Re: Read-only file system error when installing a package

[Mike Miller]

On Sat, May 18, 2019 at 12:01:11 -0400, Steven Evans wrote:
>     When trying to install Octave's parallel package, I receive the
> following error:
> 
> warning: creating installation directory /app/share/octave/packages
> warning: called from
>     install at line 30 column 5
>     pkg at line 441 column 9
> error: could not create installation directory: Read-only file system
> error: called from
>     install at line 33 column 7
>     pkg at line 441 column 9
> 
>     I receive this error after typing "pkg install -forge parallel" at the
> Octave prompt.

This error message occurs because you are trying to do a "global"
package install into the /app filesystem in Flatpak, which is indeed a
read only filesystem. So this error message is correct.

But the reason you are doing a "global" package install is because...

>     My operating system is Lubuntu 16.04.  I recently installed the latest
> version of Octave (version 5.1.0) using Flatpak.
>     I don't know if this matters, but after installing Octave, I have to put
> "sudo" in front of the "flatpak run org.octave.Octave" command, when
> starting Octave.

Yes, it definitely matters, don't run Flatpak apps with sudo.

>     I got this run command by following the instructions at the bottom of
> this page:
> 
> https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.octave.Octave
> 
>     In order to start Octave via the command line, it says to type "flatpak
> run org.octave.Octave".  However, if I don't put "sudo" before this,  a
> window pops up saying I don't have read and write permissions.  I've
> attached a screen shot of this, so that you'll see what I mean.  That error
> message gave me the idea of putting "sudo" before the command; which seems
> to work.

The error in your screenshot means you have probably run Octave with
sudo at some point in the past, and Ubuntu's sudo configuration is
weird. Try

    sudo rm -rf /home/evansste/.config/octave

to delete the root-owned files in your home directory, then run Octave
again as your own user.

Running a user application with sudo is hardly ever a good idea.

>     Because I received that error by not using "sudo", I'm wondering if that
> could be related to me not being able to install the parallel package.  If
> so, what am I doing wrong? Any ideas on how to fix this?

Please try the above and let us know if it works.

-- 
mike

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