I just downloaded the Gramps version 5.2 s flatpak package (my repository (Linux Mint) doesn’t have the update yet).
Since my data is located on my NAS with a mount point in folder “/mnt” I tried to point in preferences the path to the database to this folder. However, I can’t select the “/mnt” folder this in the dialog window cuz it doesn’t goes higher up then the my ‘home’ location.
I’m missing the entry point 'file system" to point to.
Yes, I made all hidden files visible.
Is that a shortcoming of the flatpak version or a behavior of v 5.2 of Gramps? Does anyone know the answer?
A screen shot would help. Does he mean that he doesn’t see the icon to the left of the word “home”? That’s where he needs to click, not on the arrow to the left of that. This screen shot is from debian, not mint, but hopefully it behaves the same:
I had a similar issue with My nextCloud. Solved it with a bind mount (i think that is the name)
A line from my fstab
/mnt/md0/nextcloud/data /var/snap/nextcloud/common/nextcloud/data none defaults,bind 0 0
The beauty of the bind mount is that you can mount a subdirectory anywhere. I prefer to have my media mounted at a central Place like /mnt or /media. But the flatpak or snap often limits access to anything outsider your home. With the NAS mounted on /mnt you can still mount a part of the NAS under /home without exposing the rest to the application
But it is a matter of philosophy. I think.
George, the gramps ini file (~/.gramps/Gramps51/gramps.ini" ) is pointing to the (correct) NAS location. Apparently the flatpak version is not reading this ini file. I assume its using its own build in ini file.
A proper mount is one that works. So, if you use a flatpak which can only access files inside your home folder, and only those that are not hidden, like the one named .gramps, you must make sure that you mount the NAS somewhere in there, or provide a proper link, meaning a folder inside the home folder that links to wherever you mounted that NAS, and is good enough to be accepted by the flatpak as secure.
What I mean is, that if you decide to install the flatpak version of Gramps, and if that has limitations that we can’t repair, because they are inherent to the flatpak system, it’s also your responsibility to configure your system in a way that is compatible with the flatpaks demands.
A symbolic link will not help. It will point outsider the sandbox. Do a bind mount or a normal mount of your nas to a directory under your home directory. If you look at my earlier post, you could see an example of the line, you should venter in your fstab
It seems to me these are the answers to the problem.
a) a flatpak apps can’t reach ‘outside’ of the home folder, and
b) bypass this limitation through b1) an additional mount point inside $HOME or b2) through a bind mount ‘outside’ of $HOME.
The solution ‘b2’ seems to me as the best solution.
Learned something new here.
Thank you guys.
The first Gramps 5.2 flatpak has restricted the sandbox down to Pictures, Documents, and Downloads. Prior Gramps flatpaks had full access to the entire home directory like the system installed Gramps app, but some flatpak enthusiasts complained about the Gramps flatpak being too permissive.
