Bug 474891

Summary:	Filelight does not work on Windows Server 2012 R2
Product:	[Applications] filelight	Reporter:	Riccardo Robecchi <sephiroth_pk>
Component:	general	Assignee:	Unassigned bugs <unassigned-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED INTENTIONAL
Severity:	normal	CC:	martin.sandsmark, sitter
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Microsoft Windows
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Riccardo Robecchi 2023-09-26 08:51:06 UTC

SUMMARY
Filelight will install but not work on Windows Server 2012 R2. Opening the program spawns a message dialogue that says "Unable to open the program because api-ms-win-core-file-l1-2-2.dll is not present on the computer. To fix this issue, try reinstalling the program". This seems to be due to the SDK being problematic, according to this user on Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/69943334/newer-windows-sdks-cause-api-ms-win-core-file-l1-2-2-dll-missing-on-windows-7-8
Since Windows Server 2012 R2 is equivalent to Windows 8.,1 if these Windows versions are not supported and the program is only made to work on Windows 10 and later, this should be clearly stated in the Filelight page (https://apps.kde.org/it/filelight/) so that users do not expect it to work on previous Windows versions as currently there is no warning that that is the case. On the other hand, it would be nice if KDE software kept on working on previous versions of Windows as far as possible.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Install Filelight on Windows 8.1/Server 2012 R2
2. Try to run it

OBSERVED RESULT
The program fails to start.

EXPECTED RESULT
The program works.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: Server 2012 R2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Comment 1 Harald Sitter 2023-09-26 13:16:51 UTC

How do you install it without window store?

Comment 2 Riccardo Robecchi 2023-09-26 15:21:18 UTC

Using the links provided at the bottom of the page. They lead here where you can download the installer: https://binary-factory.kde.org/job/Filelight_Release_win64/

Comment 3 Harald Sitter 2023-09-26 19:26:41 UTC

Yeah. I don't intend to support the sideloaded builds. It'd be good if the website didn't offer them.

Comment 4 Ben Cooksley 2023-09-26 22:46:03 UTC

The Binary Factory website (soon to be replaced by the Gitlab CI jobs) has to offer them i'm afraid - as developers and other contributors need the *.appx to validate that the build we will be providing to users via the Microsoft Store will work as we intend it to.

The site apps.kde.org shouldn't really be linking to the Binary Factory (which is really for those that want to sit on the bleeding edge - whilst that is a stable build job, it is still unreleased code) - it should be linking to properly released binaries. 

This is governed by the appstream metadata (which appears to be missing all of the necessary links to actual release downloads) so returning this to Filelight.

With regards to Windows Server 2012 R2, it goes end of life in 2 weeks time so not sure we need to worry about stating that it is not supported. Unfortuntely the newer Windows SDKs are required for building Qt 6 so we don't have the option of offering builds that support older Windows versions i'm afraid.

Comment 5 Harald Sitter 2023-09-27 05:48:19 UTC

Well, since I don't support sideloading there are no release downloads to list.