Difficulties to launch neo4j desktop after installation on Ubuntu 20:04

General
1

Hello ! made a first installation of Neo4j Desktop using the procedure indicated in Debian - Operations Manual
The last installation instruction was :
vincent2718@vincent2718-HP-Laptop-17-ca0xxx:~$ sudo apt-get install neo4j=1:4.2.7 [sudo] Mot de passe de vincent2718 :

I then attempted to run me4j from the terminal using neo4j console
but it failed with this return vincent2718@vincent2718-HP-Laptop-17-ca0xxx:~$ neo4j console Directories in use: home: /var/lib/neo4j config: /etc/neo4j logs: /var/log/neo4j plugins: /var/lib/neo4j/plugins import: /var/lib/neo4j/import data: /var/lib/neo4j/data certificates: /var/lib/neo4j/certificates run: /var/run/neo4j Starting Neo4j. WARNING: Max 1024 open files allowed, minimum of 40000 recommended. See the Neo4j manual. 2021-06-04 09:06:37.401+0000 INFO Starting... ERROR StatusLogger RollingFileManager (/var/log/neo4j/debug.log) java.io.FileNotFoundException: /var/log/neo4j/debug.log (Permission non accordée) java.io.FileNotFoundException: /var/log/neo4j/debug.log (Permission non accordée) at java.base/java.io.FileOutputStream.open0(Native Method) at java.base/java.io.FileOutputStream.open(FileOutputStream.java:298) at java.base/java.io.FileOutputStream.<init>(FileOutputStream.java:237) at java.base/java.io.FileOutputStream.<init>(FileOutputStream.java:158) at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.rolling.RollingFileManager$RollingFileManagerFactory.createManager(RollingFileManager.java:678) at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.rolling.RollingFileManager$RollingFileManagerFactory.createManager(RollingFileManager.java:648) at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.AbstractManager.getManager(AbstractManager.java:113) at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.OutputStreamManager.getManager(OutputStreamManager.java:100) at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.rolling.RollingFileManager.getFileManager(RollingFileManager.java:205) at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.RollingFileAppender$Builder.build(RollingFileAppender.java:146) at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig.createRollingFileAppender(LogConfig.java:183) at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig.getAppender(LogConfig.java:152) at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig.configureLogging(LogConfig.java:105) at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig$Builder.build(LogConfig.java:293) at org.neo4j.graphdb.factory.module.GlobalModule.createLogService(GlobalModule.java:337) at org.neo4j.graphdb.factory.module.GlobalModule.<init>(GlobalModule.java:174) at org.neo4j.graphdb.facade.DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.createGlobalModule(DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.java:252) at org.neo4j.graphdb.facade.DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.build(DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.java:126) at org.neo4j.server.CommunityBootstrapper.createNeo(CommunityBootstrapper.java:36) at org.neo4j.server.NeoBootstrapper.start(NeoBootstrapper.java:134) at org.neo4j.server.NeoBootstrapper.start(NeoBootstrapper.java:90) at org.neo4j.server.CommunityEntryPoint.main(CommunityEntryPoint.java:35) 2021-06-04 09:06:37.663+0000 ERROR Failed to start Neo4j on dbms.connector.http.listen_address, a socket address. If missing port or hostname it is acquired from dbms.default_listen_address. java.lang.IllegalStateException: ManagerFactory [org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.rolling.RollingFileManager$RollingFileManagerFactory@182b435b] unable to create manager for [/var/log/neo4j/debug.log] with data [org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.rolling.RollingFileManager$FactoryData@4d0402b[pattern=/var/log/neo4j/debug.log.%i, append=true, bufferedIO=true, bufferSize=8192, policy=SizeBasedTriggeringPolicy(size=20971520), strategy=DefaultRolloverStrategy(min=1, max=7, useMax=false), advertiseURI=null, layout=org.neo4j.logging.log4j.Neo4jLogLayout@2fa7ae9, filePermissions=null, fileOwner=null]] at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.AbstractManager.getManager(AbstractManager.java:115) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.OutputStreamManager.getManager(OutputStreamManager.java:100) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.rolling.RollingFileManager.getFileManager(RollingFileManager.java:205) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.logging.shaded.log4j.core.appender.RollingFileAppender$Builder.build(RollingFileAppender.java:146) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig.createRollingFileAppender(LogConfig.java:183) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig.getAppender(LogConfig.java:152) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig.configureLogging(LogConfig.java:105) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.logging.log4j.LogConfig$Builder.build(LogConfig.java:293) ~[neo4j-logging-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.graphdb.factory.module.GlobalModule.createLogService(GlobalModule.java:337) ~[neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.graphdb.factory.module.GlobalModule.<init>(GlobalModule.java:174) ~[neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.graphdb.facade.DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.createGlobalModule(DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.java:252) ~[neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.graphdb.facade.DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.build(DatabaseManagementServiceFactory.java:126) ~[neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.server.CommunityBootstrapper.createNeo(CommunityBootstrapper.java:36) ~[neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.server.NeoBootstrapper.start(NeoBootstrapper.java:134) [neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.server.NeoBootstrapper.start(NeoBootstrapper.java:90) [neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] at org.neo4j.server.CommunityEntryPoint.main(CommunityEntryPoint.java:35) [neo4j-4.2.7.jar:4.2.7] 2021-06-04 09:06:37.707+0000 INFO Neo4j Server shutdown initiated by request 2021-06-04 09:06:37.708+0000 INFO Stopped.

