[Problem] Launching an AppImage using the AppImageLauncher by TheAssassin

[SpeeQz1]

Describe the bug
AppImages of the weekly build for x86_64 launched by the AppImageLauncher can't be launched and simply do not open.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Install the AppImageLauncher
2. Run the AppImage by clicking "Run Once" on the pop up menu when double clicking it
3. Alternatively you can also run the AppImageLauncher inside the terminal to see any errors

Screenshots

Additional context
Error produced by attempting to run the AppImage from the terminal which opens the menu to click "Run Once".

Squashfs image uses (null) compression, this version supports only xz, zlib.
ERROR: appimage_shall_not_be_integrated : sqfs_open_image error: /home/user/Downloads/FreeCAD_weekly-builds-39127-conda-Linux-x86_64-py311.AppImage
AppImageLauncher error: appimage_shall_not_be_integrated() failed (returned -1)
Squashfs image uses (null) compression, this version supports only xz, zlib.
ERROR: appimage_is_terminal_app : sqfs_open_image error: /home/user/Downloads/FreeCAD_weekly-builds-39127-conda-Linux-x86_64-py311.AppImage
AppImageLauncher error: appimage_is_terminal_app() failed (returned -1)
execv error: No such file or directory

OS: Linux Mint 22 (Cinnamon)

[oursland]

The AppImage was built using the zstd compression algorithm, which has been a part of AppImage standard for a while now. This addresses some performance issues that was being reported by users. It appears the AppImageLauncher has not been updated to support this compression format.

Is AppImageLauncher still developed and supported? The most recent release is from 2020.

[SpeeQz1]

I don't know if it's being kept up to date, I tried running the AppImage using Gear Lever and it seems to work fine. All I know is the previous AppImages of FreeCAD until the weekly build worked with the AppImageLauncher.

[oursland]

Right, we updated the images last week to use zstd compression to address performance issues experienced by users.

[adrianinsaval]

I would report this to appimagelauncher, beyond that I would recommend using appimagelauncher only for the desktop integration functionality and launch appimages directly the rest of the time

[JohnOCFII]

I confirm this behavior with recent FreeCAD weeklies and AppImageLauncher (on Arm Debian Linux (bookworm) as a VM for me). It looks like AppImageLauncher does support zstd. but there is some chat in one of their issues about level of compression. Also - not sure if that is even in their 2020 release, or if you need to try the "continuous" build releases, which I haven't tried.

https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/releases

AppImage/AppImageKit#478 (comment)

[SpeeQz1]

I would report this to appimagelauncher, beyond that I would recommend using appimagelauncher only for the desktop integration functionality and launch appimages directly the rest of the time

AppImageLauncher actually replaces the launching functionality and you have to delete it to be able to launch AppImages without using it. As shown in the bug even attempting to run the AppImage from a terminal, it would still launch it using AppImageLauncher.

I confirm this behavior with recent FreeCAD weeklies and AppImageLauncher (on Arm Debian Linux (bookworm) as a VM for me). It looks like AppImageLauncher does support zstd. but there is some chat in one of their issues about level of compression. Also - not sure if that is even in their 2020 release, or if you need to try the "continuous" build releases, which I haven't tried.

https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/releases

AppImage/AppImageKit#478 (comment)

I can confirm the continuous build release of AppImageLauncher cannot launch the AppImage on Mint.

[Projekt-43]

I confirm that the workaround of @SpeeQz1:

... delete it to be able to launch AppImages without using it.

did work for me on Manjaro 6.10.13-3 to get passed the zstd issue! 🎉 🙏

But then is the #332 issue...

[adrianinsaval]

even the continuous build of appimagelauncher is form 2022 so maybe this was abandoned, I'm not sure how wise it is to keep using it. The problem has been reported to them since at least oct 2023 TheAssassin/AppImageLauncher#602

[leoheck]

Something has changed. This latest weekly is failing to launch.
Something changed in the Freecad to break the AppImages.

