I’m attempting to execute Cesium in a headless instance of Firefox while utilizing xvfb. Additionally, I’ve tried SlimerJS but encountered an issue where I receive the following error message:
[[email protected] slimerjs-0.9.5]$ ./slimerjs test.js
Script Error: uncaught exception: RuntimeError: The browser supports WebGL, but initialization failed.
RuntimeError@http://myvm.net/Cesium/Cesium.js:11697:19
Context@http://myvm.net/Cesium/Cesium.js:97405:1
Scene@http://myvm.net/Cesium/Cesium.js:122319:23
CesiumWidget@http://myvm.net/Cesium/Cesium.js:132474:25
@http://myvm.net/:254:22
x.Callbacks/l@http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.0.3/jquery.min.js:4:24877
x.Callbacks/c.fireWith@http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.0.3/jquery.min.js:4:25702
.ready@http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.0.3/jquery.min.js:4:2898
S@http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.0.3/jquery.min.js:4:551
Stack:
-> undefined: 0
I searched the internet for solutions but couldn’t find a satisfying response. I came across a query regarding running unit tests for WebGL web applications in a headless environment, but it received minimal interaction, and the provided answer remains unaccepted.
Try using a more updated headless browser solution like Puppeteer with XVFB. Here's a basic setup:
# Install Puppeteer
npm install puppeteer
# Create script `runCesium.js`
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
headless: true,
args: ['--no-sandbox']
});
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('http://myvm.net/');
// Add code to interact with Cesium
await browser.close();
})();
Run it with XVFB:
xvfb-run --auto-servernum --server-args='-screen 0 1024x768x24' node runCesium.js
The error you encounter typically indicates an issue with WebGL initialization in a headless environment. Here are a few approaches you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:
1. Verify WebGL Support:
Ensure that your version of Firefox and the underlying drivers on your XVFB setup fully support WebGL. To test WebGL support, you can run a minimal HTML page with WebGL content in your setup. Alternatively, try specifying a higher screen depth in your xvfb-run command:
xvfb-run --auto-servernum --server-args='-screen 0 1024x768x24' slimerjs test.js
2. Use Dedicated WebGL Driver:
Consider using a dedicated GPU via Xvfb or utilizing software rasterization which can be enabled using the Chromium/Chrome "--use-gl=swiftshader" flag similar to Puppeteer. Although specifically for Chromium-based setups, understanding such flags might help in configuring Firefox.
3. Test in Geckodriver:
Integrate Geckodriver with Selenium to run Firefox. This might help isolate if the issue lies in SlimerJS itself. Geckodriver often receives more regular updates and supports recent Firefox features, and it can be utilized as follows:
# Install Selenium for JavaScript
npm install selenium-webdriver
# Example script
const {Builder, By, until} = require('selenium-webdriver');
(async function setup() {
let driver = await new Builder().forBrowser('firefox').build();
try {
await driver.get('http://myvm.net/');
// Include interactions for Cesium
} finally {
await driver.quit();
}
})();
4. Debug Log:
Enable detailed logs in your environment to gather insights into the runtime error. This may provide more context about why WebGL initialization is specifically failing.
These steps should help pinpoint or circumvent the WebGL initialization issue. Furthermore, following the legacy packages like SlimerJS might pose more challenges, hence using more actively supported tools like Puppeteer with appropriate configuration is usually advised.
When running WebGL applications like Cesium in a headless browser environment using xvfb, encountering WebGL initialization issues is not uncommon. Let's tackle your problem with clear, actionable steps:
1. Verify Firefox and Xvfb Setup:
- Ensure your
xvfb is configured to support OpenGL. Use drivers that are compatible with WebGL.
- Verify that the Firefox version supports WebGL in headless environments.
2. Use Puppeteer with Headless Firefox:
- Puppeteer can manage headless instances of browsers efficiently. Here’s how you can use it:
# Install Puppeteer
npm install puppeteer
# Create script `runCesium.js`
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer-firefox');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
headless: true,
args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox']
});
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('http://myvm.net/');
// Add code to interact with Cesium
await browser.close();
})();
3. Debug and Tune:
- Enable detailed logging using Firefox options to gather insights into the error.
- Consider running the script with a higher screen resolution and depth:
xvfb-run --auto-servernum --server-args='-screen 0 1280x1024x24' node runCesium.js
4. Test Alternatives:
- If issues persist, try using Selenium with Geckodriver as an alternative testing setup.
These solutions should help you address WebGL initialization in a headless environment. Utilizing active support tools like Puppeteer often yields better results with fewer complications.
To address the WebGL initialization issue with Cesium in a headless setup using XVFB and Firefox, you can try the following steps:
1. Use Puppeteer:
# Install Puppeteer for Firefox
npm install puppeteer-firefox
# Create `runCesium.js`
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer-firefox');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
headless: true,
args: ['--no-sandbox']
});
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('http://myvm.net/');
// Add Cesium interaction here
await browser.close();
})();
2. Run with XVFB:
xvfb-run --auto-servernum --server-args='-screen 0 1024x768x24' node runCesium.js
This setup should help you manage your headless WebGL environment efficiently.