Desnapping Kubuntu

[rossdv8]

"Several threads on the forum explaining how to "de-snap" your install and even some scripts that automate the process."

That's interesting. I'll do a search for them. It might prevent my mistakes doing it 'by feel'. I can see the logic behind Snaps, but one of the neat things about Linux is that we have 'choice'.

[Schwarzer Kater]

Here you go:

• Script to get rid of Snap
• Script to reinstall Snap for release-upgrade
• Script to install traditional Firefox

[oshunluvr]

Hey? Where's the Thunderbird script? Waiting...
ROFL

[rossdv8]

Thank you Schwarzer Kater,
I ran the first script, then the Firefox script. I made a note to remember the reinstall prior to 24.x.
I've taken this post Off Topic - so everyone, please accept my apologies, and 'Moderators', if you want to move these few replies to somewhere more appropriate, that's fine with me.
Again, I'm enjoying being back with Kubuntu after a long break. About all I have to do is set up my Video Wallpaper, and my 'Run Youtube as Desktop Wallpaper' - and that should be easy enough on X11 because I got it working on Neon, although from memory it doesn;t like Wayland. Thanks again.

[kc1di]

Here you go:

• Script to get rid of Snap
• Script to reinstall Snap for release-upgrade
• Script to install traditional Firefox

Thanks for sharing

[Schwarzer Kater]

oshunluvr: Hey, where is the final release of 24.04?!?

But seriously: I think I will write and test it during the Beta and it should be ready for the final release then - if *Ubuntu does not make a line through the bill…

[oshunluvr]

oshunluvr: Hey, where is the final release of 24.04?!?

But seriously: I think I will write and test it during the Beta and it should be ready for the final release then - if *Ubuntu does not make a line through the bill…

Fair. I didn't think of it that way. I was just yanking your chain anyway...

[Schwarzer Kater]

I know.

[oshunluvr]

I finally got around to testing the scripts. I used a 23.04 VM that I was planning to put through an upgrade for an unrelated test. This was a "plain vanilla" factory install - no changes made since initial installation.

Stage 1: Removal of snapd

1. I installed Falkon because the VM only had Firefox as a browser
2. Downloaded the latest version of and ran Kubuntu_get_rid_of_Snap.sh
3. It worked easily and quickly
4. I rebooted as suggested and snapd and all it's "accessories" appeared gone.

The only "issue" I noted was the script identified three versions of the snapd package but there was in fact only one. The three choices to remove were identical paths and package names. I chose number 1 and the script finished without incident.

The other thing I noticed was a "dead" icon in the task manager that had been there for Firefox. It was now a "sheet of paper" icon image and when clicked on, showed a popup message referencing "Plasma Workspace preferred://browser" which of course had been Firefox which is now gone. I simply removed the icon.

Stage 2: Installing Firefox without snap

1. I ran the latest version of "Kubuntu_install_traditional_Firefox"
2. I chose option 2 to install from the Mozilla Team PPA. I have no idea which option is preferred and I don't use Firefox.
3. This Failed as there was an unsolvable dependency, no doubt do to 23.04 being no longer supported.
4. I re-ran the script and chose option 1 which worked and installed Firefox.
5. I immediately got a message to update locale settings, which I did from the provided systray icon.
6. Without rebooting I launched Firefox and it appears to work normally.

I especially liked the closing advice/recommendations and I opted to save the information to a file as offered.

Now on to Stage 3. I wanted to test what happens if I run "dist-upgrade" as is without re-snapping Kubuntu. I powered down the VM and took a snapshot of it.

1. I ran the dist-upgrade from the systray notification - 1325 packages.
2. Opted to remove old packages
3. Rebooted

The result is a "factory" 23.10 Kubuntu install without snapd and with Firefox.

In summary these scripts are excellent work by Schwarzer Kater and highly recommended!

[Schwarzer Kater]

Thank you very much oshunluvr!

The only "issue" I noted was the script identified three versions of the snapd package but there was in fact only one. The three choices to remove were identical paths and package names. I chose number 1 and the script finished without incident.

This seems to be the "fault" of Kubuntu 23.04 - I don't know why snapd is recognized twice or three times there…
-> It is already listed in the "Known bugs / issues" section since Kubuntu 23.04 was officially released.

The other thing I noticed was a "dead" icon in the task manager that had been there for Firefox. It was now a "sheet of paper" icon image and when clicked on, showed a popup message referencing "Plasma Workspace preferred://browser" which of course had been Firefox which is now gone. I simply removed the icon.

Yes, I know… I think there is not much I can do about the "emtpy" icon afterwards (this obviously begun with Kubuntu 22.04…), because I don't want to mess with people's panels!
Or do you have a good idea how to solve this?
Do you think I should explain this / add this to the "Known bugs / issues" section?