#332 (comment)

[leoheck]

even the continuous build of appimagelauncher is form 2022 so maybe this was abandoned, I'm not sure how wise it is to keep using it. The problem has been reported to them since at least oct 2023 TheAssassin/AppImageLauncher#602

I am using this AppImageLauncher since forrever, this issue started to happen with the latest weekly build of Freecad.

[oursland]

The issue is that AppImageLauncher is no longer maintained and does not support images built by recent versions of the appimagetool.

[Thiago-Assis-T]

Hello, i made a post on the freecad forum, then i saw this issue, i posted some info there, if it happen to be relevant here is the post:
https://forum.freecad.org/viewtopic.php?p=790846#p790846

but same story, tried the aur package, then i downloaded it straight from this repo, thinking it might be a bad aur build and faced the same errors

[oursland]

@Thiago-Assis-T Your issue is different from this one and is related to #332 . There appears to be an issue with either readline or the termcap files in the most recent weekly build.

[Thiago-Assis-T]

ooh, i see, thanks!

[adrianinsaval]

so it doesn't sounds like there's much for us to do about this issue, I guess people should stop using appimage launcher... To replace it's functionality maybe we could include a script in the appimage that copies over the desktop file and icons? I'll see what I can come up with next week

[X-Ryl669]

I confirm that the workaround of @SpeeQz1:

... delete it to be able to launch AppImages without using it.

did work for me on Manjaro 6.10.13-3 to get passed the zstd issue! 🎉 🙏

But then is the #332 issue...

It doesn't for me:

/var/tmp/pamac-build-me/freecad-weekly-appimage/PKGBUILD: line 26: ./freecad-1.0.0_39176.AppImage: cannot execute: required file not found

[adrianinsaval]

have you restarted after removing appimagelauncher? do you have fuse3 installed?

[longrackslabs]

I can confirm that removing AppImageLauncher from my Linux Mint and chmod +x the RC4 app image the RC4 loads and runs. Bummer about AppImageLauncher, but good for RC4?

Its hard to to tell how actively https://github.com/TheAssassin/AppImageLauncher is being maintained...

[adrianinsaval]

Although you can see some relatively recent commits there's been no actual code changes for over a year. The author claims it is not abandoned though

[X-Ryl669]

have you restarted after removing appimagelauncher? do you have fuse3 installed?

Yes fuse3 is installed. I've finally rebooted the computer and was able to launch the appimage. I don't know why the AppImageLauncher was still interfering with the launch while it was clearly removed.

[eblanshey]

so it doesn't sounds like there's much for us to do about this issue, I guess people should stop using appimage launcher... To replace it's functionality maybe we could include a script in the appimage that copies over the desktop file and icons? I'll see what I can come up with next week

That would be great, @adrianinsaval. The main issue that AppImageLauncher solves for me is not being able to pin FreeCAD to my dock in Ubuntu or have it show up in the list of applications, due to lack of a desktop file. If the AppImage can solve that natively, then the launcher is not needed.

[longrackslabs]

Yes that sounds like the case. FYI, Gear Lever seems to do that same thing as AppLauncher.

…

On Sun, Nov 17, 2024 at 8:02 AM Ephi Blanshey ***@***.***> wrote: so it doesn't sounds like there's much for us to do about this issue, I guess people should stop using appimage launcher... To replace it's functionality maybe we could include a script in the appimage that copies over the desktop file and icons? I'll see what I can come up with next week That would be great, @adrianinsaval <https://github.com/adrianinsaval>. The main issue that AppImageLauncher solves for me is not being able to pin FreeCAD to my dock in Ubuntu or have it show up in the list of applications, due to lack of a desktop file. If the AppImage can solve that natively, then the launcher is not needed. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#331 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAI67KSMR756TKSIY6F7HOL2BC42VAVCNFSM6AAAAABRG43HQ6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDIOBRGMZTAOBXHE> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[eblanshey]

Confirmed that Gear Level works as intended.