I suspected a problem with licence keys and authorizations and I went to the procedure on neo4j.com site for downloading the file neo4j-desktop-1.4.5-x86_64.AppImage making it executable. I filled in the various forms and entered the activation key.
I have then be able to make my first run and create a database graph with 3 nodes and 2 relations, even saving a few cypher files but after closing browser and desktop interface I am unable to find a proper way to enter into neo4j desktop. Is is neither listed in the installed applications nor reachable thru the terminal. The command neo4j version gives the return neo4j 4.2.7
and the command neo4j console terminates with the same error as before.
Putting directly the url http://localhost:7474/browser/ does not work either.

The only way I have is to start from running the *.appimage executable file.
Should I remove the first installation version 4.2.7 ? I noticed indeed that the available version int the second installation is 4.2.5.
Thanks for your help.
Regards
Vincent

2

Re: Neo4j Desktop Client on Ubuntu 20.04 Unity Desktop

I believe you want to see a Neo4j icon in the Ubuntu Unity GUI? Here is what I've been doing (not ideal, it should be easier/automatic I think)

Download the Neo4j AppImage, put it in a known/safe folder, then create a Unity Desktop Launch file

here is what mine looks like

~/.local/share/applications$ cat neo4j.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=neo4j
GenericName=neo4j
Comment=None
Exec="/home/plastic/.local/share/neo4j/neo4j-desktop-1.4.3-x86_64.AppImage"
Icon=/home/plastic/bin/neo4j.xpm
StartupNotify=true

Notes:

  • You'll need to grab and/or create a neo4j.xpm image file if you want to see the neo4j icon
  • As you can see the Neo4j Desktop Client version is part of the name, so every time you fetch a new version, you have to come in here and update the filename.
  • again, I really don't think we ought to have to create these text files by hand, there must be a better/correct way to install it (either provided by built in ubuntu functionality or from Neo4j. Not a custom user built util to automate this, I believe those exist...) I looked but couldn't find a better way, and it is easy enough once you know how.
  • I use this approach to create clickable icons for htop, nvtop, iotop, iptraf, etc
3

Thank you very much Joel for your advice. I don't see how it shouldn't solve my problem. And I understand now that launching always from the *AppImage file is simply the normal way to run neo4j once installed. Like you I find this a bit awkward and I was expecting both usual alternatives I am accustomed to: either the icon (graphic mode) or the command line in the terminal. I will do the suggested modification next week and close afterwards this discussion as SOLVED.
Best regards to you!
Vincent