2. I chose option 2 to install from the Mozilla Team PPA. I have no idea which option is preferred and I don't use Firefox.
3. This Failed as there was an unsolvable dependency, no doubt do to 23.04 being no longer supported.
4. I re-ran the script and chose option 1 which worked and installed Firefox.

Hm. Last time I ran the script in Kubuntu 23.04 the Mozilla Team PPA worked (I have to admit that this was about half a year ago…).
BUT the support for the Mozilla Team PPA will be removed from the next version of all scripts anyhow (I put the announcement at the top of the READ MEs today) - so I won't put any more work into this.



-> There will be new versions of all scripts in the coming days and additionally a "Kubuntu_install_traditional_Thunderbird" script for Kubuntu 24.04 LTS for people who want to use the Thunderbird from Mozilla.org complementary to or instead of a Thunderbird Snap.
It is more or less ready and I am currently testing it thoroughly…

[oshunluvr]

This seems to be the "fault" of Kubuntu 23.04 - I don't know why snapd is recognized twice or three times there…
-> It is already listed in the "Known bugs / issues" section since Kubuntu 23.04 was officially released.

I ran this also on 23.10 and got 2 identical packages rather than 3 (or 1) odd. Ultimately it's not a big deal except maybe a novice might get confused. It was clear after 6 seconds of reading the text that all options were the same. Maybe a check or filter to eliminate identical options? Probably a bigger PITA that it would be worth.

Yes, I know… I think there is not much I can do about the "emtpy" icon afterwards (this obviously begun with Kubuntu 22.04…), because I don't want to mess with people's panels!
Or do you have a good idea how to solve this?
Do you think I should explain this / add this to the "Known bugs / issues" section?

I agree with your logic here. Probably better to let it go with a message than risk upsetting someone's panel arrangements. Remember I had a "vanilla" install with no customization so some portion of people won't even encounter this.

Hm. Last time I ran the script in Kubuntu 23.04 the Mozilla Team PPA worked (I have to admit that this was about half a year ago…).
BUT the support for the Mozilla Team PPA will be removed from the next version of all scripts anyhow (I put the announcement at the top of the READ MEs today) - so I won't put any more work into this.

I just assume it was because 23.04 is EOF and no longer supported. I assumed the PPA had removed the needed supporting file(s) - I didn't bother to dig any deeper.

[Schwarzer Kater]

[…]
I agree with your logic here. Probably better to let it go with a message than risk upsetting someone's panel arrangements. Remember I had a "vanilla" install with no customization so some portion of people won't even encounter this.
[…]

Added "message about possible empty Firefox Snap icon" to my TO-DO list.

And I will check Kubuntu 23.10 again for the "double snapd message" when I have time (in my last test this didn't occur there)…

[Schwarzer Kater]

oshunluvr

The only "issue" I noted was the script identified three versions of the snapd package but there was in fact only one. The three choices to remove were identical paths and package names. I chose number 1 and the script finished without incident.

I found the culprit: it was pkcon…
The new 2.0.0 version of the get rid of Snap script now works without this disruption, in 23.04, 23.10 and 24.04.

The other thing I noticed was a "dead" icon in the task manager that had been there for Firefox. It was now a "sheet of paper" icon image and when clicked on, showed a popup message referencing "Plasma Workspace preferred://browser" which of course had been Firefox which is now gone. I simply removed the icon.

I have added this to the "Known issues / bugs" section.

[rossdv8]

It was good to start with, but those tweaks, along with the notes and your replies here have made it a little clearer for newer users too.
Great little tool.
I know it doesn;t need one, but it might end up in a Zenity wrapper . .

[Schwarzer Kater]

rossdv8: Some time ago I thought about using kdialog.
I would never use a GTK tool like Zenity for Kubuntu, if there is a Qt alternative directly from KDE .

But I think the scripts are simple enough - using kdialog or something similar would not make them any more user friendly, I think. It would only make them "prettier" to look at.
It would also add to the size of the code and to the work (writing the code, testing, debugging…).

Personally I also use the scripts in other Debian- and Ubuntu-based distributions (that use different toolkits and DEs than Kubuntu - like e.g. Debian, Lubuntu and Zorin OS), so this would reduce their versatility, too…

But thank you for your feedback.

[rossdv8]

rossdv8: Some time ago I thought about using kdialog.
I would never use a GTK tool like Zenity for Kubuntu, if there is a Qt alternative directly from KDE .

Personally I also use the scripts in other Debian- and Ubuntu-based distributions (that use different toolkits and DEs than Kubuntu - like e.g. Debian, Lubuntu and Zorin OS), so this would reduce their versatility, too…

Agreed! I'm just too old, too lazy and have been wrapping zenity around bash for far too many years.
I never thought of looking for a Qt equivalent of Zenity - and frankly didn;t even consider that there might be one. I'll go find it. If it is as quick and easy to use as Zenity it will also be a handy addition to the toolbelt.
Zenity has always just 'been there' for old lazy blokes . .

Thanks again