Returning to KiCad after a bit of a while (4 years or so, and moving to Linux…)
Running KiCad 8.0.6 release build installed as a Flatpak, on Linux LMDE 5 (Faye) on an Intel based machine. Only doing it via Flatpak, as a previous attempt to install the distro version, resulted in some very strange interactions with other programs.
Anyway, KiCad itself is up and running well, I have an example project loaded, that among other things has a BoM file it fills in, but try as I might, I can’t get KiCad to use the default system editor (xed) either via a script, or giving it the full path to the editor executable. ( /usr/bin/xed )
My guess is this is something to do with the way the Flatpak environment works, but I have little to no experience with that, other than how to install, remove and launch such applications. (There appears to be no “default” editor in the Flatpak environment that I can find.)
I have found a previous posting (forum item #41455) But that was closed without resolution.
I have also found how to reach into a Flatpak folder from the system, but not the other way (to use a system resource from an application within a Flatpak.)
A similar issue could exists I think, if a PDF file is needed to be viewed from within KiCad. LibreOffice Writer could do that. (LibreOffic Calc would be ideal for CSV files too.) LibreOffice is a system default system install.
I know very little about Linux’s gut’s… I use a Mac and run Linux Mint from a VM, for testing Codes.
In Mac’s Info (for a selected item), I set CSV to Open with Libre.
So, in Kicad, when I Double-Click a CSV listed in Kicad’s Main Panel, Libre opens it.
My Kicad files (PCB, Schematic…etc)/ Right-Clicking a Kicad File from the Main-Panel, prompts to open with my set default text-editor.
In Linux (using VM), Right-Clicking an item, Selecting ‘Open With’ yields opportunity to set a selected File ‘Other’ to open with preferred application… thus, in Kicad, Right-Click a file will open with the Preferred app. Basic computer stuff…
I’m not aware of any way to do this, but then I haven’t looked too closely because I don’t use flatpaks unless there is no choice. A flatpak is an isolated environment, a sandbox, so any programs that are run must already be in the flatpak.
Thanks both. From other inquiries and odd experiments, it seems to indeed be a limitation of running it as a flat-pack, without an editor being available in that environment.
It’s all a bit moot at present, as I screwed up something else and ended up having to re-install the entire OS, only to find that the “verified backup” my home folder etc, is, well, lets say not entirely complete, for as far as I can tell, the backup compression algorithm, ignoring files it has done before, based on name only, so many other project source files are gone.
Much I can re-create from other backups, but for now Ki-Cad is the least of my worries. At least I’m not needing to use it for “work”.
