GIMP can't open hidden files

#1

I assume this is a generic Ubuntu issue, not specifically Budgie. If I need to take it elsewhere, let me know.

I have a png file that is used by an app and held in a dot directory in my home dir. I installed the snap version of Gimp, 2.10.20, from the store so that I could edit that image. I quickly discovered that Gimp would not open it due to permissions, even though they are fine all along the path. I have set the permissions in the snap store so that Gimp can open detachable drives, even though this is in my user dir. I was never able to make it work. I finally uninstalled the snap version and installed v2.10.18 via apt. This form of the app opens and saves that file fine.

Any idea why the snap version couldn’t open a file in a hidden directory?

#2

As far as I understand it, snaps by design cannot see files in dot folders. They represent local config info that should not be exposed to containerised apps I.e. security.

There are ways a snap author can have access to certain dot folders but that permission is only given rarely to very few apps.

2 Likes
#3

As @fossfreedom mentioned, by safety design snap will never access hidden files and anything at the root partition ( unless /home, /mnt, /media and /run/media ).

And of course, snap won’t follow a symlink that targets an hidden file or directory, or unhidden file into an hidden directory.

Only workaround, temporary copy your hidden file to some place your snap has access to.

#4

Thanks everyone. I didn’t realize that about snaps.