No formats or codecs were found

[mf-linux]

Opening openshot, I get the message: "Error! No formats or codecs were found. Please check the OpenShot preferences and configure the 'melt' command name." Anyway, the app is able to open and play the saved project, but is unable to export it as video.
I tried several suggestions from openshot users forum previously reported (http://openshotusers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=865, http://openshotusers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=350), but none solved the problem.
I am running LMDE (gnome) completely updated (openshot 1.3.1-1, melt 1:0.7.4-0.1, installation method: synaptic).
Any suggestion? I'm afraid there is not a simple solution and I will have to repeat the project with another tool, as the deadline for my academic work is coming soon.
Thank you very much for your help.

[Andy Finch (fincha)]

Do you have 'melt' installed?

[mf-linux (maximo-fraga)]

Thanks, Andy. Yes: "melt 1:0.7.4-0.1"

[Andy Finch (fincha)]

What do you get if you run the following command in the terminal?

melt noise -consumer avformat vcodec=list

It should return a list of codecs. If you get a playback screen filled with noise or something else, then there is something wrong with the MLT environment somewhere.

Ideally you should be using v1.4.0 of Openshot, which uses a different (more reliable) method to retrieve the codecs which avoids this problem.

[mf-linux (maximo-fraga)]

Thank you very much for your advice! You were absolutely right. Instead of the version from the repositories for Linux Mint Debian Edition, I've just now installed v1.4.0 deb package from openshot download page... and it is working! No error messages and video exporting OK. Thank you again.

Note: I didn't know previously about the existence of a liveDVD with openshot installed. It is a very good idea. I should have looked first into the official openshotweb page before googling for the error message. In worst case, I could have used this tool to export my project.

[mf-linux (maximo-fraga)]

SOLVED

[Andy Finch (fincha)]

You might want to consider using the PPA to keep your install updated - we will shortly be releasing 1.4.1.

[mf-linux (maximo-fraga)]

Sorry, I am not sure if I should make this comment here, but concerning your suggestion: I think PPA only works for ubuntu, not for debian (my distro is debian-based linux mint, not the ubuntu-based one). Am I right? If I am wrong, maybe I've made some mistake, because I've tried but PPA did not work.

[Andy Finch (fincha)]

This might be of some help here:

http://www.astarix.co.uk/2011/05/using-ubuntu-ppa-packages-with-debian-or-crunchbang/