Uninstalled Flatpak and Software Manager no longer works

[Sam I Am]

I hate Flatpak because they use way more HD space and run slower compared to their package counterparts so I found some posts that offered commands to remove it for the most part. The unfortunate consequence was that the Software Manager no longer functions. Whats the best way to get the Software Manager back and working. I guess I'll be forced to reinstall Flatpak?

[ThaCrip]

I think the following will reinstall the Software Manager taking a quick look online...

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sudo apt install mintinstall

[SMG]

I hate Flatpak because they use way more HD space and run slower compared to their package counterparts so I found some posts that offered commands to remove it for the most part.

If you did not install any Flatpaks, then there was nothing for you to remove. Linux Mint does not come with any Flatpaks installed.

What did you remove?

[all41]

Obviously the flatpak package was removed:

If this package is missing SM will not start

[Sam I Am]

I ran these commands:

flatpak uninstall --unused

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove flatpak

sudo apt-get purge flatpak

[all41]

I ran these commands:

flatpak uninstall --unused

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove flatpak

sudo apt-get purge flatpak

Best way to do now is

Code: Select all

apt install flatpak

Then just delete the flathub remote

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sudo flatpak remote-delete flathub

The flatpak package will be unused except when polled at mintinstall start

[SMG]

I ran these commands:

flatpak uninstall --unused

And if it uninstalled nothing, that means you had no flatpaks installed and nothing to remove.

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove flatpak

sudo apt-get purge flatpak

These lines removed the software which makes it possible to install flatpaks. As all41 has already shown, that software is a dependency for Software Manager. You should follow his directions.

In this Linux Mint blog post it indicates Flatpak support was added to the Update Manager so I suspect Software Manager is probably not the only thing no longer working properly on your computer.

[Cobra99]

did you manage to fix it?
i have the same problem viewtopic.php?f=47&t=389941

[revmacian]

What problem(s) would arise if the OP just left flatpak and Software Manager uninstalled and just used Synaptic instead? That's what I did. Synaptic and Software Manager both ship with Mint by default.. one of them is redundant.

[Cobra99]

What problem(s) would arise if the OP just left flatpak and Software Manager uninstalled and just used Synaptic instead? That's what I did. Synaptic and Software Manager both ship with Mint by default.. one of them is redundant.

With Synaptic you need to know what you want. SM gives you hints/ ideas of programs you could try.

[revmacian]

What problem(s) would arise if the OP just left flatpak and Software Manager uninstalled and just used Synaptic instead? That's what I did. Synaptic and Software Manager both ship with Mint by default.. one of them is redundant.

With Synaptic you need to know what you want. SM gives you hints/ ideas of programs you could try.

Hmm.. maybe that's why I love Synaptic and apt-get.. less wasted time trying to wade through what a total stranger thinks I might want.

[MiZoG]

Update Manager is a front-end for Synaptic (and flathub) with functions Synaptic does not provide by default.
Synaptic is described as "apt manager". Lists all available software in the repositories set as software sources. You can select available updates in Synaptic but it does not offer updates automatically. Hence the need for an update manager running in the background. Trivial for all operating systems and Mint's update manager perhaps the best among debian/ubuntu distros.
So It is not a "stranger" it reminds you to update software you already have and if you want your system in a good working state then you have to keep it up-to-date.
Advice like "you don't need both synaptic and update manager in your system" sounds quite unwise especially when offered in Beginner Questions subforum and is based on misunderstanding about their respective levels of functionality.

[revmacian]

Update Manager is a front-end for Synaptic (and flathub) with functions Synaptic does not provide by default.
Synaptic is described as "apt manager". Lists all available software in the repositories set as software sources. You can select available updates in Synaptic but it does not offer updates automatically. Hence the need for an update manager running in the background. Trivial for all operating systems and Mint's update manager perhaps the best among debian/ubuntu distros.
So It is not a "stranger" it reminds you to update software you already have and if you want your system in a good working state then you have to keep it up-to-date.

Yes, I still have Update Manager installed, though I removed Software Manager via apt. Update Manager still notifies me of updates, even though Software Manager was removed. I just feel that Software Manager itself is redundant if Synaptic is installed.

Advice like "you don't need both synaptic and update manager in your system" sounds quite unwise especially when offered in Beginner Questions subforum and is based on misunderstanding about their respective levels of functionality.

I don't remember saying that Update Manager wasn't needed. On the contrary, Update Manager is definitely needed.

[SMG]

Whats the best way to get the Software Manager back and working. I guess I'll be forced to reinstall Flatpak?

Did all41's commands help you to get it working? If not please run mintinstall from the command line and post the error messages you get. We were able to get Cobra99's install working again by tracing through the error messages.

[all41]

If you don't approve/want/like flatpak just remove the remote as I have shown:

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sudo flatpak remote-delete flathub

after which flatpak packages will not be offered or even appear in Software Manager.

The framework is still there if you change your mind but the /usr/bin/flatpak package is otherwise
unused and innocuous.
SM looks there at start--if flatpak remotes are installed you will be offered flatpaks --otherwise not.
Two separate SM landing pages.

[pc10]

I had the same problem and found out, that the
sudo apt-get purge flatpak
is the problem.
This removes /var/lib/flatpak and this seems to be the problem for the Software Manager.

Just do
sudo apt-get install flatpak
sudo apt-get remove flatpak
leaving the mentioned config directory untouched and the Software Manager is happy again, not showing any flatpak package.

Sorry, this is more or less a duplicate from a post above.

[revmacian]

If you don't approve/want/like flatpak just remove the remote as I have shown:

Code: Select all

sudo flatpak remote-delete flathub

after which flatpak packages will not be offered or even appear in Software Manager.

The framework is still there if you change your mind ..

There are some who loathe flatpak so much that they would rather learn to develop and package our own apps than use a flatpak. Flatpak should never have been made a dep for Software Manager. This means, at least for some folks, Software Manager is now treated as a cancer.

Just saying.. it's quite a contentious subject.

[Jo-con-Ël]

I hate Flatpak because they use way more HD space and run slower compared to their package counterparts so I found some posts that offered commands to remove it for the most part. The unfortunate consequence was that the Software Manager no longer functions. Whats the best way to get the Software Manager back and working. I guess I'll be forced to reinstall Flatpak?

Please confirm Mint edition you are running (inxi -S).

I have not such problems on LM 20.X and LM 21.X removing flatpak a indicated by Pjotr here (sudo apt-get purge "*flatpak*"). On those editions removing flatpak wont remove mintinstall.

That dependency problem was/is on LM 19.X edition (mintinstall is removed when removing flatpak and can't reinstall mintinstall w/o reinstalling flatpak).

If it is so, after removing flatpak, you can install another software manager (gnome-software by example). Then you can run it from Menu>Administration>Software.

[SMG]

There are some who loathe flatpak so much that they would rather learn to develop and package our own apps than use a flatpak. Flatpak should never have been made a dep for Software Manager. This means, at least for some folks, Software Manager is now treated as a cancer.

Just saying.. it's quite a contentious subject.

Whether or not you like flatpak is not relevant here. This is a support topic where you should be posting to help solve the OP's issue. If you want to discuss your views on Flatpak, please open a topic in the Chat about Linux Mint forum.

[Jo-con-Ël]

Also it is not exact.

Flatpak should never have been made a dep for Software Manager.

flatpak is not a mintinstall's dependency (nor on LM 20.X/LM 21.X, neither on LM 19.X) it is only recommended. Dependency causing that problem on LM 19.X would be another one, most probably xdg-desktop-portal-gtk as it becames also a recommend package on last editions and problem is fixed.