[FlatPak] Cannot open meshes from external disk

[removcik]

Hello Meshlab Developers,

MeshLab 2021.07 and 2021.05, Linux

I have issue when I'm trying to open project or .ply file, which was exported from version 2021.05, in version 2021.07. They can't be opened it look like there are no backward compatibility.

Data are in zip. files.zip

[alemuntoni]

It is not a compatibility problem. The mlp file you shared links to a file that is not provided into the archive (../vitrazovani/hlavni_oltar/mesh_8_hlavni_oltar.ply). It can't be opened both on 2021.05 and 2021.07. The ply file can be opened as expected both on 2021.05 and 2021.07.

[removcik]

Hello Meshlab Developers,

MeshLab 2021.07

I found that, there is no problem with compatibility, but there is problem when I'm trying open a mesh with texture from second disk (disk which doesn't contain OS). When I open the same mesh with texture on main disk(disk with OS) it will open. So I think there is problem with processing path maybe? files.zip

[alemuntoni]

I cannot replicate the issue. Does the entire mesh fails to load, or just the texture? Are you using the FlatPak version or the AppImage? In the first case, could be just some permission issues of the flatpak.

[removcik]

I'm using a FlatPak and on load the message is: "The following textures have not been loaded: hlavni_oltar.jpg"

[alemuntoni]

Ok, could you please try the AppImage version with the same mesh? Just to understand if the issue regards meshlab or the permissions of the flatpak...

[removcik]

I opened it on AppImage, so maybe it is something with flatpak?

[alemuntoni]

Yes, could be something related with permissions. Are you able to load meshes without textures from the external partition? What is the file system of the partition?

[removcik]

In flatpak i can open only meshes without texture and the file system of partition is ext3/ext4

[alemuntoni]

@kevinsmia1939 do you have an idea why this is happening? I just tried to open a file from a ntfs partition and it fails opening it.

About the textures, it should be a bug that has been already solved and will be available in the next version.

[removcik]

Ok, thanks for help. and wish you nice weekend

[kevinsmia1939]

@alemuntoni @removcik Hi, could you try running meshlab with permission to all file? flatpak --filesystem=host run net.meshlab.MeshLab

[alemuntoni]

Works fine if run with permission to all file. Is it for flatpak policy that the option is not enabled by default?

[kevinsmia1939]

Works fine if run with permission to all file. Is it for flatpak policy that the option is not enabled by default?

It is advice to use permission as needed rather than give it all. But if we really need them, I can do that. Should we do this by default? Also, the idea is that the app must use portal, if use properly, the portal dialog will popup asking the user what and where to do something.

[alemuntoni]

From my point of view there should be something that automatically allows to enable it. Loading files from a different filesystem is quite common (e.g. big mesh files loaded from external disk).

I had a quick look to portal, but I don't think I'll be able to implement this by the end of the month (I would like to release 2021.10 version).. Right now it is not clear to me:

• how to detect if we are into the flatpak
• how to actually make the permission request

[kevinsmia1939]

@alemuntoni The app can see if it is in flatpak sandbox by looking for .flatpak-info file under / If it run this command for example. ls -la / there will be .flatpak-info

[aryez91]

I hope this belongs here,

I'm having a similar problem on Windows 11. Meshlab 2021.07

When mlp and ply files are both on secondary drive, opening a project would fail and display an error:

Meshlab Opening Error

../6_4/6_4_scan/merges/A.ply mesh file not found.

While both files on the OS partition, it works fine.

[alemuntoni]

@aryez91 nope, this is a different issue. Flatpak is a package for linux. Are you sure that the file actually exists and the path is correct w.r.t. the position of the mlp file? I tried a small example on a different partition and I failed to reproduce the issue. Maybe if you could share a zip containing a reproducible example would be better (in a new issue :) )

[gachiemchiep]

Bumped into this problem today. I wrote detail how to solve it here.

1. Get meshlab from flatpak
2. start MeshLab from terminal using flatpak --filesystem=host run net.meshlab.MeshLab allow "openning meshes from external disk"
3. create a new shortcut on Main Menu for MeshLab using Alacarte like this need to check the "Launch in Terminal?"

And you're good to go

[kevinsmia1939]

@gachiemchiep @alemuntoni @removcik Then I think I should allow host access for now. Since it has many user who need this.

[gachiemchiep]

@kevinsmia1939 please sir. switch it on by default.

[alemuntoni]

Yep @kevinsmia1939, I agree.

[kevinsmia1939]

--filesystem=host has been add in https://github.com/flathub/net.meshlab.MeshLab/pull/103

[kevinsmia1939]

@gachiemchiep @removcik Let me know if latest update works.