ipfs/ipfs-desktop

Snap on Linux: EACCES: permission denied (..) .config/IPFS Desktop/config.json

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#1,906 opened on Sep 8, 2021

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Description

I had IPFS desktop running in my taskbar. I told it to show the status, and the app crashed. Now, it just says "IPFS has errored" and won't connect to the network.

Before the crash, I had the IPFS and IPFS Desktop snaps installed. I removed the IPFS snap and this happened soon after. I re-installed IPFS, but that hasn't fixed the problem

This bug seems to occur when upgrading .snap to the new version. – https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-desktop/issues/1906#issuecomment-916033324

Specifications

  • OS: linux
  • IPFS Desktop Version: 0.16.2
  • Electron Version: 13.1.7
  • Chrome Version: 91.0.4472.124

Error

Error: EACCES: permission denied, open '/home/john/snap/ipfs-desktop/28/.config/IPFS Desktop/config.json'
    at Object.openSync (fs.js:476:3)
    at Object.func [as openSync] (electron/js2c/asar_bundle.js:5:1846)
    at Object.writeFileSync (fs.js:1467:35)
    at ElectronStore._write (/snap/ipfs-desktop/28/resources/app.asar/node_modules/conf/dist/source/index.js:370:16)
    at ElectronStore.set store [as store] (/snap/ipfs-desktop/28/resources/app.asar/node_modules/conf/dist/source/index.js:296:14)
    at ElectronStore.set (/snap/ipfs-desktop/28/resources/app.asar/node_modules/conf/dist/source/index.js:189:20)
    at BrowserWindow.<anonymous> (/snap/ipfs-desktop/28/resources/app.asar/src/webui/index.js:48:11)
    at BrowserWindow.emit (events.js:315:20)

Contributor guide

Tech stack
javascriptnodejselectron
Domain
desktop
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
blocked
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Linux permissionsSnap package basics
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
35
Research direction
The issue is a permission error when IPFS Desktop snap attempts to write to config.json in the snap data directory. The error occurs after upgrading the snap. Investigate the snap confinement rules and the Electron app's file writing logic in src/webui/index.js. Check if the config path or permissions change during snap upgrades. Review comments in the issue for similar reports and any maintainer guidance.