FAHControl Ubuntu 20.04 install issue

[shamansw]

Hi

Can't install FAHControl on Ubuntu 20.04.

After sudo dpkg -i --force-depends fahcontrol_7.6.9-1_all.deb

got an error

fahcontrol depends on python-gtk2 | python-gnome2; however:
Package python-gtk2 is not installed.
Package python-gnome2 is not installed.

I can see FAHControl in applications but nothing helps when start.

Anybody faced it?

[berndinger]

Hi,
fachcontrol depends on python2, whereas ubuntu 20.04 uses python3. That is the reason why fahcontrol doesnt work, unless there will be a update of Fah. So you can use only the client, change settings via the web control and change further settings in /etc/fahclient/config.xml

cheers,
Bernd

[ajm]

You just have to install Python2:

Code: Select all

sudo apt install python dh-python python-gnome2

Then:

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wget https://download.foldingathome.org/releases/public/release/fahcontrol/debian-stable-64bit/v7.6/fahcontrol_7.6.9-1_all.deb

sudo dpkg -i fahcontrol_7.6.9-1_all.deb

That would be the latest version in https://download.foldingathome.org/rele ... 4bit/v7.6/
If you want the former one: https://download.foldingathome.org/rele ... 4bit/v7.5/
that is

Code: Select all

wget https://download.foldingathome.org/releases/public/release/fahcontrol/debian-stable-64bit/v7.5/fahcontrol_7.5.1-1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i fahcontrol_7.5.1-1_all.deb

[shamansw]

Thank you but the next problem is how to install python-gnome2

sudo apt install python-is-python2 dh-python python-gnome2
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package python-gnome2

[ajm]

Ah, indeed, Ubuntu has removed support for Python2 with v19 (I use v18). So if you want to use Fahcontrol, you'll have to install 18.04 LTS. Sorry.

[shamansw]

thank you! will know.

[warrelium]

There are some forks of https://github.com/FoldingAtHome/fah-control that appear to have ported to python3 but that repo has never merged a PR so I don't know if they'll make it into the master.

[daoswald]

Ubuntu 20.04 is an LTS release. It is expected to be around for a long time. Additionally, the move to eliminate the python-gnome2 package from Ubuntu is a "from this point forward" shift. As such, this problem will not go away on its own as the release matures. To the contrary, more and more people will be upgrading to a version of Ubuntu that is incompatible with fah-control. Linux as a platform makes up about 25% of the WU's contributed to FAH. Ubuntu and its derivatives have a 36% market share in the Linux space. Within a few months a good portion of Ubuntu based users will be upgraded to the new LTS release. So this could translate to a 9% decrease in total WU's fulfilled if we lose the Ubuntu community. Possibly insignificant given the Covid-19 surge, but as life gets back to normal it will be impactful.

[PantherX]

Welcome to the F@H Forum daoswald,

Please note, as mentioned above, work is being done to ensure support of python 3. However, when it comes to folding, there's three packages:
FAHControl - currently has python 2 dependencies but is being worked on.
FAHClient - can function without issues on Ubuntu LTS
FAHViewer - I think it functions without issues on Ubuntu LTS

FAHClient is the critical component when it comes to folding as it does all the management of folding WUs. FAHControl is used to view the progress and modify the configuration. However, you can modify the configuration if you know your way around an xml file. Thus, it may not have a significant impact for existing donors who know what they are doing but might make it a bit hard for new Linux based donors.

[daoswald]

I appreciate your feedback PantherX.

I agree the FAHClient is really where the lifting is done, and particularly for someone comfortable with Linux command line, it's probably sufficient. For someone just getting started it's a little much, especially given the level of documentation readily available. But with enough time and diligence it's not too hard.

As for work being done, I see mostly the mention of the Github repo that has some un-merged pull requests, and an expression of uncertainty whether they'll make it into master. I suspect that as more adopt Ubuntu 20.04 the motivation to get those PR's refined and merged will be sufficient for it to happen.

[MeeLee]

There currently is only a 'dirty' version, by force-installing Python 2 on Ubuntu.
See here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=34607

The only test I haven't done is see which package is automatically removed after an apt-update.
That package needs to be apt-marked (so it won't be autoremoved).

[MeeLee]

My last post got lost somewhere, sorry.
Check here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=31972
Once you do everything, it'll work, but with the first update, the system might want to delete certain 'outdated' files.
You can use apt-mark to prevent the system from deleting them.

[Demmers]

As a Linux Mint user, I foresee an issue then come June, when Mint 20 will be released. It will be based on Ubuntu 20.04.
Do the likes of PantherX reckon that an update would be done in time for then? I can see that config modifications are currently suggested. but seeing as i'm one of many members of "Team Linux Mint", I also foresee a lot of disgruntled fellow Mint users who are caught unaware lol.

[PantherX]

Welcome to the F@H Forum Demmers,

...Do the likes of PantherX reckon that an update would be done in time for then?..

Good news is that the community is pitching in to port FAHControl from Python 2 to Python 3:
https://github.com/FoldingAtHome/fah-control/pull/70
https://github.com/FoldingAtHome/fah-control/pull/56

Bad news is that the F@H Team doesn't really provide ETAs so the next version will be announced when it's ready... hopefully it will be less than 2 years since that was the last time the client was updated.

Great news is that F@H Team is considering to move towards open source for some of the components which means that the F@H Community can all help out. Also, do to the recent awareness of F@H, there has been heaps of interest and they were accepting volunteers to help out. Here's the link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad_TEiByZUQ so let's see what happens in the next few months

[Demmers]

Thanks PantherX for all of that! It is what it is, I was just curious to see how this sort of thing progresses. Sounds like it should be relatively painless come what may.
Keep up the good work!