Possible Path Bug for qt assistant (needed for Help)

[gneiss]

I am not shure if this bug is already reported.
A seach in the bugtracker doesn't return a result, but I may have used the wrong search term, so I first will explain it here and hope for guidelines how to proceed.

I tried to make the help files (FreeCAD.0_18.Offline.Doc.7z) available from inside "FreeCAD_0.18.16093.glibc2.17-x86_64.AppImage".
For this I extract the AppImage, add the help files to the created AppDir (AppImage term), then repack...

After this the Error-Message given when clicking Help/Help changes from:
FreeCAD help files not found (/tmp/.mount_FreeCAkLtzzg/usr/lib/freecad-daily/././/share/doc/freecad-daily-doc/freecad.qhc). You might need to install the FreeCAD documentation package.

to:
Unable to launch Qt Assistant (/tmp/.mount_FreeCAE51EtB/usr/lib/freecad-daily/bin/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt4/bin/assistant)

a quick search where the orignal assistant is located on a regular qt4 installation shows, that is located at
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt4/bin/assistant

And Yes, this is although the place it is inside AppDir.
So it seams that the path that is compiled in or calculted inside the runtime is wrong.

Used/Calculated:
<mount-dir>/usr/lib/freecad-daily/bin/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt4/bin/assistant
Correct:
<mount-dir>/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt4/bin/assistant

But even when I add a symlink like this:
APPIMGDIR=<Full Path of extracted AppDir 'squashfs-root'>
cd $APPIMGDIR/usr/lib/freecad-daily/bin
ln -s ../../../../usr/lib lib
check (should work):
ll $APPIMGDIR/usr/lib/freecad-daily/bin/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt4/bin/assistant

The result is still not the one expected. Now when clickng Help->Help nothing happens
No Error-Message, no output on the console...

Now I am out of ideas

[triplus]

Hi @gneiss.

If i remember correctly, we plan to add the documentation to the FreeCAD 0.18 AppImage. I can take a look, as you use the PPA based one, on what needs to get done, to make it work.

P.S. Will take a closer look over the weekend.

[gneiss]

Hi,
thanks for this information.
Some remarks
> we plan to ...
That sounds great!
> as you use the PPA based one...
Till now I use the version dirctly downloaded from the web-site.
I didn't know that there is a PPA for this. Can You direkt me were the PPA is located ?

Thanks
G. Neiß

[gneiss]

Ah, OK I found the trick, I must use the PPA:freecad-daily to get the latest version.

Using this PPA and movin the help files into the right directory the help is working...
Now I have to switch from AppImage to PPA on all my PC's I use freecad...
A AppImage (in portable-Mode) would be IMHO much better...

[triplus]

Keep an eye on this thread:

https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=34981

[NormandC]

I didn't know that there is a PPA for this.

It has existed for many years, and is mentioned in the Install_on_Unix page that the website's downloads page links to. You need to scroll down the page.

A AppImage (in portable-Mode) would be IMHO much better...

And yet FreeCAD installed through the PPA will be updated automatically through the Ubuntu update system; with AppImage you need to update every computers manually. The PPA setup is done only once, but the AppImage updates need to be done as many times as there are releases.

[gneiss]

> It has existed for many years...
You are right, my fault was that I didn't recognize the reason for the different PPA's.
Now I know the differences

> ...AppImage you need to update...
Not really!
As I mentioned I use the Appimage in portble mode.
Doing this, I had to update only the installation on my USB-Stick.
By doing so, I had everything together:
- The application
- My settings
- My current project(s)
I can work on whatever PC I am currently logged in, by simply plugging the USB-Stick into the PC (as long as a linux system is installed there)
So THAT is a big advantage of an AppImage over a installed version!

[gneiss]

@triplus: Thanks for the link to the other Thread. I see you are doing a good job

[NormandC]

As I mentioned I use the Appimage in portble mode.
Doing this, I had to update only the installation on my USB-Stick.

Okay, I agree it is easier that way, I mistakenly thought you were having a local AppImage on each PC.

[triplus]

@triplus: Thanks for the link to the other Thread. I see you are doing a good job

You're welcome.