Bug 509239

Summary:	Setup wizard will not select network drive for photos source
Product:	[Applications] digikam	Reporter:	Randy Ray <rjray>
Component:	Bundle-Snap	Assignee:	Digikam Developers <digikam-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	normal	CC:	caulier.gilles, metzpinguin
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	8.7.0
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Ubuntu
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:	9.0.0
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Randy Ray 2025-09-07 17:35:31 UTC

SUMMARY

When running digiKam for the first time (via Ubuntu snap), the setup wizard would not allow selecting a network-mounted directory for the photos location.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Uninstall digiKam
2. Re-install from App Center or with "snap" command
3. Run application to see setup wizard

OBSERVED RESULT

The file browser never shows any network sources. Navigating to the parent directory of the NFS mount works, but the actual folder is never shown as an option.

EXPECTED RESULT

Network drives should be visible and selectable when mounted.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux: Ubuntu 24.04
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma: n/a
KDE Plasma Version: n/a
KDE Frameworks Version: n/a
Qt Version: n/a

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

I have also tried 8.2.0 installed from .deb packages. In this version, I was able to select the network drive during setup. However, when I launch 8.2.0 initially it will hang if the drive is not already mounted. My network drive is an NFS share set up with auto-mounting. When I launch digiKam (8.2.0) initially, it triggers the mounting of the share but never starts up the UI. If I immediately run it a second time, it will fully launch with access to the share.

Comment 1 Maik Qualmann 2025-09-07 17:56:43 UTC

You're using a Snap package, which uses a sandbox. You only have access, more or less, to your local home directory. If you don't see the network drive in the file dialog, enabling the native file dialog in the digiKam setup under Miscellaneous -> Behavior might help.

We are not the creators of the Snap package and cannot fix it, as many problems are inherent in the Snap package format. Snap is unsuitable for digiKam.

Otherwise, delete the Snap digiKam package and use our current AppImage.

Maik

Comment 2 Randy Ray 2025-09-07 18:46:27 UTC

Yes, I'm not a fan of snap packages in general. I knew they had intentional limitations, but I didn't account for that in this case.

I "solved" the issue for myself by removing the snap and installing the application from Debian packages. This gave me version 8.2.0, which has the slight issue with start-up when the network share is not immediately available.

I will look into the AppImage option, but in the past I have had difficulties getting them to integrate with the desktop.