuntu command line](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-open-slicer-in-linux-ubuntu-command-line/1707):
>
> I downloaded Slicer-4.8.0-linux-amd64 on my linux ubuntu system, when I tried to open slicer, I first cd to Slicer-4.8.0-linux-amd64 folder, and typed ./Slicer in terminal. It said “error: Failed to obtain launcher executable name !” What should I do? I also tried double-click the Slicer file, it still wouldn’t open. Thanks. Meina

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jcfr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/jcfr/32/17825_2.png) [@jcfr](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/jcfr)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/8 "2018-03-15T19:23:10Z")

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The error message indicates that the following code path (associated with the function `ctkAppLauncherPrivate::extractLauncherNameAndDir`) is executed in the launcher:

> <https://github.com/commontk/AppLauncher/blob/48b4ae63168e3930e7a4d48da705c27c557e5564/Base/ctkAppLauncher.cpp#L382-L387>

The input to that function is obtained here using `argv[0]`:

> <https://github.com/commontk/AppLauncher/blob/48b4ae63168e3930e7a4d48da705c27c557e5564/Main.cpp#L72-L78>

I suspect that on newer Ubuntu, the path the program needs to be obtained from `/proc` as it is done in qapplication:

> <https://github.com/qt/qtbase/blob/17b73b0d2b8e0d643bdf13b543cc23d657a4b330/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp#L2259-L2266>

Few days ago, within Slicer itself (and not the launcher) the needed a function allowing to get the path of the application on all platforms before instantiating the application … but decided to implement a workaround in 27030

Look like the time has come to have such a function.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MGM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@MGM](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/MGM)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 8:19am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/9 "2018-03-16T08:19:01Z")

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Hi @jcfr

yes, 6541 👌

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MGM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@MGM](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/MGM)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 8:44am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/10 "2018-03-16T08:44:59Z")

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Hi @jcfr and @brhoom

Same issue with 4.9.0 Nightly Build

> ~/Slicer-4.9.0-2018-02-08-linux-amd64$ find . | wc -l  
> 6534  
> ~/Slicer-4.9.0-2018-02-08-linux-amd64$ sudo apt-get update  
> ~/Slicer-4.9.0-2018-02-08-linux-amd64$ ./Slicer  
> error: Failed to obtain launcher executable name !

I tried with an old release :

> ~/Slicer-4.8.0-linux-amd64$ find . | wc -l  
> 6541  
> ~/Slicer-4.8.0-linux-amd64$ ./Slicer  
> error: Failed to obtain launcher executable name !

My system works fine with others software.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MGM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@MGM](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/MGM)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 8:09am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pre-build-or-locally-build-3dslicer-under-ubuntu-16-04-does-not-start-failed-to-obtain-launcher-executable-name/2322/11 "2018-04-27T08:09:17Z")

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Hi,

I finally find a solution, but only with Slicer 4.8.1 release, thanks to @brhoom  
please refer to this topic, if you meet a similar issue

> [@Can't launch Slicer on Linux - failed to obtain launcher executable name](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/cant-launch-slicer-on-linux/2694/9):
>
> I placed in ~/Software/Slicer