# Compas\_viewer error in google colab

**URL:** <https://forum.compas-framework.org/t/compas-viewer-error-in-google-colab/859>\
**Category:** compas\
**Created:** [June 12, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://forum.compas-framework.org/t/compas-viewer-error-in-google-colab/859 "2024-06-12T17:04:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lifeisapeachfest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.compas-framework.org/lifeisapeachfest/32/692_2.png) [@lifeisapeachfest](https://forum.compas-framework.org/u/lifeisapeachfest)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://forum.compas-framework.org/t/compas-viewer-error-in-google-colab/859/1 "2024-06-12T17:04:21Z")

</div>

Hi !

I tried to run a small test on google colab. The compas geometry and datastructure part works well but running the viewer throws an error.

Has anybody tried this before?

thanks in advance!

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/compas_framework1/original/1X/b8885fd163d5b4ae55080bafa5da08c7610e524e.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gonzalocasas](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.compas-framework.org/gonzalocasas/32/127_2.png) [@gonzalocasas](https://forum.compas-framework.org/u/gonzalocasas)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 6:13am UTC](https://forum.compas-framework.org/t/compas-viewer-error-in-google-colab/859/2 "2024-06-14T06:13:53Z")

</div>

Google Colab doesn’t have a desktop GUI to be able to launch the compas\_viewer, instead, try using compas\_notebook for visualization within a jupyter notebook: [compas\_notebook — COMPAS Notebook](https://compas.dev/compas_notebook/latest/)

Cheers

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lifeisapeachfest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.compas-framework.org/lifeisapeachfest/32/692_2.png) [@lifeisapeachfest](https://forum.compas-framework.org/u/lifeisapeachfest)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 11:57am UTC](https://forum.compas-framework.org/t/compas-viewer-error-in-google-colab/859/3 "2024-06-14T11:57:17Z")

</div>

thanks @gonzalocasas

I tried it with compas\_notebook like you suggested. seems like i still need to install additional dependencies to view it on google collab?

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/compas_framework1/original/1X/dde87acbaf15146d1661d585889d389115d9209b.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lifeisapeachfest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.compas-framework.org/lifeisapeachfest/32/692_2.png) [@lifeisapeachfest](https://forum.compas-framework.org/u/lifeisapeachfest)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 11:58am UTC](https://forum.compas-framework.org/t/compas-viewer-error-in-google-colab/859/4 "2024-06-14T11:58:39Z")

</div>

ok thanks! it works after adding the following

```auto
from google.colab import output

output.enable_custom_widget_manager()

```

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/compas_framework1/original/1X/5dce61337d453e768d7fe2fdfcda0f99a154a900.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gonzalocasas](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.compas-framework.org/gonzalocasas/32/127_2.png) [@gonzalocasas](https://forum.compas-framework.org/u/gonzalocasas)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.compas-framework.org/t/compas-viewer-error-in-google-colab/859/5 "2024-06-14T13:52:34Z")

</div>

It’s great to hear that it worked!